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09/06/2017 08:30 AMHaving served in World War II and being a pharmacist for many years are just a few of the noteworthy things Ralph Milione has done throughout his life. Now, he is showing a painting he drew based on Michelangelo’s Pietà sculpture at this year’s Fall Festival, and hopes that it inspires those who see it to donate to a good cause.
Since the original sculpture is in Rome, Ralph says that it’s a chance for people to come out and see the work in the form of a painting.
He hopes to give people “an opportunity to take a look at tremendous workmanship that Michelangelo did, not because of my painting, because it’s a copy of what he did,” Ralph says.
The painting will be at the community table at the Fall Festival, and Ralph encourages families in the area to come by for the opportunity to see it at no charge, and says those who do are encouraged to take pictures of it as well.
“Let them look at it, let them enjoy a sight in their lifetime, which I think is a good idea,” Ralph says. “It’s a crime not to show it; it’s a sin.”
Ralph says the five- by six-foot painting took him about six months to complete. He would work on it for about six hours on Saturdays and Sundays, starting from the head down. With the help of donations, Ralph was recently able to get the painting framed.
Hoping to show the painting to a wider audience, Ralph reached out to churches, galleries, and other organizations, but some groups said they were too busy and some said he had to wait over at least a year. He even considered cleaning out his garage, hanging it inside, and taking out an ad in the paper so people could see it there.
However, Ralph says one of his daughters and son-in-law volunteered to rent a truck and take it to the Town Green for the Fall Festival.
Another reason that he’s showing it comes from a friend of his who has cancer, and needs $4,800 for treatments, saying that his friend’s insurance won’t cover all of it. He’s also concerned about those in similar situations, concerned enough to create a non-profit organization, Care for the Living, to help those going through cancer treatments with financial assistance.
“I want money so I could give them the money so they can do their cancer treatments. They could live six months, a year,” Ralph says, “Care for the living—that’s why I established my Care for the Living.”
He hopes that those who see the painting during the Fall Festival will help donate to the cause.
“Maybe I could coincide it together; maybe by showing…the Pietà I can get money for donations, make everybody happy,” Ralph says.
Needing $400 to start the organization, Ralph says he saved up money for two years to be able to do it. After that, he was told he may have to wait three or four years for approval.
“I got approved in six months,” Ralph says.
Of his World War II service, Ralph says he was drafted into the Navy out of high school. He served in the South Pacific, participated in the Borneo Campaign, and has many medals and ribbons displayed in his home from his experience.
After the war, he was a pharmacist for many years, and even worked part-time in real estate later on in his career. He has also authored some books, including Die No More, which presents information Ralph compiled to help the public understand cancer and preventative measures that can be taken to help reduce the risk.
Helping those fight cancer is something that’s important to Ralph, and he hopes others will think it’s important as well, and shared something that he once said to one of his daughter.
“In order to receive, you have to give,” Ralph says, “If you don’t give you don’t receive.”