SANFORD — Several teams of two people and some hearty individuals will chow down on some hefty sandwiches on Sunday, but this Sub Sandwich Eating Contest isn’t the “gulp and go” sort of competition.

Those who sign up — and several have already — for the The Donna Challenge contest at the Sandwich Shack in Sanford’s Mid-Town Mall  at 4 p.m. Sunday will have an hour to consume the sandwich — bigger than usual Donna sandwiches, which are, well, really big anyway.

The regular Donna sandwich one orders at the counter at lunchtime weighs 2 ½ pounds, said Amber Welch, who owns the shop with her husband Tom.

The Donna subs to be consumed in the contest on Sunday will come in two sizes — both of them huge. Teams of two will try to consume a five-foot long Donna sandwich, weighing 12 1/2 lbs., in 60 minutes, said Welch, while those who enter on their own will be chowing down on a three-foot long sandwich, at 7 1/2 lbs.

The Donna sandwich contains ham, turkey, roast beef, bacon, salami, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onion, green pepper, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

A portion of the proceeds from the event and the $35 registration fee from those who sign up on Sunday will benefit Great Bay Services, a nonprofit organization that provides services to young people with disabilities.

The Welch’s son Jayden, 13, who is autistic, received services from Great Bay Services for some time, Amber said. Jayden, who runs a delivery service for his parents’ sandwich shop, also has a gum ball machine in the shop, proceeds of which go for autism awareness, she said.

There are prizes for the contest winners, including gift certificates for sandwiches, Sandwich Shack gear, and there are special T-shirts for the event.

For those who live in Biddeford and Saco who think the shop’s name and the “Donna” sandwich sounds familiar – yes, it is the same Sandwich Shack that was operated by Clifford – known to all as “Junior”-  and Donna Welch in the twin cities for 40 years. The couple retired seven years ago.

Amber is married to Tom Welch, Cliff and Donna’s youngest son. The couple has seven children, including three they adopted.

“We decided to open up the sandwich shop,” said Amber. “It was in his blood.”

“My mother-in-law said ‘you’re crazy’,’” said Amber when the couple approached Tom’s parents about their plan. “But she is guiding us.”

The Sandwich Shack opened Oct. 19. Amber said the response from former patrons and new ones has been ‘”extraordinary.”

“I love it,” said Marie Lavertu, ordering a Donna at the counter on Wednesday. She said she enjoyed the Sandwich Shack when it was in Biddeford and continued to patronize the establishment when it moved to Saco — and now in Sanford, where she lives.

So what’s the big deal about  Sandwich Shack sandwiches?

“It’s the bread, no one has our bread,” said Amber, who pointed out it’s the same variety as was used in the original sandwich shop, along with  the type of ham, the type of turkey and the other meats.

“It’s the combination of flavors,” said Amber. “The vegetables are sliced fresh, multiple times a day, and we use good, local vendors.”

As to the Sub Eating Contest, well, the couple says there are a lot of challenges among the people who stop by for lunch – and so the contest concept was born.

Besides the Donna, the shop sells a host of other sandwiches and salads.

The Sandwich Shack is located at 898 Main St., in unit 103 at the Mid-Town Mall in Sanford’s downtown.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.