Philanthropist Forever Immortalized
March 1, 2020
Michael Delfino fought for the movie industry to allow drive-in theaters to receive new movies the same day as indoor theaters. In addition to operating the Circle Drive-In, he opened the Circle Flea Fair in the 1970s, growing it from five vendors on its opening day to hundreds of vendors and thousands of buyers.
Delfino is also remembered for how much he gave back to his community. His late wife, Guenelda (Gwen) Calabro Delfino, was an alumna from the Class of 1947. In 2018, Delfino donated a gift of $200,000 in memory of his late wife to help build the Michael and Gwen Calabro Delfino ’47 Amphitheatre. He also donated to the university’s chapel when it was undergoing renovations, and he supported the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary by contributing to the Our Lady of Peace Residence for elderly and infirm sisters.
Additionally, Delfino was an ardent supporter of St. Joseph's Center in Scranton (another IHM-sponsored ministry); Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and St. Rose of Lima Church, both in Carbondale; the Diocese of Scranton; the Carbondale Historical Society, and the Carbondale Public Library. He was the recipient of the Governor Robert P. Casey Lifetime of Service Award in 2013 and the Carbondale YMCA Pioneer Heroes Award in 2017.
