After dishing up mostaccioli and meatballs for 350 people in 24 minutes at Our Mother of Sorrows School on Wednesday, Mike Pitocco joked that he still had time to get to the Olive Garden for lunch.

        Mr. Pitocco, 52, of Reading is chief cook for the Parent Teacher Association's Grandparents' Day luncheon, held annually the day before Thanksgiving.

        The largest crowd ever attended this year. That translates into 50 gallons of sauce, 70 pounds of pasta and 2,000 meatballs for the main course.

        Wearing shorts and an Our Mother of Sorrows T-shirt, Mr. Pitocco arrived at 7 a.m. Wednesday to prepare the lunch. A crew of parents helped him in the kitchen. Teachers and eighth-graders served the family-style meal.

        Patrick Martin and Elizabeth Smith of Kennedy Heights ate with their grandmother, Ann Martin of downtown. What's the best part of the day? “I get to spend time with my Grandma,” Patrick said.

        Ann Zaffiro of Westwood has attended Grandparents' Day for about six years. Two granddaughters, Teresa and Christina Zaffiro, attend school there.

        “It's wonderful,” Mrs. Zaffiro said. “It's a lot of work, but they all pitch in and work together. They make it so nice for all of us.”

        Her daughter-in-law, Lisa Zaffiro of Golf Manor, co-president of the PTA, said the event builds community. “We have a lot of kids who are non-Catholic, so it brings the two groups together.”

        If any of the 150 students didn't have a grandparent who could attend, parish members adopted them.

        People hugged and thanked Mr. Pitocco, knowing it would be difficult to pull this off without him. From grocery shopping to preparation to clean-up, Mr. Pitocco dedicated more than 20 hours in volunteer time.

        But chief cook is not all he does. He's parish business manager, runs Friday night bingo and is president of the men's Holy Name Society.

        “He's a wonderful man,” said Principal Kim Roy. “He has a full-time job. It's amazing to me he gives his day off.”

        Mr. Pitocco is office manager at Interstate Brands (Butternut Bread), but volunteers at Our Mother of Sorrows every Wednesday.

        “People ask me if I'm crazy,” he said. “It's something inbred in me. You're supposed to help the church. Granted, I know I go overboard. They depend on me. It's a day out of my week.”

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