When John Girardi’s father died, he wanted to honour his memory by creating something special for his mother.
So 12 months ago, Mr Girardi and his brother-in-law, Glenn Jackson, started work on a pizza oven at her Melton home.
“It meant that every three to four weeks, we would have a working bee and go to mum’s house for dinner,” Mr Girardi said.
“And now it’s a magnet for bringing people to her house. She lives on her own, so this was an incentive for people to come around.”
Family and friends are reaping the rewards of the pizza oven, which Mr Girardi is adamant will stand the test of time. They’ve made pizzas and roasts, while the family celebrated Mother’s Day with a big feast at the Melton home.
“My mum has always been very gregarious,” Mr Girardi said. “She has a very outgoing personality … when I told mum about building a pizza oven for her, she was supportive but said she didn’t want to pay for it.
“We’re all in pretty much agreement – dad wouldn’t have let us do it.”
