Falco family's mission turns into a Thanksgiving tradition

Tony Falco (center) with family members and employees who served the first free Thanksgiving dinner in 2015. File photo

By Tommie Brown, Staff Writer

Among the artistry of place settings and the homemade everything that takes over the upcoming season, the spirit of giving is a renowned aspect that comes with the holidays. But for Tony and Rosa Falco of Accurate Leak Locators in Menifee, giving back is more than well-wishes.

For the last four years, the Falco’s and their team have put on the annual free Thanksgiving Dinner at Kay Ceniceros Senior Center. Welcoming anyone who needs a hot meal or some company this coming holiday, the team stands by their efforts to make sure that no one who shows up to the event gets turned away.

"What this city needs to focus on is giving back, and that’s what we are doing by simply giving hot meals," says Falco when discussing the couple’s inspiration for starting this event. "It’s about giving. Everything should be about giving, and all I’m trying to do is feed them."

With tensions rising in Menifee concerning the debate about the homeless population and those in need, Falco and his team - specifically made up of Gloria Sanchez, Linda Blanche, and Tony’s daughter-in-law, Holly Falco – believe there is no discussion when it comes to giving back.

"With everything going on in California, with the fires all around us - children losing their homes, theirs beds, their toys - at this point, taking care of each other shouldn’t be an option," says Falco.

"It’s serving our community," added Holly Falco. "Serving those who just need a meal, who need socialization on that day and won’t be alone. Whether they are in need, the elderly, or we even invite the fire departments and police officers to come if they have to be apart from their families. We just want people to know that we don’t turn others away."

While the sentiment of the event is apparent, most don’t realize the difficulty and hard work surrounding the success of an event like this.

"We start sitting down to plan around late August, early September," said Event Coordinator Gloria Sanchez. "We try to find sponsors and get businesses in the community to donate. Tony Falco is the main contributor, taking care of the catering and other needs. But we still need and look for other support."

This year, the sponsors include Tony Falco and Accurate Leak Locators, Waste Management, Merna’s Café, Menifee Interfaith and Community Service Council, and Lake Menifee Women’s Club. And while excited about the growth seen in both sponsors and volunteers this fourth year, Falco and his team hope to see more community involvement in further years.

"This whole thing could and should be even more," says Falco. "We need a bigger facility to be able to feed more people. There should be an extreme amount of businesses, especially small businesses, trying to get involved and donate."

Falco pledges to always "pick up the baton" and pay for whatever needs to be done at the end of the day, but says he would be "tickled pink" if the community did it as a whole.

"I’m one person who is just trying to do good. But businesses in this city need to give back to the community who gives to them," he said.

Sanchez agrees with Falco’s call for sponsors.

"We hope this continues to grow and every year we refine it and it gets easier," she said. "But it’s a lot about the sponsors. We need a bigger location and I would really like to see other local businesses help put this on. It takes quite a lot of manpower and materials to make this a success."

But for what this group lacks in financial backing, they make up for in dedication and volunteers.

"At the beginning, our employees were a big chunk of the volunteers. But now I would bet we are well over 100 volunteers," says Falco.

"We have a lot of people who want to volunteer, so many that I have to turn some away, and it’s just so hard to say no!" says Sanchez. "But we want people to keep volunteering, and we encourage families to volunteer. We want them to bring their young children to learn the true meaning of Thanksgiving and giving back, and learning that it’s just about companionship."

Sanchez sets aside a special job for any children who give their time that day – putting the whipped cream on the pumpkin pies.

"It’s great to see them learn and to be proud of something that they have done for other people," she said.

Volunteer spots are even extended to high school students who are offered community service hours to go toward school credit.

"After the first year, every single person that volunteered the first time came back the next year," said Tony Falco. “It’s just so humbling and gratifying to help people. And those who give their time to witness that understand."

But Sanchez reiterates the importance of gaining a bigger facility in the future.

"Unless we get a bigger location, we can’t open our doors to help more people," she said. "We have a lot of people who want to volunteer and we hate to turn anyone down who wants to be a part of this, but we have to make sure there aren’t more volunteers then there are guests."

Gloria Sanchez (center) poses with the group of volunteers at the 2017 Thanksgiving meal.

The Thanksgiving Dinner event is proof that a selfless thought, paired with hard work and a little bit of faith, can go a long way.

Tony Falco and his wife Rosa were set on doing something for the community four years back, and vowed to see it through. Rosa Falco came up with the idea five years back, and the two haven’t stopped blazing forward since.

"The first year was done by the-seat-of-our-pants," says Tony Falco. "Rosa and I took on the first year, and Holly grabbed the bull by the horns the second year and became the community representative, going out to find sponsors and donors, doing the foot work. We took it to the Interfaith Council and everything started to fall into place."

In addition, the Falco’s give nothing but glory and praise to Gloria Sanchez.

"For the last two years, Gloria has run the event for us," said Tony Falco. “I have been out due to surgery and Holly has been pregnant both years, so she couldn’t be there. But I am very, very honored and thankful to have Gloria take the reins."

"Gloria is kind, great at organization, so dedicated, and maybe most importantly she is so mellow," Holly Falco said. "Her support has been much appreciated."

Yet while interviewing Sanchez, she made it clear multiple times that the credit for this event belongs solely to Tony.

"Tony is the backbone. He is our visionary," praised Sanchez.

While Tony made no efforts to take the spotlight for the annual dinner, he did want it to be clear that this event is put on by the labor and the finances of his local business and other local community members – not the City of Menifee.

Falco and his wife are involved in litigation with the city and had second thoughts about putting on the event for a fourth year due to the issues he has with local government officials. Falco said he has grown leery of what he believes is the city’s efforts to take over projects created by citizens and small businesses and claiming them as their own.

But out of the kindness of his heart and the dedication of his team, Falco presses on.

"I decided that people who need and want help are the reason I started this, and that’s what matters to me," said Falco. "It is an honor to be privileged enough to be in a position to do what I’m doing. If more people did it, they would see much more than a dollar figure. It’s helping a community come together. Look what people have lost, then look at what we have. All we can do is give."

Deputy Frank Rice poses with young volunteers who helped serve dessert at the event last year.