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'More happiness in giving than receiving'
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Thursday, 30 September 2004 |
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'More happiness in giving than receiving'
Third-annual fund-raiser embodies local firefighters' spirit of giving
By Marsha Lavelle
Of The Spirit
PUNXSUTAWNEY - Scott Anthony of Fox's Pizza Den is again helping the community to "Remember Your Volunteer Firemen" with the third-annual Pizza & Prevention event taking place this weekend.
This year's Pizza and Prevention is dedicated to the memory of Tony Gianvito, long-time president of the Punxsutawney Fire Department who passed away three weeks ago.
This year's event will be coordinated by Central firefighter Matt Powell, a member since 1990, who was asked by Gianvito to handle the arrangements for the fund-raiser.
"Last year, my wife and I worked the event," Powell said. After last year's event, Powell and Gianvito had been in constant touch via e-mail.
"He had some concerns about this year's event," Powell said, adding that one day, he stopped by Gianvito's business, G&G Foods, to see him, "and he had gone home sick."
Later, Gianvito had asked Powell to take care of the event until he felt better. But Gianvito didn't get better and passed away Sept. 10.
Anthony had worked closely with Gianvito to organize the event over the last two years and said they became good friends.
"Tony was great at getting things done," Anthony said. "I really admired his organizational skills and his ability to delegate responsibility to the best man for the job. Even though Tony worked full-time and had a family to take care of, he always had time to help out in the community.
"His door was always open," he added. "He got a lot of joy in doing things for other people, and that joy was all the payment he ever wanted. He took pride in what he did and always did his best. He set a good example for all of us. I know I am really glad to have known him."
The "Remember Your Volunteer Firemen" event originated just after Sept. 11, 2001, when Anthony decided to have a pizza sale with proceeds going to Punxsutawney's volunteer firefighters.
His idea really took off and has become a community event that also promotes safety.
"The Kengersky Agency feels very fortunate we can promote fire safety and honor our local firemen at the same time," said Matt Kengersky of Nationwide Insurance-The Kengersky Agency, the firm providing smoke detectors for residences that need them. "Keeping functional smoke detectors in the home and having well-trained firemen in the community are essential elements in keeping homes and families protected."
All the money collected during this event goes to the Punxsutawney Fire Department.
Anthony was asked about his generosity in donating all the pizzas, manpower and money to the fire department.
"There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving," Anthony said. "I try to look for a way to do good for people. This event in particular was designed to promote disaster prevention and acquaint local citizens with our volunteer firemen. This event also helps a group that helps everyone else. It's truly a win-win situation."
He said Punxsutawney is a great place to live and raise a family, so he wanted to give something back to his community.
"As far as donating 100 percent of the sales, I view it as an investment in my town, and I believe in the people of Punxsutawney," he said. "There is no downside to giving."
"When I talked to Tony last year, he said the funds that Scott gives us from this one event, by far, exceed any fund-raisers done for the department," Powell said.
"To give the entire amount of each pizza to the firemen is really amazing," he added, "And to think that he (Anthony) extended the hours by four hours longer this year ... To give us all the money is above and beyond what would be expected of a businessman."
Helpers involved in the coordination and other elements of this event include Punxsutawney Mayor James Wehrle; Personally Yours Printing; DecalDriven.com; The Punxsutawney Spirit; the Pifer Funeral Home; WPXZ 104.1 FM; and Wal-Mart. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 26 May 2007 )
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