Herman gives back generously

“It’s not that I’m a rich guy. It’s just that at my age, I don’t need much. I’ll be doing volunteer work until I die.”

So said Herman Andalcio, a 61-year-old father of four who currently resides in Chicago but who has been using every opportunity to give back to Trinis.

He is a Trini in the most inspirational sense of the word — a charitable man whose goal from a young age, was to make a difference in the lives of children and the elderly in his community.

After leaving Trinidad, it took Andalcio four years to return to his birthplace. From then on, he began making frequent trips home to share his good fortune. On his arrival, he would enquire of his neighbours about any children in the community they believed deserved special attention. When the child was chosen, he would invite them to be a part of what he called his “Child for a day programme.” The child would be invited to spend the day with him and his family. He would buy them food, clothing, gifts and take them on outings. Sometimes, he would pay to send one or two children a year to trade school. All this he would do with his own funds.

One of Andalcio’s main projects is the Harlem Syncopators Steel Orchestra. In 1998, he wanted to do something even more meaningful for his neighbourhood. He spoke to a friend about it and was introduced to Daisy McLean one of the foremost female pan players in TT. She was part of the pan movement in the 60s, even when those who played the steelpan were frowned upon.

And so the Harlem Syncopators Steel Orchestra was formed. McLean supplied the steeldrums, a generous neighbour allowed them to use a piece of land rent free, and Andalcio provided the funds for the building of the shed and the making of the steelpans.

The band consists of the children from the neighbourhood. The idea is to take the children off the street. It is a place for them to socialise and play music. They also have a mentor and mother in McLean. Many children have passed through the band over the years and they all benefit from her discipline, guidance, and experience. Because of this, the youths have become well-travelled, successful musicians.

Since its inception in 1998, the band has played for charity and has been in the finals of the Single Pan Panorama Competition every year.

Andalcio also contributes to the Young Persons Pan Soloist Competition. This year, the semi-finals took place on March 26 with 130 youths participating. The finals were held on April 2 at the Harpe at Observatory and Quarry Streets, PoS.

Every year when Andalcio returns to TT for a month, he finds a new way to contribute to his community.

He has also assisted the Pan Family of Bath Street, East Dry River (EDR) with a vehicle to help transport their pans to engagements.

Over the year’s he has an annual Christmas party hosted by the councillor for Central PoS, Donald Morris for the children of EDR and for the last three years he has sent a barrel of toys to be distributed among them.

Andalcio said at one time, he contributed towards installing telephones for emergency use in the homes of elderly people and has donated Double Seconds to the Maximum Security Prison’s Steel Orchestra along with CDs and new music books to the new public library even before it was completed.

Recalling his own hardships growing up, Andalcio who was born “Behind the Bride” said “in the future I hope to assist single moms and dads in some manner every month.”

According to him, . “When I was 14 and a half my mom and dad separated.

“I lived on my own in a house my father had. I remember eating stale bread with ants, I had to roast the bread over the fire to kill the ants and then eat it with sugar or pepper sauce.”

Andalcio enrolled himself in Belmont Boys’ Intermediate where he joined the Cadet Force and recalled the days when his “Jim Boots” would be “laughing” and he could not afford to buy new ones so when it rained, he and his friends would get oil cans and place them on the toes of the shoes and mash it until it fit. In this way, his feet remained dry even though it was noisy to walk in.

After leaving school, he joined the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment and in 1969, he was one of 12 men to represent TT in the Commonwealth Regiments Competition for the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

During the 1970 uprising, Andalcio said he was assigned to conduct weapons training with policemen but in 1971, he decided to leave TT and move to the United States of America where he made a promise to himself that if things changed for him financially, he would help the people of his country, especially his community. He now holds a First Degree in Business and Administration, and a Bachelors in Accounting.

“The point is,” he said, “that even though we grow up in a certain type of community or have a certain kind of background — with education, patience, and discipline you can achieve anything.”

Andalcio told Newsday he lives on three principles: “Attitude, aptitude, and altitude. With the right attitude, you will find yourself wanting to keep learning and educating yourself — increasing your aptitude.

“Also with the right attitude, you will feel gratitude - gratitude to God for giving you life and to your family, friends, and others who have supported and encouraged you.”

A product of gratitude, he said is generosity and this is how Andalcio has been able to do so much for so many.

Andalcio is urging other Trinis living abroad to give a helping hand to those back home .

“Try to enhance at least one life. Visit and do something for a friend, a child, or a stranger. Try to give without expecting something in return,” he said.

“Even if it may seem like a small thing, that’s ok. Every little bit counts because many small things add up to something big.”

To young people everywhere, he gives this advice... “Utilise any opportunities to enhance your lives to the fullest. Use them as stepping stones to advance your lives. And try to stop looking at everything with a negative eye.”

TT is not the only place where Andalcio has touched lives. At home in Chicago, he volunteered with the IRS, the Chicago Hearing Society, and did taxes for the elderly.