Paul Szmal: Joining me in studio, the champ is here, keep on punching, Ray Ciancolini, good morning.
Ray Ciancaglini: Good morning, good morning. Thank you.
Paul Szmal: We're going to talk about the Shields of Honor event, but first, I think the thing that most of our audience wants to know about is you, and how you're feeling. You've been, you've taken a few punches lately.
Ray Ciancaglini: Lately, but no knockdown, I had to take an eight count, it's all right, I'm back.
Paul Szmal: So tell us how this idea got started in the first place. It was originally two events, you had one for police, one for fire. You've now combined them into Shields of Honor. What was the start of this idea?
Ray Ciancaglini: Well, the start of the idea was, I'm not a political guy, but I saw where they were cutting back with the police department, cutting back with the fire department, and these are the people that are there every day for us. So I wanted to give them the best that they could have, and the stuff that budget wasn't going to give them. And it turned out to be very successful because they're more loved than they realize, and that's another aspect of it, was morale. That's a huge aspect of it, because I was at one of them, and that was the real message of the night, I thought, was the financial support is great, but having a few hundred people come out in a room and say, we haven't forgotten you, we know what you do for us, and we do appreciate it.
Paul Szmal: Yes, that is huge. It's like even in any sport, the higher the morale, the more the confidence, the better you perform. So the next Shields of Honor is November 1st, Ventosa Vineyards, and tell us all about what's happening that night.
Ray Ciancaglini: Oh, it's another big night. We have many gift baskets for a raffle, and then we have door prizes, but the big one is the live auction with Carrie Hesney, and she's quite an entertainer, and she has a lot of material to auction off this year. We have a 20-gun safe, a Henry Collector's rifle, a smoker, grill, recliner, on down the line.
Paul Szmal: See, one of the great things about having you do this is that when you ask somebody for something, nobody says no. So you go out and say, hey, can we have a gun, can we have a safe, and they're, yep, okay.
Ray Ciancaglini: Well, they've been very generous. Big hearts. They have. I could tell you, this is an easy sell, though. Our first responders are an easy sell because everybody remembers someone that has benefited from it, or they may need them someday.
Paul Szmal: Also you got music by the Bobby Grieco Band that night.
Ray Ciancaglini: Oh, boy, he's something else. He gets the, when it's over, he plays and he gets everybody up. It's very entertaining. And another thing about that, I call them teams. These teams, police and fire, they never really get to enjoy a night together like the old policeman's ball.
Paul Szmal: Right, right. That was the other thing everybody said. It's like, wow. You know, different shifts and stuff, and so it's not often that they can get together in one room.
Ray Ciancaglini: Yes. And also, it's kind of private, where if they go out in public, you know, somebody might be coming up and saying, hey, remember that ticket you gave me? Well, here they don't have that. They can just go out there and dance, and they do.
Paul Szmal: So what's the best way to get tickets? November 1st, Ventosa Vineyards, cocktails, 530 to 630, program at 630, how do we get tickets?
Ray Ciancaglini: The Dula's and Kelly's Pub, big supporters. You can get them there, or you can get them from my wife, Patty, Paul D'Amico, Erica Van Savage, and right there. Yeah, they're all available. I hope the flyers are out there.
Paul Szmal: All right. So we hope we'll see you at Rotary this Wednesday. I know you've been out for a while.
Ray Ciancaglini: Yeah, I'm going to. That's one of my favorites. I love Rotary. They're great people, and you know you're a member of Rotary.
Paul Szmal: Yeah, and I've really enjoyed it. So let's talk a couple other things you're doing. Tell us what you're doing. You're working with Christina Dominguez, who people used to know from Spectrum News, or even back when it was our news. She now works in public relations and community affairs for Rochester General. So what do you got going?
Ray Ciancaglini: I had some issues with the blocked artery. So they put a stent in, and then they wanted me to do a promotional film about Rochester General. And she was heading to film, and we went to the Rock Gym in Rochester, and we filmed there. And the second segment, they're going to put it all together then, will be me visiting the hospital in 4400 Ward, where the nurses had me for a few days. And all I can tell you is Rochester General is their class act, top of the line.
Paul Szmal: You're also putting together a Shop With A Cop event. I know we talk about that each year in Auburn with the Keuka County Sheriff's Department.
Ray Ciancaglini: Yes. Last year had me come in, and I loved this. These are great kids. And I signed books and photos, and jeez, you'd think I gave them a million dollars, you know? It's just a heartwarming thing, it really is.
Paul Szmal: So what have you been doing, since you've been out of commission, you probably haven't been able to do a lot of speeches and stuff, but how's your, I don't know how to say it any other way, how's your head doing?
