![Senator Headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/4_3_small/public/official_tedisco-hs.jpg?itok=LH-TzAiC)
Tedisco, Santa Honor West Avenue Pizza in Saratoga Springs with NYS Empire Award
December 20, 2023
![Santa Stop at West Ave Pizza Santa Stop at West Ave Pizza](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/2023/12/21/410845260_926291042197047_1732982035232983110_n1_1.jpg?itok=lLhbjIQQ)
Santa Claus, Mario Cardenas, Senator Jim Tedisco and Jennifer Cardenas.
Saratoga Springs -- Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Saratoga Springs) joined St. Nick to present the NYS Senate Empire Award, the state Senate's highest honor for small businesses, to West Avenue Pizza, at the Saratoga Springs restaurant's "Dinner with Santa" fundraiser for the Franklin Community Center.
"It didn't take too much convincing, but Santa said I was (mostly) good enough this year that he was happy to help me recognize West Avenue Pizza owners Mario Cardenas and his sister, Jennifer, for their family-based labor of love with an Empire Award, the New York State Senate's highest recognition for small businesses and organizations. The Cardenas' brought their restaurant experience from Schenectady/Niskayuna eateries to Saratoga Springs and along the way, fulfilled a need to feed backstretch workers at the Track and have garnered praise for their food. Partial proceeds from the second annual 'Dinner With Santa' are going to help the Franklin Community Center with their never-ending work assisting our region's most vulnerable," said Senator Jim Tedisco.
![Santa Visits West Ave Pizza](/sites/default/files/inline-images/410968342_926290588863759_1824053248597579008_n1.jpg)
Share this Article or Press Release
Newsroom
Go to Newsroom![](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/press-release/main-image/hs-tedisco_4.jpg?itok=NqkoUxTV)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/press-release/main-image/hs-tedisco_3.jpg?itok=b-vI6IMW)
Tedisco: Luna Reprieve, The Christmas Miracle!
December 18, 2018
![](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/press-release/main-image/aa_4.jpg?itok=lRfTn9yg)
Tedisco Helps Collect Toys for Fulton County Holiday Toy Drive
December 18, 2018
![Tedisco donating a teddy bear and presenting a NYS Senate citation to Salvation Army Captain Wendy Senior. The second picture is of Tedisco with Wendy Senior, Leonard Hersh, Administrator for the Fulton Center, and several Fulton and Fonda Fair Princesses who helped collect toys for the Salvation Army's Toy Drive. Tedisco presented Senate citations to the princesses.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/press-release/main-image/img_8755.jpg?itok=RS_RwIWb)