Local Man's Legacy of Giving Lives On at Community Meals
Pictured: Edward Fred Angihlante
by Cole Goodwin
A new covered picnic table area has been constructed at St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVDP) in memory of recently deceased SVDP and Community Meals board member Edwin Fred Anghilante. The first construction phase is now complete. The space will undergo a second beautification phase in the spring of 2022. Bill Marick, SVDP board member, and Master Gardner, hopes to beautify the area with planter boxes, plants, and flowers. An official dedication of the site will take place following project completion.
The new picnic tables and shade covering being utilized at SVDP.
“It’s going to be a great source of shade in the summer and cover in the winter,” said Dave Lutgens, SVDP Executive Director.
The project has been made possible by Edwin’s wife, Mary Anghilante. Anghilante donated over $17,500 to SVDP to resurface their parking lot, hire local contractor JJ Castro Construction to pour new concrete, purchase new picnic tables and a shade structure to cover the picnic table area. Thanks to her contributions, SVDP was able to dispose of their old wooden picnic table and provide dignifying and covid-safe outdoor seating options for those that attend their free Community Meals.
Anghilante said she wanted to do something to honor Ed’s memory and dedication to local social services.
“Ed was on the original board of Community Meals back when the first started and was involved in the organization since its inception,” she said. “He worked for the state of Oregon in Child Welfare and Adult and Family Services for many years and then in Senior Disabled Services. So his heart was that of a Social Worker. He just always believed in the value of helping people, and he loved it.”
“He could talk to anybody. He wouldn’t shy away from people with mental illness on the street who were asking for things. I always felt that was really his comfort zone. He was so relatable to people. He didn’t feel uncomfortable or like he didn’t have anything to offer, he was just a really amazingly outgoing person and very compassionate. He was just like that,” said Anghilante.
Mary Anghilante said she felt her husband would be proud to see his legacy of helping others continue even after his death.
“He had such a kind heart, and I just think he would feel so good about it. He had a piece of him that liked to make things better. I think that kind of decrepit blacktop area would have bothered him. Ed liked things neat, orderly, clean, and, you know, cared for. And I think he would really have liked to see that nice concrete finished product because his Dad was a brick mason. The fact that it’s really going to be complete by the date of his anniversary is just really great,” said Anghilante.
Pictured: Justin Cheadle enjoying a free meal on the new picnic tables at SVDP.
Anghilante said that their children have also been very excited about the project.
“They’ve been so excited about it,” said Anghilante “One of the best Thanksgivings we ever had as a family was delivering Thanksgiving dinners for Community Meals. None of our kids were married yet, they were all in that college age, and they were home. And they hadn’t ever really seen their Dad working with families and people that were in need of services before or his ability to be so relatable and comfortable and outgoing and happy while he did it. He was just this uplifting spirit. And I could tell that it was this whole new window that opened up for them. Just this realization that wow, my Dad has so many skills that I didn’t even know about. And from that moment on, I think they just had this whole different outlook about what their Dad had done. They just hadn’t gone to work with him before. So they are very, very excited that we’re going to have something that their Dad would be so so proud of that really offered something to people in our community who are so in need of a good safe place to sit and be dry and maybe be warm and that will be clean and a little more comfortable than it was before.”
Anghilhante said she was thankful to SVDP and Community Meals for their help envisioning the project and for their work helping those in need.
“I’m really so appreciative of everybody,” said Anghilante.
Anghilante said her son Blake had visited SVDP to check out the new structure on Friday and were excited to see it come to fruition.
“My son Blake and I took a peak,” said Anghilante. “I’m just so pleased with the quality and how it turned out and to see that it was totally in use. Just knowing it’s going to be utilized by so many people is a really good feeling. I think it’s going to be a really nice area once it’s completed and we’re able to get some beautiful flowers and plants in there and large planters.”
SVDP said they were grateful for Anghilante’s donations. They said they hoped to install a heater and maybe a nice outdoor tarp to provide additional protection from the elements this winter. The new covered shelter will be available to all in need during the shelter’s operating hours, but no overnight camping will be allowed in the structure.