Ray Ciancaglini: Well, we got some of the kinks out of the armor anyway for a while. But I do a lot of character classes. I just did some over at Minder's Academy, and I go in the health classes and we talk about character, good behavior, how to be a great role model, and I really love that. And I'm slated for Geneva Elementary School, and then the middle school here in Geneva. And I get every one of them, and boy, I just so enjoy it so much.
Paul Szmal: Also, I'm so happy to see you've got your South Seneca Falcons gear on. You're doing assistant coaching and helping out with Coach Mike Payne, who I know from his Geneva High days, great guy, great coach, and it's good to see you back on the sidelines again at a football game.
Ray Ciancaglini: Well, you know, Mike and I are, now he's like a little brother to me. So wherever he goes, I go, but on a part-time basis, I've always been a character coach for many, many years. I don't know anything about football, but I know a little bit about athleticism, and I should know character. It's just something you acquire after a while.
Paul Szmal: So I want to ask you, did you see the Bills game this week?
Ray Ciancaglini: I don't watch much football because I'm dedicated to what I do. The reason I bring it up, I mean, Josh Allen took a hard shot to the head, and they got him back up and put him in the game. That's not the way it's supposed to be.
Paul Szmal: No, I saw it with the Miami quarterback. And they're not doing a... Below the NFL, they're still doing a pretty good... I mean, at Hobart or at the high school games, I see anybody get any sort of head shot, they come out and they get looked at. At the NFL, it's big money, and they need some help over there. You got to go tell them what to do, Ray.
Ray Ciancaglini: Well, I take a step forward teaching about addressing the symptoms right away, being honest about it, and sitting it out until the cobwebs leave or you're out of rehab. But then I take two steps back when the supposed role models pull these stunts. You know, and that's money talks, I guess.
Paul Szmal: Well, you know, boy, and that's a good... I hadn't really thought of it that way, but yeah, a lot of kids look up to Josh Allen, they want to be like Josh Allen, and they see that he gets slammed to the turf and gets back up, and they think they're supposed to do it.
Ray Ciancaglini: Yeah, I go way back when Wes Walker, he had a little bit of an argument in the media over having two concussions and coming back within a month. And he came out with a huge helmet, and then he ended his career because they found out unless you glue your head to your skull, no helmet's going to prevent a concussion.
Paul Szmal: Right, and that's a legend, because we've talked about that, I've had some of the people on with UR Medicine Fairlakes Health. It's not the blow to the outside of the head, it's the movement of the brain inside the skull. And the brain is shaken, and there's no helmet, there's no system on earth that can stop that.
Ray Ciancaglini: Yes, even in boxing they think the headgear prevents a concussion.
Paul Szmal: Right. No, it's there to prevent lacerations.
Ray Ciancaglini: Yep, exactly. That's why you see it in the amateurs, but not the pros.
Paul Szmal: Right. So let's remind people again, if somebody wants to donate an item for the auction, can they just reach right out to you, or what's the best way to get ahold of you?
Ray Ciancaglini: Anybody on the flyer, reach out to me, my number's out there, my website. They can get me, and boy, they come in with big hearts.
Paul Szmal: Yeah. Oh, I mean, well, it's been tremendous, the items you've been able to get. We had 80. 80 donated baskets last year. So how much money have you raised so far for police and fire in Geneva?
Ray Ciancaglini: At first we raised $26,000, then it went up to, jeez, almost $50,000. And that's where we are, and I want to break that barrier. I think I will this year.
Paul Szmal: I think you will. Or we will, excuse me.
Ray Ciancaglini: Yeah, I think we will. I have to plug my group. Okay, yeah. Without them, this wouldn't be ... I have a ton of hard workers, but I have a core there that's impeccable, Paul D'Amico, Erica Van Savage, Rob Patnoski, right on down the line. I guess they're my Angelo Dundee in the corner.
Paul Szmal: There you go. Absolutely. November 1st, Ventosa Vineyards, Shields of Honor, it's to raise money. But like Ray said, also to say thanks, to be able to pat a couple of these men and women on the shoulder and say thank you for what you do, yes, we do appreciate it. November 1st, Ventosa Vineyards, cocktail hours 530 to 630, program begins at 630. Carrie Hesney-Doran will do the live auction, she's great, and the music from the Bobby Rico Band, and it's all to raise money for our first responders, our firefighters, and our police officers in the city of Geneva.
Champ, always great to see you. You don't have to ask, you just find a time slot that's open and it's yours. I'm your biggest fan, and keep punching.
Ray Ciancaglini: Well, you are also a big asset in my corner, and I appreciate that very much. I'm in your corner every time, man. I can't thank you enough, Ted, and believe me, I appreciate you as a friend and a helper.
Paul Szmal: All right, thanks. Always good to talk to Ray Ciancaglini, 748 FLX Morning.
