By Anthony Rifilato
Not only does Henry help operate the security firm with owner Tony Scialdone, but the company also runs a non-profit called ArtAID.
The organization creates artwork featuring memorial angels and tributes for those who died in the Sept. 11 attacks and for those who have been killed in the line of duty, be it a police officer, firefighter or soldier.
While 9/11 was the seminal moment for ArtAID, the organization has also embarked on other memorial and fundraising projects since its inception, such as helping with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and creating memorials for victims of the London train bombing last year.
But mostly, the group is known for its 29 foot by nine foot "Never Forget" banner at ground Zero with the names of the victims, which now hangs outside the office at 760 St. Luke's Place.
The organization has an official relationship with the New York Police Department, and, needless to say, ArtAID's focus has been close to home lately. It's been a hard few months, says Henry, and there have been way too many police officers killed in the line of duty recently.
"It's been a bad stretch," says Henry, a retired police officer. "It's hard, because what do you say to somebody who has lost a relative."
The ArtAID projects are funded personally through Scialdone, and the group receives no money from its artwork. Most recently, the group created memorial angels for New York City police officers Kevin Lee, Dillon Stewart, Daniel Enchautegui and Garden City police officer Bob Dempsey, among others.
When they learn that an officer has been killed, Henry and Scialdone say that the first thing they do is contact Rev. Robert Romano, a chaplain with the NYPD and try to reach out to the families. Sometimes, the families contact ArtAID themselves.
Officer Hernandez died on Feb. 8, after 11 days on life support. He was beaten by a group of thugs in the Bronx in a gruesome scene caught on video, and then mistakenly shot by a fellow officer who arrived during the melee. The wake and funeral services were coming up, and ArtAID is producing 10,000 memorial angel prints in Hernandez's honor.
On this day, Henry, Scialdone and the ARTAID team were waiting to learn Hernandez's shield number, which are displayed on the prints, and to get the okay from Father Romano to produce Hernandez's memorial angels.
As they are with any officer who dies, ArtAID is aware of the sensitive nature of their work.
"The last thing you want to do is print up a card and get the shield number wrong," says Henry. "It's those little things that we want to get right. We also try to find out what's appropriate for the art work and not be overbearing."
Henry and Scialdone say that victim's family members have embraced the artwork, which is created by artist Keith Paiseczny. Indeed, the walls in the office are testament to that. There are numerous plaques honoring ArtAID, including one from the family of Army Spc. Wilfredo Urbina, a Baldwin resident who was killed in Iraq.
"You almost feel guilty that they want [the art work] and send you thank you letters," says Henry.
Actions speak louder than words
As Henry and Scialdone wait for the okay from Father Romano, the office at 760 St. Luke's Place is abuzz with talk of numerous projects and fund-raisers.
While ArtAID has been busy memorializing police officers lately, they have been consumed with other efforts as well.
There are a lot of people in the office today, among them Daniel Rodriguez, the famous "singing policeman," who lifted spirits with his operatic performances for a grieving nation after Sept. 11. Rodriguez has been working with ArtAID and the United Service Organizations (USO), sending care packages to the troops in Iraq, which include everything from toiletries and snacks to copies of Rodriguez's CDs and ArtAID prints with a prayer on the back.
"We're out here to show that there are a lot of positive things going on," says Rodriguez, who has performed at numerous benefits since 2001.
Rich Snyder is here too, a former New York City fireman and Executive Board member of America's 9/11 Foundation. The non-profit organization will be raffling off a customized Harley Davidson in August, the proceeds of which will benefit family members of police, fire and EMS personnel who have died or are disabled. The organization is selling 15,000 raffles at $10 a piece, and ArtAID is assisting the effort.
"People are just so willing to help," says Snyder. "We're looking to tie all of these organizations together."
And then there's Joe DiTillio, owner of Amore Mio Restaurant and Pizzeria in Baldwin, whose father owns a pizzeria near Ground Zero. DiTillio and his father lost many friends and customers on Sept. 11, and he recently committed a wall in his restaurant displaying memorial works by ArtAID.
