• Calacino’s Pizzeria held a fundraiser for the hospice where co-owner Jeff Weeks’ mother spent her final days and raised $7,500 in donations.
• Calacino’s first opened in 1934 and is now operated by Weeks and his wife, Jamie.

Pizza Power Report 2022: Get ready for the robots!

After Jeff Weeks’ mother spent the final days of her life at the Hospice of Southern West Virginia, the co-owner of Calacino’s Pizzeria knew he wanted to find a way to thank the hospice and its staff for their kindness. Since then, he and his wife, Jamie, have raised thousands of dollars through an annual fundraiser called the Carol S. Weeks Memorial Hospice Benefit.

This year’s event, held over three days in late November at the Beckley, West Virginia nightspot, yielded the best results so far, and the Weeks family recently presented the hospice with a check for $7,500.

The fifth annual fundraiser featured live music, a raffle and requests for donations. It took place on Wednesday, November 24, and Friday-Saturday, November 26-27. A live band performed each night with no cover charge.

Live music seems to be a big draw for Calacino’s, which has been in business for more than 80 years. The pizzeria’s Facebook page focuses largely on local bands and singers who perform there as well as local sports, while its Instagram page has no current posts. Calacino’s also offers karaoke and trivia contests during the week, according to its website.

Calacino’s was founded in 1934 by Dominick Calacino and quickly became a popular hangout for high school and college students drawn to the pies and the jukebox. After Calacino passed away in January 2000, the restaurant closed down for nine years until Jerry and Kathy Zaferatos reopened it in 2009. Jeff and Jamie weeks took it over in 2016.