Valentina’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar is a well renowned pizza parlor known for far more than just their hearty pies and classic Italian dishes — lately they’ve been serving up a bit of community partnership with downtown Athens.

The restaurant is owned and run by Joe Carlucci — who’s affectionately known as “Mr. New York,” after moving to the North Alabama area from Carmel, NY, in 2009.

Carlucci is much more than just a restaurant owner, he is a skilled pizzaiolo who holds the Guinness World Record for the highest pizza toss at 21.5 feet. Still, his numerous accomplishments — which include several national and international culinary competition wins — pales in comparison to his heart.

“We’ve been open for five years now, and the city of Athens has always been a huge supporter of Valentina’s,” Carlucci told The News Courier. “I feel like it’s our duty now to help them out after everything that they’ve been through. I have no doubt that they would have had our back if that happened to us, so we need to have theirs as well.”

Such compassion is what led Carlucci to seek a partnership with Athens Main Street for a fundraiser night at Valentina’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar. On Tuesday, Jan. 7, a portion of all proceeds made that night at the restaurant went directly to the rebuilding of public spaces and small businesses impacted by the EF-1 tornado.

“We want them to know that we are here for them,” Carlucci emphasized. “We are all in this together as small businesses, and if we don’t take care of each other — then no one will. If you fall you have to always try and get back up, and we want to help them get back up as best we can.”

The special event drew a large and steady stream of enthusiastic supporters eager to contribute to the rebuilding efforts of the Historic Downtown District in Athens, where multiple businesses have yet to reopen after the storm on Saturday, Dec. 28.

“This community is truly one of the most amazing places I’ve ever lived, because they always rally around each other,” Carlucci said. “The first thing I thought when I heard about the tornado was, ‘how can I help?’ and not just as an owner — but as a neighbor. When it comes to helping people, I believe the South is number one in that metric.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks who thanked the business for its efforts in helping build back downtown Athens and make it “better than ever before.”

“Fundraising efforts are just another way our community shows up to support each other,” Marks said. “Our people are determined to hold us together and keep us together through this tough time. The energy level in and around Athens is through the roof — you can feel it when you walk around the city. I’m so proud of our community for the way we always step up when faced with hard times like these.”