Scholarship named for Arturo Manzo

Just a month after the tragic death of Arturo Manzo, who forged countless bonds as the owner of two local Italian restaurants and as a coach for the Hewlett-Lawrence Soccer Club, many of those he touched have come up with a way to keep his memory alive.

Manzo's friends and family members have established a memorial scholarship in his name that will be awarded annually to a Lawrence High School soccer player who embodies the spirit, good sportsmanship and love of the game that the longtime Cedarhurst resident exemplified. The first annual fundraiser for the Arturo Manzo Memorial Scholarship is being planned for sometime this summer — a date is yet to be determined — at Da'Nicola Restaurant in Hewlett. The scholarship's first winner is Lawrence senior Haras Chaudhry, who starred at goalie for the Golden Tornadoes.

The 64-year-old Manzo, who most recently lived in Atlantic Beach, died on May 6 when he accidentally fell 40 feet from the roof of an Inwood medical building at 372 Doughty Blvd. Hundreds of mourners packed Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C Church in Inwood for his Mass, and soon afterward, family and friends came up with the idea of a scholarship.

One of the organizers of the scholarship fund is Michael Israeli, a friend of Manzo's son Chris since childhood who worked at one of the restaurants, Ciao Italia in Cedarhurst, which became a popular hangout for Lawrence High students. Israeli recalled how he used to spend every Christmas and Easter at Manzo's home, and Chris would in turn come to his house for Passover. He also has fond memories of playing for Manzo's soccer team.

"He had a thick Italian accent, a ready smile and never cared if we lost a game, as long as we had a good time and tried our best," Israeli said. "He always made each one of us feel like we were the star player."

Manzo was born in Naples, Italy, and moved to Cedarhurst when he was in his 30s. He started out in the warehouse business before deciding to buy an abandoned property near Lawrence High in 1994 and transforming it into Ciao Italia. In 2002 he relocated the restaurant to Hewlett, and three years ago he sold it to his master cook, Nicola Scarcella, who is now the owner and head chef at Da'Nicola.

"I worked for him for 15 years and he was like a second father to me," said Scarcella. "[The fundraiser] will be a special night in honor of a special guy."

Israeli said he is hoping to raise $10,000 to help the Manzo memorial scholarship continue indefinitely. He recalled attending SUNY Oneonta with Chris Manzo, and how Arturo would often make the four-hour drive to the school, drop them off and immediately head back to the Five Towns. "There was nothing he wouldn't do for his family and friends," Israeli said. "Arturo's sudden and untimely death this May created a loss in my life and the lives of his family and friends that will never be completely healed."

The fact that the scholarship and fundraiser have been organized so soon after Manzo's death touched his daughter Rosa. "I know that he would be proud that we are doing something to maintain that connection and acknowledge a student who shares his passion for soccer," she said. "It is our hope to award this scholarship to a deserving recipient for many years to come and to continue to keep my father's memory alive in the community to which he was so dedicated and from which he derived much happiness."

For further information on the scholarship, e-mail arturomanzomemorialscholarship@gmail.com or log on to amanzoscholarship.blogspot.com.

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