For the past two weeks, Mullica Hill’s blueplate restaurant had been hosting a fundraiser for longtime customer and friend of the eatery Jackie Rizzi.
Rizzi, previous owner of Main Street’s Langmore Salon, passed away on Feb. 27, 2021 after a battle with neuroendocrine cancer, which affects certain cells that release hormones to help the body with air and blood flow, as well as digesting food.
“Jackie was a huge supporter of Main Street and was a big part of the growth of blueplate over the years,” Chef/Owner Jim Malaby said. “Years of pitching ideas back and forth with her has gotten blueplate to where it is today.”
A Mantua Township resident, Rizzi was a 56-year-old wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend to the community. Her family owns Rizzi’s Tree Farm in Sewell, where she would regularly help out.
To celebrate Rizzi’s life, Malaby created a Jackie’s Favorites menu; 50 percent of all orders will be donated to Jackie’s Sunflower Fund, an organization that helps families and patients cope with end-of-life decisions.
Rizzi was invested in Irish food and music. With St. Patrick’s Day being one of her favorite holidays, the fundraiser was held from Feb. 27 to March 17, when the food on blueplate’s special breakfast-brunch menu included Irish banger, coconut-cinnamon pancakes, a corned beef reuben, andouille stuffed dates, Irish potato-stuffed French toast and coconut cake.
Ginger & May, another business owned by Malaby, partnered with blueplate for the current fundraiser. The kitchen appliance and home-decor store donated all sales of sunflower and zebra-themed items to Jackie’s Sunflower Fund.
“The neuroendocrine cancer ribbon is zebra stripes, because no two cases are ever the same,” Malaby explained. “Both stores worked towards raising funds for Jackie’s Sunflower Fund.”
For more on the fundraiser, visit blueplatenj.com.
