Fresh from trip to Afghanistan, area man heads to Gulf Coast.

Published Sunday, September 18, 2005
By Mike Castiglione, The Pottstown Mercury Writer

Having just returned from a three-month humanitarian trip to Afghanistan, Aldo Magazzeni wasn’t even home long enough to warm the couch cushions before he decided to trek down to Mississippi on Saturday and offer his assistance to hurricane victims.

Magazzeni and his wife Anna own an Agway in Pughtown and a farm in Perkiomenville. He spends a couple months out of the year traveling to remote locations offering his assistance wherever he feels is needed.

"I’m going to Baton Rouge and Biloxi by myself, with the support of my family and friends, and I’ll spend about three weeks there," Magazzeni said. "I’ve made contact with shelters and directors of several organizations down there. I’ll offer my services and provide some counseling for displaced people."

Magazzeni has a wealth of experience providing assistance in these types of situations. Last year, when Hurricane Ivan struck the Gulf coast right around the time of Magazzeni’s September 20 birthday, he was there to help.

"I went to a small village that I knew and spent about five or six weeks there helping to get those people food and electricity," Magazzeni said.

Before heading to Afghanistan, he got some money together by selling his BMW and other personal belongings. While he was there, he worked in shelters, helped underprivileged women and children to learn trades, and built four water systems that supplied running water to 22,000 people.

When he arrives in Mississippi, he will immerse himself into his surroundings. He will get his hands dirty and he will interact with the people on many different levels.

Magazzeni has the independence and the means to have an impact in places that need the help, such as Mississippi. He is taking some money from his business that his wife helped him raise along with his personal money.

"The good Lord tells you where to go and what you should be doing," Magazzeni said. "Fortunately, I’ve made it a priority in my life."

Magazzeni’s business partners helped him raise money to provide scholarships to students affected by the hurricane. Truth be told, Magazzeni sees views his efforts as an obligation rather than a burden.

"It’s good to go and when you’re inconvenienced because you can feel what it does for these people to be so inconvenienced," Magazzeni said. "It’ll be an experience to see the same situation other countries are faced with in a U.S. setting.

"I can guarantee that I’ll see the same humility in their faces. But like I’ve seen in other countries, I’m sure I’ll see the hope in their eyes."

This article can be found online here.  Contact writer Mike Castiglione at mcastiglione@pottsmerc.com.