Over heaping plates of eggplant rollatini and penne alla vodka from Amore Mio, Scialdone, Rodriguez and Snyder discuss various fundraising projects. As rock music by Aerosmith and Gorillaz plays on the radio, Rodriguez says he's troubled by the recent deaths of police officers in the area.
"We've had a really hard year," Rodriguez says. "ArtAID has been there for every one of them."
A pizzeria does what it can
Joe DiTillio, 29, toils behind the counter at his new pizzeria/restaurant, Amore Mio, at 658 Sunrise Highway.
He returns to the store after catering food to Scialdone's office, puts some fresh pies in the display case and tends to customers.
The rear wall is filled with ArtAID works memorializing those who were killed on Sept. 11, in addition to those who died in the line of duty and in Iraq. It is DiTillio's own little memorial, his way of contributing to what he says is a good cause. He points to the "Never Forget" print, with the names of the 2,792 people who were killed.
He singles out one name in particular: Steve Cafiero, a long time friend who died that day.
"He was like my big brother," said DiTillio, who lives in North Flushing. "He kept us all together. I remember my friends and buddies that I lost."
It was here that Scialdone came in for a slice of pizza and learned who the young man was. DiTillio's father, Pasquale, owns Majestic Pizza at 8 Cortland Street, 200 feet away from Ground Zero.
"I went in there and he said my father has a pizzeria near Ground Zero," Scialdone says. "They sacrificed a lot."
DiTillio, who worked with his father up until Sept. 11 said that after the towers collapsed he and his dad volunteered at Ground Zero, handing out bottles of water and supplies. The elder DiTillio had also volunteered with FEMA for a few months, but soon started to notice adverse health affects after being exposed to the dense dust and debris.
"He started coughing up blood," DiTillio says. As a result of volunteering at Ground Zero, DiTillio's father recently had part of his lung removed and deals with recurring health problems. Just four weeks out of the hospital, however, his father, who is from Abbruzzi, Italy, went back to work at the pizzeria last month.
"It was difficult for him and he paid the price," DiTillio says. "Because he volunteered, because he did something out of the goodness of his heart."
DiTillio says that when he met Scialdone a few weeks ago, he remembered the "Never Forget" banner at Ground Zero, and said he wanted to help. Last week, DiTillio put up the artwork, and he hopes to sell raffle tickets to help with the America's 9/11 Foundation initiative, saying that the motorcycle is a nice tribute.
"I wanted to help in any way I could," DiTillio says. "It's nice to see someone like Tony doing something out of their own pocket, and showing us how not to forget."
A motorcycle and a phone call
At the office, Scialdone and the others await word from Father Romano.
They speak of the raffle and the Harley, which is customized with an ebullient American flag. The motorcycle may be autographed by former mayor Rudy Giuliani, and the proceeds will go towards the foundation's college scholarship program.
"Hopefully it will make people get involved for a good cause," says Snyder.
As the fifth anniversary of the attacks grows closer, Rodriguez and Scialdone say that all the fundraising really lives up to the phrase "Never Forget."
"There will always be those who remember," says Rodriguez. "Our most precious gift is each other."
Scialdone echoes those sentiments.
"This community is responding," Scialdone says. "I think as you come closer to the 5th anniversary, people are starting to come back to that moment."
For the most part though, the mood in the room is not somber. Puns about each other's weight and eating abilities are frequent.
Scialdone, who used to own a bar in Brooklyn and was friends with many police officers, has known Rodriguez for years, when the budding tenor lived in the neighborhood.
For the past six months, Rodriguez has been working with ArtAID on the USO care packages for the troops overseas, and says that they recently sent 15,000 of them to Iraq.
Their next goal is to produce 140,000 care packages. ArtAID, Rodriguez says, was the first to donate $7,000 for the USO project.
"If this became the norm that would be great," Rodriquez says, explaining that he hopes more people will get involved with the project.
"Once I got involved with Tony, I saw so many wonderful things. We've had so much positive feedback from so many people."
Then the conversation shifts, and they focus on the main issue of the day.
"We've got to do this for Hernandez now," says Scialdone.
The phone rings shortly after and Rodriguez answers. It's the call that they've been waiting for.
"Hello Father Romano," says Rodriguez. "It's your favorite tenor."
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