Volunteer Joe Cirillo spent years shepherding the efforts to revive the beloved St. Ann's Italian Festa in Raritan Borough − before he even had the opportunity to attend one. Due to COVID-19 and financial difficulties, the principal fundraiser for St. Ann Church and accompanying St. Ann Classical Academy was in purgatory for five years. But thanks to Cirillo and his fellow 100 volunteers' efforts, the festival in the primarily Italian borough returned last year − and it was worth every bite.

“On the first night of last year’s Festa I said to Pastor Tom Odorizzi, ‘Did you ever think we would make it to this point?’ “ Cirillo recalled. “We had so many obstacles we had to overcome. But it was everything that I thought it would be and more. That meatball sandwich never tasted so good.”