January 2007

Times Herald-Record
Middletown Kiwanis has a special friend in Franco Fidanza!

The Middletown Kiwanis has a special friend in Franco Fidanza, and although he supports the club for its work and lends a hand financially and with projects, he doesn't have time to be the kind of member he feels the club deserves. Still, the club owes him a lot.

As the president and founder of the Planet Wings-Pizza chain of restaurants, he suggested and worked closely with Kiwanians to co-host the annual fall Pizza for Parks fundraiser. Over a four-year period, thousands of dollars was raised through the sale of pizzas at Fidanza's expense with three-fourths of the proceeds going toward the Middletown Park's Maple Hill Park. The results are a much-improved playground area where children can play and a new picnic area with a large pavilion where families can enjoy time together.

Away from Kiwanis, Fidanza also sponsors the annual Duck-athon that benefits the Newburgh Family YMCA and the Newburgh Day Nursery, the county's oldest day-care program in continuous operation for children. It, too, was a success.

Last summer, eight of Fidanza's stores teamed with the Muscular Dystrophy Association to raise funds for the "Summer Party for a Cure" program. It, too, was a winner.

Between the three events for the nonprofits, more than $75,000 was raised.

This past summer Planet Wings also was the lead sponsor for the Wallkill Rotary's Wiffle Ball Tournament, raising $16,000 to be divided among the Wallkill Boys and Girls Club, the Sarah Wells Girl Scout Council and the YMCA of Middletown.

And there's more. Fidanza supported the Hi-Y Dance for the Newburgh Family YMCA at the Aviation Hangar at Stewart Airport. He not only provided the food but also amazed the appreciative crowd by serving it. Fidanza also helps the Regional Economic Community Action Program headquartered in Middletown by not only donating 150 turkeys for the Thanksgiving baskets for the needy but also by using his equipment to store fresh and frozen turkeys that are donated to the nonprofit, which has no place for storage.

It's pretty clear that Fidanza is a bright star in our area who sees needs and pitches in to help. But he's modest and doesn't seek publicity. His belief is that a project is only as good as the community that endorses and supports it. Residents have been generous in taking advantage of his pizza and chicken wing offers, knowing most of the proceeds will go a long way to make life better for others. Thanks, Franco.

• Barbara Bedell

Staten Island Planet Wings page

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