When Marion resident Betsy Robinson-Parks passed away in 2004, she left behind a legacy that includes being first woman elected to the Board of Selectmen -- and a “magic” sandwich.

It’s the latter that has her daughter Lynne Parks-Kuhl celebrating this week. Her mother’s “magic” sandwich was ranked the sixth most popular out of 35,000 in Panera Bread’s nation-wide sandwich showdown.

The sandwich consists of roast beef, smoked bacon, cheddar, barbeque sauce, salt and pepper, and finely chopped red onions on ciabatta bread.

The “magic” sandwich was the Parks family’s go-to in the good times and the bad.

“If anyone was having a bad day, we would get the ‘magic’ sandwich,” Parks-Kuhl said. “It was so delicious and so personal."

Parks-Kuhl, an artist in Marion, entered the national contest on a whim after seeing it advertized on Facebook. Since placing in the top ten last weekend, Parks-Kuhl has won a $150 Panera gift card.

The top sandwiches were judged based on taste appeal, the story behind the sandwich, creativity of the recipe, and the ability to recreate it in Panera Bread.

Although only the top sandwich will be added to the Panera Bread menu, Parks-Kuhl said she is grateful for the sixth spot as she considers it a tribute to her mother.

In fact, Parks-Kuhl renamed the “magic” sandwich the “Buster Beefwich.” This was done in honor of her late mother who the family dubbed “Betsy Buster Without a Badge.”

The nickname derived from Robinson-Parks' role as Police Commissioner in Marion as well as her six years as a Selectman. According to her daughter, Robinson-Parks never carried around her badge.

“She was just an amazing person,” Parks-Kuhl said.

The joy that comes when cooking for her family is something Parks-Kuhl said she learned young. Her grandmother taught her how to bake a pie in the very house in which Parks-Kuhl and her family now live.

“It’s not what you eat, it’s that you do it together,” she said. “Food was huge for us. We had family parties for birthdays. My dad made the best hash browns on the planet. When someone makes food for you, it’s so different. It’s a great thing to have.”

Parks-Kuhl said she was planning on using her Panera gift card for purchasing food for the community.

As for what her mother would think of the contest, Parks-Kuhl said, “She would be thrilled and she would figure out something to do to give back.”