‘Who knew that one ordinary show-and-tell would ignite my fire for lacrosse…’

Vito DeMola, Holbrook

“Playing lacrosse has been a passion for me since I was in fourth grade. I was introduced to it by my friend Maddie during show-and-tell. I was fascinated by the lacrosse stick she showed off, and I knew I had to try it out. Luckily, the next day I was able to get ahold of a lacrosse stick and play with some friends during recess. After that, I was hooked and replaced my baseball glove with a lacrosse stick.

“Who knew that one ordinary show-and-tell would ignite my fire for lacrosse, driving me to play my heart out in high school, college and even for the legendary New York Lizards! Throughout high school, I played varsity lacrosse and enjoyed every moment of it. But it was my seventh-grade coach, the legendary coach Doug Pandolf, who truly inspired me to give back to the community. This guy was the epitome of cool, with his shaved head and sick blue Jeep.

The Sachem community holds a special place in my heart.

“I wanted to be like him so badly! I played for him for a few years before aging out, but his impact on me was unforgettable. So when I saw a post on Facebook looking for lacrosse coaches, I jumped at the chance. And guess who called me? Coach Doug himself! We teamed up to coach some sixth-graders, and it felt like the ultimate full-circle moment. I learned so much from him when I was younger, but coaching alongside him was the ultimate honor.

“Coach Doug has been coaching in the community for over 30 years, and I’m so grateful to be part of his legacy and to help these young players become superstars. I’m not here just for a paycheck, but to see Sachem transform into something great. I’m committed to this program and want to establish myself as one of the coaches parents and kids look forward to playing with. Building a program that we’re all proud of is my ultimate goal. I want parents to feel proud to have their kids be a part of it and for the kids to feel proud to be on the field with us.

“I hope that one day my kids will also share that same sense of pride. Because I am an alumnus and former Sachem East lacrosse player, the Sachem community holds a special place in my heart. I know first-hand the power of a strong community and the role models that helped shape me into who I am today.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes

‘The developmental disabilities community needs a safe and welcoming place to gather and learn.’

MARISSA LEE DAMIANO, GLEN COVE

“When I noticed that residents of the AHRC [Association for Habilitation and Residential Care] visiting the Glen Cove Public Library were not engaging in our services, I created a program called Hooked on Books to serve this overlooked community. The AHRC supports people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. It began in November 2022 — and it’s been a great success!

“We meet weekly on Wednesdays, beginning our sessions with poetry, then read from our current book selection, and we finish with a craft. Among the books we’ve read are ‘A Flag for Juneteenth’ by Kim Taylor and ‘Mercy Watson to the Rescue’ by Kate DiCamillo. We’ve brought in guest readers such as Marsha Silverman, Glen Cove City councilperson, and local trumpet player Nick Mondello, who demonstrates the magic of music. The program promotes togetherness, inclusivity, diversity, acceptance and most importantly love.

“We enjoy listening to and singing along with songs by Johnny Cash, Randy Travis, Katy Perry, Kenny Rogers, Neil Diamond and our theme song, ‘Smile,’ by Vitamin C. Through their own drawings, we celebrate birthdays and holidays together.

Working with these individuals has changed my life.

“Outside the library, the group helps out tending to our seed garden. Among the more memorable moments was the time we had a class about sign language, and the members asked me to copy the book for them to take home so they could show their families how to sign. It was so touching!

“One of the members excitedly told the group that her family member commented on how her reading has improved, and she responded that it was because of our group. Working with these individuals has changed my life. I am a graduate student, focusing on becoming a disability support librarian.

“The developmental disabilities community needs a safe and welcoming place to gather and learn. I plan on continuing this program and will invite other librarians to our meetings with hopes they can implement the program in their neighborhood. Perhaps this program will go national!

“Many of our participants say that because of this program, Wednesday is their favorite day of the week. After working with these individuals, I can cheerfully say it is mine, too!”

Interviewed by Saul Schachter

‘l’ll teach you how to make a pizza in five minutes, but it’s going to take your lifetime to truly master it.’

Gaetano Giordano, Farmingville

“My name is Gaetano Giordano, but you can call me Tano. I come from a proud lineage of Italian immigrants, my parents, Cecilia and Francesco. My father came to the United States in 1963, and it was here that he first laid eyes on a captivating sight — a pizzaiolo in action. The neon lights framing the storefront window, with the word ‘Pizza’ glowing in the center, caught his attention. Inside, he saw a person skillfully pressing the dough, making it fly through the air like a saucer.

“My father was captivated. He knew at that moment that he wanted to pursue a career in pizza-making in America. His passion for pizza was infectious, and many members of our family and friends followed suit, learning the craft from my father.

“As I began my own journey in pizza-making, my father imparted a powerful lesson: ‘I’ll teach you how to make a pizza in five minutes, but it’s going to take your lifetime to truly master it.’ Growing up, I was surrounded by the pizza business. It was ingrained in our family’s DNA. However, school was a challenge for me. It wasn’t until later that I discovered I had dyslexia, which made it harder for me to learn. Feeling left behind, I often played hooky at school.

“My father, in an effort to teach me a lesson, told me that if I didn’t go to school, I would have to come to work with him. Surprisingly, I found solace and joy in working alongside him. Against my parents’ wishes, I eventually dropped out of high school.

