A playground overhaul, one of 10-year-old's last wishes, is coming true in Colonie

Published 7:38 pm, Saturday, July 12, 2014

Pitch in for Vin, volunteers assemble and build a new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzo Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union) less

Pitch in for Vin, volunteers assemble and build a new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzo Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. ... more

Pitch in for Vin, volunteers assemble and build the new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzo Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union) less

Pitch in for Vin, volunteers assemble and build the new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzo Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. ... more

Pitch in for Vin, volunteers assemble and build a new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzo Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union) less

Pitch in for Vin, volunteers assemble and build a new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzo Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. ... more

Pitch in for Vin, volunteers assemble and build a new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzo Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union) less

Pitch in for Vin, volunteers assemble and build a new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzo Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. ... more

Tina Rizzo, mother of Vincenzo Rizzo, takes a break to speak as she and volunteers assemble and build a new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzio Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on Saturday July 12, 2014 in Latham, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union) less

Tina Rizzo, mother of Vincenzo Rizzo, takes a break to speak as she and volunteers assemble and build a new playground, all in celebration of the Vincenzio Rizzo Memorial Fund at Blue Creek Elementary School on ... more

Devastated by the death of her 10-year-son, who died last year of a freakish intestinal infection that came without warning, she suddenly found her family awash in donations from supporters — with no plan on where to spend it.

Then she remembered: On the first day of school in 2010, a third-grader at Blue Creek Elementary School in Latham had broken her arm on the school's outdated playground.

Her son, Vincenzo Rizzo, a friend and classmate of the girl, told his mom the playground needed an overhaul.

On Saturday, more than 500 students from across the North Colonie district and other volunteers worked in blazing temperatures to spread mulch, mix concrete and screw in railings to build a new playground in honor of the late child — making Vincenzo Rizzo's hope a reality.

"I just could not get that out of my mind," Tina Rizzo said. "He was so upset that his friend got hurt on a playground that was inadequate ...I just wanted to make his friends smile when they think about him instead of cry. And I think that the playground might just do that. It might make them smile. And everybody that plays on this playground will think of Vincenzo."

More Information

She walked around the busy construction site as the volunteers — clad in special T-shirts reading "PITCH IN FOR VIN" that were colored red, her son's favorite color — feverishly worked to complete the new playground. Some ate pizza. Others sucked down water or soft drinks. Music blared,

The school's principal, Annette Trapini, said had officials talked about overhauling the playground for some time but it did not come together until the Rizzo family turned their tragic situation into a positive for other children. She said a playground where children can exercise, have fun and make friends was a fitting memorial given the boy's fun-loving and good-natured ways.

"So many children benefited from being near someone who made being nice to everyone a cool thing to do," Trapini said.

Ben Fitzgerald, Vincenzo's best friend and one of the volunteers Saturday, said: "Vinny was a great kid and very kind and never rude to anyone. If you were down, he could pick you right up. Just a great kid overall."

North Colonie Superintendent Joseph Corr, was sweating as he mixed concrete.

"Everybody has a role, everybody helps out," he said. "We've had students here getting us water, we've had students getting us food. We've had older students doing some of the work here as well. When students see their parents and their teachers, their principal, working together, I think that is a tremendously positive image to show them."

Tina Rizzo worked out the design of the playground with Robert Pettinelli of Pettinelli Recreation, based in East Greenbush. Robert Marini Builders worked to put together slides together on a tower at the epicenter of the playground; Sunshine Landscaping handled the demolion; Luizzi Bros Paving paved a new basketball court area. Some 230 bags of concrete was donated by Marini and Hope Depot.

Volunteers started showing up at 8 a.m. with snacks and refreshments to move equipment to the playground area. The work was expected to be done by day's end.

The Rizzo family, which includes her husband and Vincenzo's father, Michael Rizzo, his sister Alexis and brother Anthony, helped raise more than $100,000 between cash and donations.

"Everybody here is on a mission," Tina Rizzo said. "And their mission is to make this happen."