The strenuous and often stressful work performed by police officers and firefighters means they can work up quite an appetite, and in Fountain Hill borough there are a number of excellent restaurants honored to serve them.

The borough’s first responders now have another reason to visit these local eateries–five of which are participating in an inaugural Fountain Hill Restaurant Week Feb. 19-25–thanks to the generosity of a local business.

In recognition of the borough’s hometown heroes and to help support the restaurant community, Cantelmi-Long Funeral Home Wednesday presented $1,000 in gift cards from the participating Restaurant Week establishments to representatives of the Fountain Hill Police Department and the Fountain Hill Fire Department, which is an all-volunteer company.

Owner Dino Cantelmi and funeral director Justin Keiper visited both departments with the donations, which will allow the police officers and firefighters to enjoy meals at The Vineyard di Norma, Gametime Sports Bar & Grille, Lorenzo’s Italian Family Restaurant, Kasey Lynn’s on Broadway and Arelis Italian Restaurant Pizzeria & Grill.

The idea to hold a Fountain Hill Restaurant Week originated with the recently-formed Fountain Hill Community Coalition, which helped organize it as part of ongoing efforts to rebuild community spirit in the borough. The nonprofit FHCC was formed last May by a grassroots group of citizens committed to saving the borough swimming pool, which has faced a number of challenges recently. In part due to staffing issues and partly because of the facility’s deterioration, the 63-year-old pool was closed in 2022. FHCC volunteers who are working closely with the borough’s Recreation Committee and Fountain Hill Borough Council hope to solve those issues in time for the pool to open again this summer.

Cantelmi-Long Funeral Home has two locations in the area, including one at 1311 Broadway in Fountain Hill and one at 500 Linden St. in Bethlehem.

All of the Restaurant Week deals may be found on the Fountain Hill Community Coalition Facebook page.

Contributed article