Empire Football League

Up on the Roof

Supporters brave rain to raise money

By RICHARD NILSEN, The Leader-Herald

Published on Sunday, October 28, 2007

The Leader-Herald/Richard Nilsen Rich Sager of the Amsterdam Zephyrs football team prepares to lower a bucket to collect a donation for the Little Giants Football Team from the top of Riverfront Center in Amsterdam Saturday. View additional photos and order prints online at cu.leaderherald.com

It started with a challenge from Tony Centi of the Crystal Ristorante.

The group on the roof of Riverfront Center in Amsterdam had brought tents to stay as long as needed to raise the $1,500 they had set as a goal to help support Little Giants Football in Amsterdam.

"Centi challenged Joe Isabel to do a fundraiser from the roof top," Joe Altieri said. "Centi said he'd pay $5 for every call he got for his Saturday morning 'Swap Shop' show on WCSS radio."

Altieri said his production coordinator, Rebecca Persico "took it from there."

"It just snowballed," Persico said.

The rain was falling Saturday, but spirits didn't seem dampened on the roof as Rich Sager of the Zephyrs semi-pro football team lowered a bucket for donations from below.

"I'm psyched," Persico said. "I'm ready to do it again."

With the volunteers for the fundraiser were "Chives" Marino, 10 and Dominick Altieri, 11, also known as "Chives Fabozzi and Jonny Q" for their Sunday evening sports show broadcast on WCSS. Marino is a player on the team.

Little Giants president Tony Marotta said the money would be used for field expenses at Lynch Middle School.

"It's for kids from 7 to 12 years of age," Marotta said.

"We've gone well beyond our goal," Altieri said.

Persico said it was a great experience in spite of the rain.

"We had to pick the one day all week it rained," Altieri said.

Persico said she didn't care.

"I'm ready to turn around and do it all over again for someone else," she said.

Richard Nilsen is a general assignment reporter and can be reached at ga@leaderherald.com.