RIDGEFIELD– Ridgefield High School senior Joe Fazio has been out selling baked goods for the past 2 months around the town with the goal of raising $500 for Meals on Wheels of Ridgefield.
Joe, a member of St. Mary Parish in Ridgefield, says his Catholic upbringing has taught him the importance of helping others and giving back to his community.
Joe developed “Bake Sale on Wheels, ” a mobile bake sale, which he took on the road as he visited local sporting events and heavily trafficked areas around Ridgefield such as at Prime Burger, to sell the baked goods he, his mother and sister prepared the night before.
Joe reached his goal of raising $500, and on Sunday, December 10th, and presented the funds to Meals on Wheels of Ridgefield.
Congressman Jim Himes presented Joe a Certificate of Special Recognition in recognition of Joe’s outstanding and invaluable service to the community.
This past summer and the summer before, Joe had an eye-opening experience when he went on a trip called the Appalachian Service Project, where he helped to repair the homes of people in need who could not afford the necessary work to be done.
As he was installing the new tin roof on a home and it started to rain, the homeowner started crying tears of joy saying, “the water’s not goin’ through”.
It made Joe realize how important community service is, and he set his mind to figure out a way to help those in need right in his own backyard so he focused on helping the elderly through Meals on Wheels.
As a high school senior, Joe is applying to primarily Catholic colleges including Boston College, Holy Cross, Loyola Maryland, Villanova, Pepperdine and Providence College.
Joe’s goal as part of his education is to continue his community service work of helping others in the world while he’s in college.
In Photo:
At the Meals on Wheels kitchen Joseph Fazio (holding check) is congratulated by (Far Left): Debra Franceschini-Gatje, Awareness & Events for Meals on Wheels, Ridgefield; Dean Miller, Chairman of Meals on Wheels, Ridgefield; and Sean Higgins, Staff Assistant to Congressman Jim Himes.
