My grandfather's name in Italian was Biagio Meli but was always called Ben by everyone in America was the president of the SSCC Hall. He is the man sitting in the middle of the photo with the dark suit on. My Grandfather, Ben, and my Grandmother, Susan, and there four children Philamena, Tom, Kay, and Ben Jr., lived just a block up the street on the corner at 143 South Main and the building next to the house at 139 South Main, owned by a company called “Spirit” today was built by Biaggio {Ben} Meli and his brother Ralph and it was a candy factory in the 1930's
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Tom Meli the oldest son would laugh and say “I thought everyone liked me when I was a kid, but all they wanted was the candy.” The name of there company was called the Wireless because Ralph was so impressed with the wireless telegraph. They delivered too many of the local candy stores and also to Paterson and Passaic .

They had two station wagons and two pickup trucks and stopped making there own candy after a few years and just distributed the name brand candies. My grandfather was asked if they wanted to distribute Pepsi Cola. It was just before their national advertising campaign and he declined saying, "it tastes like any other cola." All the old timers to this day remember that story.

Joseph Califano who lived on Hobart Street painted the religious picture in the photo. The food was donated by the women in the photo and other families and was auctioned off to raise money for the poor. As the bidding went on the auctioneer would stand on the table.

During World War II, Briscolina Street, which is the next block over from South Main, was named after Charles Briscolina after he was killed in action during World War II. Tom Meli, who was delivering mail during the summer of 1944, brought his wife the Purple Heart he received and he never forgot how she cried all these years later.

Written by:
Bob Meli Grandson 52 yrs.
April 20, 2008