Bruno Castellano thought he’d be out of the earthquake recovery effort by now.

For nearly 30 years, Castellano, who has homes in Caldwell and Toms River, and a group of New Jersey Italian Americans raised funds to help Teora, their small ancestral village and mine, recover from the 1980 earthquake.

Though the relief effort had basically wrapped up by 2005 – the 25th anniversary of the Naples earthquake – Castellano and crew, members of the Columbian Foundation – a group of Italian-American business people – are preparing to get back to work again. This time, they’ll be working to rehabilitate the villages of the lovely Abruzzi region decimated by the Holy Week earthquake.

The group met last week to discuss how to help. "We decided not to do anything right now because, as it was in Teora, this is a situation where no one knows what is needed," Castellano said.

As soon as the time is right, members of the Columbian Foundation – including Castellano – will go over to conduct an assessment – just as they did after the 1980 quake.

"We’ll find out what they need and we’ll figure out how to help," he said.

Judging from what the group accomplished after the 1980 quake, I have no doubt the quality of life in L’Aquila and its surrounds will benefit greatly.

Through the dedication and persistence of their Teora Relief Fund, a sustained effort mounted by Castellano, his brother and a hard working committee, the little town that was literally vaporized on the morning of Nov. 23, 1980, came back to life.

Over the years, the relief fund held more fund-raising dinners than Castellano can count, to restore the town which was 99 percent destroyed by the earthquake that killed 100 residents, injured 200 and left 4,000 homeless in Teora alone.

With the help of donations from thousands of Italian Americans from New Jersey and beyond, within 25 years, Teora had re-emerged on the hilltop. There, it commands the view which dates to Roman times. Maybe it’s not the medieval centerpiece it had been before the quake, but it is something quite extraordinary – a modern, energized town, with as many of the remnants of its proud history as possible preserved for generations to come.

"It was amazing," Castellano recalled in an interview I wrote in 2005, "how many people donated – small amounts – from New Jersey, from Florida, from California. From people who heard through relatives, from people who knew people. It didn’t matter if the amount was small or large.

"We got dollar gifts, fives and tens, it still amazes me," he said back then.

Working with matching funds from Catholic Relief Services over the years, the Teora Earthquake Fund would build not only a medical center but a radio station and television antenna restoring vital access to news of the world.

The committee would purchase ambulances. The soccer team would be outfitted restoring the keen sense of sportsmanship and competition that are such hallmarks of Italian life. The fountain and piazza would be recreated restoring the social setting. The town hall would be brought up to date with computers and furnishings. The spiritual side of life would get attention too. Both of the old churches had been flattened. Through the efforts of the relief fund, a new church rose like a phoenix on the top of the hill. The fund paid for confessionals and stained glass windows.

Castellano noted that as the town revived, the temporary housing that dotted the landscape was replaced with new construction, “much as you would see” in the United States.

In a touching aside, just before the 25th anniversary, Castellano sat with his wife Jackie, looking at the many photo albums he made of the devastation and the decades of restoration that followed.

A trained combat photographer for the Army Signal Corps during the Korean War, his fine eye captured the essence of the effort and put him in mind of all the others who helped. "It wasn’t me alone," he said, reciting the names of those on the fund raising committee. "Anything we did, we did for Teora. It wasn’t just for one person or one family, it was for everybody."

Now, Castellano and his friends are gearing up to help again. "We’re just setting things up. I’m the chairman again." So much for retirement!

Anyone interested in contributing to this effort can make a check out to the Columbian Foundation – for the L’Aquila earthquake fund – and mail it to Castellano at 11 Dorset Circle, Caldwell, NJ 07006