Greg Maddalena benefit heads into second year
RIDGWAY- The second annual Greg Maddalena spaghetti dinner benefit will be held on February 26 at the Ridgway Elks from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until sold out. Dinners will be made available for eat in or take out. There will also be a 50/50 along with a basket raffle.
The monies raised for this year’s benefit will go towards Ridgway Rec. Soccer and the Lyle G. Hall Community Pool splash pad. Since Maddalena was so heavily involved in Ridgway soccer and the YMCA, this collaboration pairs well with each of these community oriented efforts.
Mary Lynne Belotti of the Ridgway YMCA emphasized that hard work is being done to move the splash pad project forward.
“We were relying on a couple larger grants that we did not receive, but there are other funding options and we will not stop until we have a splash pad at the community pool.”
The splash pad would be an incredible asset to the pool and those who use it, as the intended project plans would be for it to include a canoe slide at the shallow end of the pool, as well as flower, frog, and turtle objects that shoot out water through the splash pad.
Maddalena had an illustrious career as the Ridgway girls varsity soccer coach, and was a key figure in helping build the rec soccer field.
Greg Petrosky of the Ridgway Area Soccer Association (RASA) appreciated the Ridgway Elks for their consideration towards Ridgway Rec. Soccer for this benefit.
“It’s great that we have organizations like the Elks that reach out and do benefits that serve the kids of our community.”
Petrosky added that RASA wants to make a donation to the Greg Maddalena Memorial that they have upcoming with the Elk County Community Foundation.
Todd Greiner of the Ridgway Elks brought up the importance of mental health awareness and to keep the memory of Maddalena alive each year.
“We intend to keep Greg’s memory alive by serving the community in a positive way,” Griener said. “The Elks are honored to sponsor this benefit each year.”
Michelle Bogacki of Ridgway Township said she also feels ‘honored’ to be a part of both pieces of this benefit and continues to strive to make Ridgway a better place for local youth.
Greg Maddalena made a profound impact on the Ridgway community in a number of ways, and this annual benefit keeps his memory alive as to what he was all about.
This benefit is sponsored by Elk County Foods, Rosa Aiello, and the Ridgway Elks. Tickets are currently available at both Elk County Foods locations in Ridgway and Johnsonburg, as well as the Ridgway YMCA.