Positivity: Geno’s Raises Money for Scholarship Fund
Apparently Joey Vento, owner of Geno’s Steaks in Philadelphia (yeah, THAT Geno’s), is in the habit of doing these kinds of things:
Philadelphia - Police Officer and Pa. Army National Guard Reservist Gennaro “Gerry” Pelligrini, Jr,. of the 26th Police District in Fishtown and North Philadelphia, died while serving in Iraq last year. In his memory, Geno’s Steaks owner Joey Vento will donate all sale proceeds over two days to a scholarship fund to cover private and parochial school tuition costs for low-income Catholic families.
The drive for the scholarship began yesterday and will end tomorrow night. Local Philadelphia WPHT 1210 radio host (and Evening Bulletin columnist) Dom Giordano will broadcast his program from Geno’s Steaks in order to boost publicity for the drive while encouraging listeners to add their support.
“We want to thank Joey Vento. ‘Thank you’ isn’t enough for his contribution for this fund. Thank you to everyone who comes out,” said Kim Petaccio, Gerry’s sister, on behalf of her family at the drive’s opening.
Captain Lou Campione of the 26th Police District, who helped initiate the fund, said that the scholarship honors Gerry’s love for Iraqi children. After an exchange of letters with Gerry, local Fishtown and North Philadelphia school children collected flip-flops and sent them to Gerry to give to young Iraqis.
“He had a tremendous love for children, which is why we developed the scholarship fund so we can continue to support children in his memory,” Capt. Campione said.
“He’s a true hero in all this,” Joey Vento said. “He gave his life so we can stay safe, to give a guy like me the opportunity to prosper. So I’m giving back because I can. God has been very good to me and my family.”
….. Gerry Pelligrini was 31-years-old when he died on August 9th, 2005. He served as specialist in Company A of the 1st Battalion of the 111th Infantry.
