Pizza Offers a Slice of Italy for April Trip

More than a dozen students scurried around the tables at Grande Apizza in Cheshire Thursday night during a "Tip-a-Student" event.

Most had never worked as waitstaff, but customers didn't seem to mind if a few orders first went to the wrong table.

"We learned what we had to do; running food out and taking orders," said Junior Kim Vumback. "We have to be careful because the pizza is hot," added Junior Kate Beebe.

The fundraiser will help pay for bus transportation to JFK Airport where a group of 17 students and English teacher Dawn DeMeo will depart for a week-long trip to Italy during the April school break.

Owner Rick Nuzzo he's hosted similar fundraisers for the Cheshire Police Department and Little League teams. He gave the students a few hints before they began taking orders. "Be careful passing a hot pizza in front of people. Don't put it in front of a kid," he suggested.

Nuzzo will donate 20 percent of the sales to the student group who will also keep all the tips they earned in the five-hour-long event.

Lisa Bartiet, whose daughter, Kayla is going on the trip, said she was surprised the restaurant was so busy before 5 p.m. "I'm so happy she's going. It will be a life experience," she said.

DeMeo said she organizes a student trip every other year. She offered it first to her AP English students and then opened it up to others who were interested. DeMeo said all the flowers on the tables and single stem roses given to each customer were donated by Cheshire Nursery.