WEST PITTSTON — Beloved West Pittston Mayor Tony Denisco may have passed away in April, but with the help of borough officials and others, he won’t be forgotten.

A kick-off for a month-long food drive in Denisco’s memory was held at the West Pittston Little League Field on Saturday, June 11.

Denisco was a lifelong servant to the borough where he grew up, and newly-appointed Mayor Tom Blaskiewicz and Councilman Charlie Alfano brainstormed ideas to keep his memory alive for years to come.

“Knowing how Tony was a guy that cared about everybody — the little person, the person that needed a little lift — we decided to do a food drive,” Blaskiewicz said. “I know the food banks in town; the churches do a tremendous job and what a better way, around Father’s Day, to keep Tony’s memory alive then to launch a month-long food drive.”

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Among the West Pittston food bank charities benefiting from the drive are the First United Methodist Church, 408 Wyoming Ave.; Immaculate Conception Church of Corpus Christi Parish, 605 Luzerne Ave.; Trinity Episcopal Church, 220 Montgomery Ave.; and the Salvation Army, 214 Luzerne Ave.

“We can keep Tony’s spirit alive, we can help out the food pantries and we can just bring everybody together and that was the magic and mystic of Mayor Denisco; he was able to bring people together and I want to continue the same tradition of just bringing people together, talk things out and work things out,” Blaskiewicz said.

In addition to Blaskiewicz, members of Denisco’s family, West Pittston Little League officials, volunteers from Corpus Christi Parish and officials from West Pittston Tomorrow were present at the kick-off event.

“Our family would like to express their deepest and sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in the food drive,” said Anthony Capozzuca, Denisco’s grandson. “To have such a wonderful event in honor of my grandfather, truly expresses what a great man he was. We appreciate everything that everyone has done and continues to do.”

West Pittston Little League President Ang Alfano and board member Mike Branley will do their part to collect non-perishable food.

The West Pittston Little League will host a pool-play tournament consisting of three doubleheaders against teams from different towns. All participating towns will be notified of the food drive in hope that each team will bring along non-perishable food. The all-star tournaments will consist of 9-10, 10-11 and 11-12 age brackets.

According to Branley, in addition to the all-star clashes, scrimmages will be held and girls’ softball will participate as well.

Two food collection boxes are stationed at West Pittston Borough building on Exeter Avenue and food can be dropped off during borough business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Other drop-off boxes are located at Driscoll’s Hardware, 720 Wyoming Ave.; Old Mill Pine, 400 Exeter Ave.; state Sen. John Yudichak’s office, 801 Wyoming Ave.; Joyce Insurance, 9 N. Main St. in Pittston; and Medico Industries, 1500 Rt. 315, Wilkes-Barre.

For more information, call West Pittston Borough Secretary Ellen Riddle at 570-655-7782.

“If the response is overwhelming, I think we can make this an annual event and it’s a win-win opportunity,” Blaskiewicz said.

Representatives of West Pittston Borough, West Pittston Tomorrow, West Pittston Little League, Corpus Christi Parish and the Denisco family take part in the kick-off of the Mayor Tony Denisco food drive in the memory of the late mayor. The drive is underway and will conclude on July 3. West Pittston churches and organizations will benefit from the drive. Drive boxes are located at the West Pittston Borough Building.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_Denisco-Food-Drive-2016.jpg.optimal.jpgRepresentatives of West Pittston Borough, West Pittston Tomorrow, West Pittston Little League, Corpus Christi Parish and the Denisco family take part in the kick-off of the Mayor Tony Denisco food drive in the memory of the late mayor. The drive is underway and will conclude on July 3. West Pittston churches and organizations will benefit from the drive. Drive boxes are located at the West Pittston Borough Building. Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
West Pittston officials organize food drive in memory of late mayor

By Tony Callaio

For Sunday Dispatch

HOW TO HELP

Two collection boxes for the food drive in memory of the late Mayor Tony Denisco are stationed at West Pittston Borough building on Exeter Avenue and food can be dropped off during borough business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Other drop-off boxes are located at Driscoll’s Hardware, 720 Wyoming Ave.; Old Mill Pine, 400 Exeter Ave.; state Sen. John Yudichak’s office, 801 Wyoming Ave.; Joyce Insurance, 9 N. Main St. in Pittston; and Medico Industries, 1500 Rt. 315, Wilkes-Barre. For more information, call West Pittston Borough Secretary Ellen Riddle at 570-655-7782.

Reach the Sunday Dispatch newsroom at 570-655-1418 or by email at sd@s24530.p831.sites.pressdns.com.