LIC keeps her dream alive

And when invitations were issued to spend “a joyful evening of food, drink, song and heartfelt memories” honoring the young mother of two, Fausta’s friends, family, and colleagues turned out in droves.

They arrived, an estimated 200 strong, Monday night at Manducatis Rustica VIG, an Italian restaurant on Vernon Boulevard, to kick off the Forever Fausta Learning and Literacy Endowment campaign.

“Her husband knew how much she loved learning, and education, and libraries. He wanted to do something in her memory to benefit the Queens Library, specifically at Hunters Point,” said Diana Chapin, executive director of the Queens Library Foundation.

The best way to honor Fausta’s memory, it was decided, was through an endowment in her name.

At the time of her death from cancer at the age of 46, Fausta, who taught in an elementary school in Harlem, had been a driving force behind the establishment of a new library in her beloved neighborhood.

Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), a guest at Monday night’s event, recalled his first encounter with Fausta.

“I got a call from her about three or four years ago,” he recalled. “She said, ‘We want a library for our community,’ and she wanted to help. I told her to build support and let everyone know and start a petition drive.”

Not sure if he would ever hear from her again, Van Bramer found out a few months later just how determined she was.

The councilman, attending an event at P.S. 78, which Fausta’s children attended, saw a petition on a table bearing Fausta’s name at the bottom, along with thousands of other signatures.

“It was really amazing,” he said. “She was so committed. She did everything she could to make the library a reality.”

A total of $25 million has been earmarked for the construction of the library, including $3 million allocated by Van Bramer’s office, according to Tom Galante, chief executive officer of Queens Library.

Gianna Cerbone, who owns Manducatis Rustica, closed down the entire restaurant for Monday night’s event and donated all the food and drinks in a heartfelt tribute to her friend, whom she met by chance on a nearby street about 10 years ago.

“She was a connection for all of us in the community,” Cerbone said. “There are no words to describe how great a person she was. She had a sweet, honest, almost angelic quality. She loved kids, she loved being a school teacher. She was taken too soon.

“She had such a dedication to the library and literacy. We wanted to honor what she believed in.”

Throughout the evening, individuals were able to make contributions to the foundation and buy raffle tickets for some 45 items, ranging from jewelry and bottles of premium vodka to art works and gift certificates for dance lessons and tea at the Plaza Hotel.

Looking around the packed room, Angelo said, “This is my family. I want to thank this community for the unbelievable effort and support.

“Not only is this a fund raiser for something purposeful, but a moment of healing for Hunters Point, Long Island City.”

The couple had two children, Gaetano, 11, and Daria, 8.

“My wife raised secure, confident, and resilient children. They miss their mother deeply, but they’re moving on,” Angelo said.

As for the endowment, Galante said, “We hope to grow it every year. It will last forever. It will be a tremendous resource, a wonderful legacy for her.”

According to Van Bramer, “The library will be a lasting tribute to her and one her children will be able to experience the rest of their lives.”

The goal is for the library to be completed by the end of 2013.

The endowment will support library books, materials, resources, and programs at the library. Anyone wishing to contribute to the endowment should go to queenslibraryfoundation.org or call (718) 480-4273.