Hail and well-met

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The friendly atmosphere of a beloved local pub grew even friendlier one evening. Jeremy Veditto, a 37-year-old summer resident with Down’s syndrome, lifted spirits at the Offshore Ale with his infectious enthusiasm during a volunteer shift last month that stretched nearly two hours. 

Veditto folded pizza boxes, ran food to tables, took orders, and greeted guests with hugs and high-fives. 

“My favorite part is helping people out; I want to be useful,” said Veditto. 

For Veditto, spending time at Offshore wasn’t about earning a paycheck or landing a new job, it was about fulfilling his purpose of helping others, spreading kindness, and being surrounded by a community he loves. 

“I loved working there — David is my buddy,” he said. 

The visit was arranged by Veditto’s neighbor on the Island, Mary Joe Goodrich. After hearing about how much Veditto loves the restaurant, she arranged with restaurant manager David Rolanti for Veditto to spend an afternoon learning the ropes. What was initially planned to be a 30-minute visit quickly turned into almost two hours of hands-on work. 

“Once Jeremy put the apron on, he was ecstatic, filled with joy being a part of the scene. It made everyone feel good, watching Jeremy there; the whole place felt uplifted in a small but meaningful way,” said Goodrich. 

Jeff Veditto, Jeremy’s father, said Jeremy loves to hug, and hugged Rolanti probably 10 times. 

“I tell Jeremy, ‘Don’t hug everybody,’” his father said. “But he hugs everybody.”

Veditto’s comfort in restaurant settings began in high school, when special needs programs placed him in a local kitchen for training. He currently works full-time as a dishwasher at Brookdale Fillmore Pond senior living facility in Bennington, Vt., cleaning silverware, pots, and pans, but during a recent visit to Offshore Ale, Veditto and Rolanti got to talking about the type of work he does, and Veditto admitted he would love to work here.

“My initial thought was I just wanted to do something nice, having seen him in here periodically with his dad. I never really engaged with him much, but I felt it was a good opportunity to engage and show the community that we want to make a good example and show that people count here, and we care about our guests,” said Rolanti. 

Rolanti said initially he wasn’t sure what jobs Veditto would be comfortable doing but was quickly impressed by his sharp memory, memorizing everyone’s names within minutes. 

“Once you teach him something, he’s got it,” said Jeff Veditto. “I’ve been with him for 38 years, and I’m always surprised by what strengths he has.” 

“These services helped Jeremy get into a productive work environment so he can support himself,” said Jeff Veditto. “He loves the kitchen setting, serving people, and just being around people.”

The next night, when the family returned for dinner at Offshore, Jeremy’s impact was clear. “All the waitresses came over and said hi to him,” Jeff Veditto said. “I felt like I was with a rock star, for Christ’s sake.”

Rolanti plans to welcome Veditto back to Offshore this month for a few days, and regularly during spring and summer. 

“It elevates everybody’s spirits,” Rolanti said. “It reminds you why Martha’s Vineyard is special.”

Goodrich reflected on the day, and the importance of helping others. “I think that’s what life is all about, feeling some joy. It gives me joy to see other people experience joy, and I think we need more of that; it’s the little things in life that matter, we all get so busy and forget about the person next to us, what might they need,” said Goodrich. 

Veditto finished the day with staff tips in his pocket, new friends among the waitstaff, and an invitation to return. 

The Veditto family is returning to Martha’s Vineyard this Thursday, and hoping to get Jeremy into Offshore Ale for some more volunteer hours this weekend. 

“Little things like that mean so much to Jeremy’s life — Jeremy can’t put it into words, but I know how he feels. As his parents, we try to give him as much as he can in experiences, so when Mary Jo offered to bring him to Offshore Ale, it just seemed to work out,” said Jeff. “Just his presence picks up people, and he just has a way with everybody.”