MILFORD – The owner of a local restaurant voted one of the best for breakfast by Connecticut Magazine this year, help organize a quiz night in Naugatuck for a close high school friend who is struggling financially while recovering from breast cancer.
Michelle Lebel, owner of The Corner restaurant with her husband, Amer, promises a fun night, with plenty of prizes and appetizers, from “the Italian in me.”
The quiz night for Amy DelVecchio will be held March 18 at the Naugatuck Events Center, 6 Rubber Ave., Naugatuck. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and quizzes begin at 7 p.m. People can bring their own team of up to eight or be paired with others by Lebel. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased through Venmo @Amydelvecchiofundraiser, at the restaurant, or by mailing a check to the restaurant made out to Amy DelVecchio, 105 River St., Milford, Ct., 06460.
Lebel said 100% of the donations will go to her high school friend, a single mother of two boys who had a double mastectomy and is struggling with her energy levels and finances through treatment.
Lebel said her friend, who lives in Middlebury, is a “brave” person.
“She’s really caring and tries to solve people’s problems too,” Lebel said.
The two met at WF Kaynor Technical High School in Waterbury where they were in the culinary program and part of a group of 20 who became close.
Although DelVecchio is doing well medically, they’ve lost four band friends in recent years and it’s brought them closer — they get together more often now, Lebel said.
“When you’re in a kitchen cooking with people, you’re like family,” she said.
Milford comedian Jonny Benson, who volunteered to host the quiz night with fellow comedian Jake Bentley, said he didn’t know DelVelcchio but was a longtime customer of The Corner restaurant and adored Lebel, in part because of all she does to help those in need in the community.
“Michelle is always so nice to everyone. She is kind and gentle with everyone who comes to the restaurant,” he said. “She’s the kind of person who when she asks for help, you do.”
The restaurant is so famous that a couple once came from Germany just to have lunch there for their anniversary.
Benson said the questions during trivia night will be a mix – people can expect to see a lot of trivials from the 1980s and 1990s – and won’t be as difficult as on “Jeopardy!”
Benson said he and Bentley got into trivia to expand their career options when COVID-19 shut down comedy clubs. It promises lots of laughs for the night.
Lebel said DelVecchio worked two jobs before her illness, but now has a part-time job while she undergoes treatment and many additional expenses not covered by insurance.
Lebel, who is among the organizers including DelVecchio’s family, said there were plenty of raffle prizes and prizes for the top three winning teams. Although there are snacks and appetizers, people are welcome to bring their own food, but no alcohol, as this will be sold at a cash bar at the event. There will also be a table decorating contest – for those who go that route – and some come up with cute names, like a team called “Simply the Breast”.
Lebel said it all added to the fun of the event.
