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03/19/2021 12:00 AMOn Sunday, April 4, Twin Pines Diner will host free Easter dinners (dine in or take out) for East Haven military veterans, elderly residents or in-need community members who only need to give a call in advance to request their delicious holiday meal.
If the offer sounds familiar, it's because it's the third time in recent months for free holiday meals delivered by diner owner Jim Triantis, through an effort organized by East Haven attorney Andrew "Andy" Amendola, and with financial help from a handful sponsors gathered by Amendola. Similar programs helped hundreds of local folks at Christmas and Thanksgiving.
To help Triantis and the Twin Pines staff prepare hundreds of free Easter meals, East Haven military veterans, senior citizens and residents in need are asked to call now (and no later than Thurs. April 1) to register. Call Twin Pines at (203) 468-6887, ask for the manager or owner, and provide your name, address and telephone number, said Triantis.
"They can tell us if they want a Virginia ham dinner or roasted turkey dinner; and because we're going to give out 200 or 300 dinners, we'd like to know early, to prepare everything. This way, they don't have to wait too long inside or outside," said Triantis. "I want to be able to give them fast service."
Guests can choose to eat at the restaurant or pick up their meals for take out on April 4. The 24-hour diner will be open for tableside service from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. and for take-out all other hours. Twin Pines Diner is located at 34 Main St. in East Haven.
Due to the hundreds of residents who received free Christmas and Thanksgiving meals, Amendola said he felt it was important to also offer an Easter meal. He plans to continue to organize the three holiday programs for years to come. Triantis said didn't hesitate when Amendola reached out to see if Twin Pines would sign on again for Easter.
"He has a good feeling for the people. I can't believe how much he cares about people," said Triantis of Amendola.
For his part, "I feel good about giving back," said Triantis. "I've been here over 41 years. People here, they've been good to me and I try to be good to them. I believe God sees everything you do, so I always try to give back. No matter what, I never say no."
In addition to the support provided by Triantis and Twin Pines, program sponsors are Andrew Amendola, Ken Horton of Horton Enterprises LLC; Lou Porrello of Industrial Recycling LLC, Albert DeLucia of Porto Funeral Home, and Don and Jesse Herzog of East River Energy. In all, Amendola raised $4,000 in funding for the effort, which is also helping to provide 100 children's Easter baskets (distributed through East Haven Public Schools).
Amendola also gathered support to raise $4,000 for an Easter meal program for Branford vets, seniors and citizens in need, provided once again with gracious assistance from the Sousoulas family at the Parthenon Diner Restaurant in Branford. The sponsors also helped provide 140 Easter baskets distributed to by Branford agencies to kids in need.
Amendola also thanks East Haven residents Cheryl Cooper Tardif and Liz Franco-Spano for their Easter basket assistance. Franco-Spano, a friend of Amendola's, noted Tardif has been coordinating an Easter basket program for East Haven school children in need for several years.
"Andy and I have known each other for a long time -- he's always helping out at holidays," said Franco-Spano. "So when he said, 'Do you want to do something with Easter baskets?' I said, 'I have a friend who can help.' And Cheryl did. She made over 200 extra baskets."
Franco-Spano recently helped deliver the Easter baskets, samples of which are also on display at both diners.