Maria ‘The Ice Cream Girl’, Golden host pizza, spumoni eating contest for Puerto Rico at L&B

Eating for a good cause.

Maria Campanella, also known as the Ice Cream Girl, once again lent a helping hand, this time for those families affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, where a category 4 hurricane in September claimed the lives of 48 and counting and left a vast majority of the island without electricity or water.

On Wednesday, October 4, Campanella and State Senator Marty Golden hosted a fundraiser at the famous L&B Spumoni Gardens, 2725 86^th Street, featuring — what else? — pizza and spumoni eating contests.

The evening was considered a success as $1,082 was raised for relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

“We had the two contests going on at the same time and it was amazing,” Campanella said. “They were just eating for 15 minutes.”

For $15, each contestant chowed down on pizza and spumoni, with those who ate the most taking home gift baskets as they gave back to a noble cause.

“There were a lot of people in the event,” said Campanella, a Bensonhurst native. “People eating in the restaurant checked it out and we had a lot of people come. Two fire trucks came. Everyone really had a great time. They were yelling and cheering them on.”

Golden was also happy with the evening. “The pizza and spumoni contest was a fun way to raise money for those in need,” he said. “Brooklynites always come together to help their neighbors across this great nation and beyond. I want to thank everyone who participated, especially Bensonhurst’s own Maria ‘The Ice Cream Girl’ Campanella and L&B Spumoni Gardens for organizing this successful event.”

“It was great and everyone chipped in,” added Campanella, who also praised L&B. “The owners were amazing. They supplied food. They set up great and did a phenomenal job. Everyone was happy and we collected a lot of money.”

The host of many a fundraiser, Campanella finds giving back to be satisfying. “It’s great that I’m doing something for this world,” she said. “I want to be constructive in this life and know that I’m not just taking everything. I want to be able to here to help. This triggers an effect. This community gives and it feels good. It can grow.”