“Together with my father, we opened a pizzeria in our hometown of Farmingville. We named it Baby John’s Pizzeria, in honor of my late brother. At just 18 years old, I found myself immersed in the family business.”

With three years of recuperation and therapy, I am grateful to have my leg and the ability to walk.

“For nearly two decades, we dedicated ourselves to this pizzeria. While it brought us joy to see young children grow into adults and serve our community with delicious meals, it also meant sacrificing our free time. The holidays were the only breaks we took in 20 years.

“As my parents’ health began to decline, I took on the responsibility of running the pizzeria on my own. However, the long hours began to take a toll on me. So we made the difficult decision to sell the business. It was during this time that I deeply regretted never graduating high school.

“Determined to make a change, I enrolled in GED classes and successfully passed the test. While working at Mama’s Pizza in Oakdale, New York, I finally had a couple of consecutive days off each week. It was during this time that I met the love of my life, Linda Maria, who I affectionately call my Queen Bella Mia. Linda saw something in me that I hadn’t seen in myself. She encouraged me to pursue a life beyond being a pizzaiolo.

“With her support, I changed careers and became a chef at the Arbors Assisted Living, where I had a regular 40-hour workweek. Within two years, I was promoted to food service director for one of their locations in Bohemia, New York. However, one fateful day in July 2017, my life took an unexpected turn. I was involved in a car accident that left me with a compound fracture in my right ankle and a significant loss of blood. Survival was uncertain, and there was a strong possibility that I would lose my leg.

“Through the prayers and expertise of the incredible health care professionals at Stony Brook University Hospital, I managed to overcome these challenges. With three years of recuperation and therapy, I am grateful to have my leg and the ability to walk.”

The pizza world I grew up in shaped me into the person I am today, and now I hope to pass on that transformative power to others.

“During my recovery, I stumbled upon a captivating video on YouTube. It showcased the Mastro Pizza Pavilion, a pizzeria that existed at the World’s Fair. To my surprise, my own father appeared in the midst of all the pizza makers, unknowingly leaving a mark on pizza history.

“Little did he know, and I don’t think anyone did, that the man behind this pizzeria was none other than Frank Mastro, the pioneer of gas pizza ovens that are now commonly found in pizzerias across America. This video, an old ’60s infomercial promoting their products, not only provided a fascinating history lesson about pizza but also became a valuable resource in my pizza classes.

“One evening, while enjoying dinner with friends at a party, I overheard a couple discussing the cooking lesson they had taken at their local public library. It sparked an idea in my mind — why not create my own pizza history and demonstration sessions at these libraries? This would allow me to share my love for pizza and keep my passion alive. And so, Pizza by Tano pizza, encompassing history and pizza demonstrations at public libraries, was born. I find immense joy in showcasing the craft I deeply respect and teaching others things I never even knew when I was working in the field myself.

“Furthermore, I aim to shed light on the lives of pizza makers and owners, while also supporting small businesses. Perhaps my classes will inspire some attendees to venture into the world of pizza and culinary arts themselves. During conversations with one of my class attendees, I stumbled upon an incredible revelation: Working with their hands can greatly benefit children with dyslexia, autism and learning disabilities, aiding their ability to concentrate.

“This reminded me of my own upbringing in the pizza world, where working with pizza dough and spinning it in the air helped me cope with my own dyslexia. The pizza world I grew up in shaped me into the person I am today, and now I hope to pass on that transformative power to others.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes

‘If I can build bridges and come up with solutions for other folks who are struggling, then I’m doing what I’ve always needed to do.’

Stevens Martinez, Glen Cove

“When I was in college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I thought the easy path for me to be successful was go to college, study finance and make money on Wall Street. But I learned quickly that if you don’t have a passion for the work you’re doing, you’re not going to succeed. I wasn’t doing that well my first year in college. I had this lack of motivation.

“But then the 2016 election came around. It was Donald Trump versus Hillary Clinton. Something about Trump rising to the platform that he had and eventually becoming president switched the light on in my brain. I’ll never forget that night; I just knew that this is what I needed to dedicate the rest of my life to.

At the end of the day, I love working in government and channeling my passion into public service.

“I ended up switching majors to the public policy and public service degree program. I interned in the New York State Assembly in 2018. I graduated from Hofstra University in 2019, and the very next day started working in the Nassau County comptroller’s office for about two and a half years. After I left Nassau County, I ended up working at NBCUniversal on their government affairs team for a couple of months before I came to the governor’s office.

“Now I’m the Nassau County regional representative for Gov. [Kathy] Hochul. The primary responsibility of my job is to be the direct point of contact for the governor’s office in Nassau County. There’s been times where my identity as an openly gay, Gen Z, first-generation Salvadoran American has put up a hurdle for me, but it’s never been a hard brick wall. I do recognize that other people put labels on me. But at the end of the day, I love working in government and channeling my passion into public service. I know what it feels like to grow up in a society where you’re not always supported, and not always expected to succeed just because of who you are.

“If I can build bridges and come up with solutions for other folks who are struggling, then I’m doing what I’ve always needed to do. In the future, my mission is to get more young people up and involved in government and politics. Maybe some of us are not ready to be leading that path, but at the very least, we need to be at the table listening, engaging and learning.”

Interviewed by Victoria Bell