By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/17/05)

How do you create a positive outcome from a parent’s worst nightmare?

When Joey drowned in 1998, Bob and Paola Pizzano of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Vienna were told that they would receive more flowers than could fill the church for their son’s funeral. It was suggested that they create a memorial fund in his name. They opened the bank account and "all of a sudden it was shocking," Bob said. Thousands of dollars poured in, as neighbors, many of whom they didn’t even know, provided the family of nine with meals for three months.

At first they didn’t know what they would do with the money, but "we just knew we wanted to give back (to the community)," Bob said. "We felt a real responsibility to do something worthwhile with it."

The worthwhile cause, the Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund (JPMF), has in the last five years taught more than 1,200 children with special needs how to be safe in and around water.

Last month Bob and Paola were recognized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and received an award from the National Association of Counties for the work they have done through the memorial fund.

Water safety classes for children with special needs are offered in Fairfax County three times a year at three sites — Providence, Lee District and Oak Marr Recreation Centers.

Last year there was also a summer program thanks to a grant received from the Order of Malta.

The classes are free and are not meant to teach a child how to swim, but to learn how to be safe in and around the water.

"We don’t pretend to teach the kids how to swim," Paola said. "A lot of things people take for granted are work for (children with special needs)."

An example is standing up in water. A child with special needs might panic and freeze if their face gets wet when all they need to do is put their feet down and stand up.

An unexpected result of the swim program is that families who never thought they could take their children to pools or near rivers are finding a new activity the whole family can enjoy. The Pizzanos have been told by parents that their child has been exposed to "a whole new world."

"We see 16-year-olds who’ve never been in the water," Paola said. She said that these children need to be exposed to the water so that they know how to be safe.

"You gotta live life," she said.

The swim program offers one-on-one interaction between a volunteer and each child. There has been a very positive response from the community.

"They find it so fulfilling," Paola said. "The kids aren’t the only ones getting something out of it."

One volunteer, she said, was a high school student whose parents pressured her to volunteer. At first she didn’t want to be involved, but after working with the children, she has decided to pursue a career helping children with learning disabilities.

In order to entice teens to volunteer, the JPMF will pay for lifeguard certification for anyone who volunteers for six consecutive weeks.

This incentive helps the swim program retain volunteers and helps the children become used to working with the same person. It also helps the community as a whole to have more lifeguards who have experience working with children with special needs.

"A lot of good outcomes have developed without us planning them," Bob said.

Besides the swim program, the JPMF has also raised funds for Clemynjontri Park, a playground for children of all abilities. They have donated a horse for the handicapped-accessible carousel and additional equipment to the park.

All of the work the Pizzanos have done in the memory of Joey has served as a constant reminder of their son.

"There’s no question it keeps his memory alive," Bob said. "Just as our program has evolved, our grief process has evolved. It allows (us) to think less and less about the tragedy and more about the positive things that have come from it."

"Bob reminds me of all the good that comes out of (the tragedy)," Paola said. "It can make you happy some days, and cry some days. You see the kids swimming and see the smiles on their faces, and you see Joey’s smile in their faces."

To support the memorial fund and keep the programs alive, the JPMF sponsors a golf tournament each fall. Last year’s event raised almost $68,000. This year’s tournament will be held Sept. 16 at Pleasant Valley Golf Club in Chantilly at noon.

For more information on the JPMF or the golf tournament visit www.JPMF.org, call 703/549-1534 or email rpizzanojr@aol.com.

<photo credit>Courtesy Photos

<photo caption>SAFETY — Volunteers work with children with special needs to teach them water safety thanks to a program started by Bob and Paola Pizzano of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Vienna after their son, Joey, drowned. The Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund was created and has been used to improve the lives of children with special needs, especial through the water safety programs.

<photo caption>SMILES — Joey Pizzano, who died in 1998, loved the water and is remembered by all who knew him as a happy child with a big smile. His mother, Paola, said she can see his smile on the faces of children participating in Fairfax County’s water safety program.