Stop & Shop will celebrate the 98th birthday of one of its long-time baggers and WWII veteran, Bartholomeo 'Benny' Ficeto, with a surprise party at 12 noon on Tuesday, August 20th at the Stop & Shop located at 1049 US Highway 1 South, Edison, NJ.

Stop & Shop will surprise Benny with a cake and performances by the USO Show Troupe. His niece who works at a Staten Island Stop & Shop store will also be on hand to celebrate his birthday, along with Stop & Shop executives. Benny started working at Stop & Shop nearly ten years ago in Bloomfield. He transferred to the Edison store about 18 months ago, and continues to work two, four-hour shifts a week as a bag boy.

Previously, Benny served in the Army Air Force during World War II as a gunner on a B-25 Mitchell bomber, flying mostly over northern Africa and Italy, and has held other various jobs after “retiring” from a cosmetic company back in the 80s. Benny’s work ethic is second to none – he stands the entire time, working at a steady pace, and refuses to take his 15-minute break. Bennie has said, “Why would I take a break when I only get to work four hours?”