Anzio’s plans pizza fundraiser to aid retired cop’s family after Christmas fire

Todd Harrington heard the fire trucks racing to Westboro Road Christmas night.

An electrical fire broke out in the home of retired Grafton Police Sgt. John Harrington and Gail Tebo while the couple was hosting Christmas dinner. While everyone was safely evacuated, the home was extensively damaged and their belongings were destroyed by smoke and water.

Harrington — no relation to Sgt. Harrington, who retired in 2015 — reached out to state Rep. David Muradian to ask his help in setting up a fundraiser for the couple, who face 8-12 months of home repair.

“We want to give back to somebody who has given back to the town for so long,” Muradian said.

Grafton resident Harrington will be bringing his Anzio’s Brick Oven Pizza food truck to the GCTV parking lot on Saturday, January 15, noon to 4 p.m. and offering single-serving pizzas in exchange for donations of cash or gift cards for the Harrington family. Food cost and labor will be covered by both Harrington and Muradian, with all proceeds going to the family.

Given Sgt. Harrington’s ties to Grafton police, it was only fitting that the fundraiser be held in the shadow of both the current station and the retrofitted former police station, now the home of the public access cable station.

“The thought is you’re driving by you see it, you grab a pizza and hopefully we’ll be able to give them a big check at the end of the day,” Harrington said.

Anzio’s was a popular spot in North Grafton for eight years until it outgrew its home. Unable to find appropriate commercial space in town, the restaurant moved to Northborough  — but has maintained a presence in town with its mobile pizza oven and food truck.

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