Since 1911, the Gaido family has owned and operated Galveston's most famous seafood restaurant.  For at least the past half-century it has been on the corner of 39th Street and Seawall Boulevard.

Millions of meals are served there every year.  Generations of tourists come to the island every year for a dual-purpose -- to enjoy the beach and to eat at Gaido's. 

When Hurricane Ike struck Galveston in mid-September, the devastation was like nothing that has been experienced there since the famous 1900 Storm.  Fortunately early evacuation combined with the island's seawall saved most from injury and loss of life.

As soon as the storm passed, and the sky cleared and the gulf waters went from angry to sullen, with the help of generators, propane and other cooking accouterments normally associated with camping out, Gaido's opened its doors.  The first restaurant back in business. 

And Gaido's chefs immediately boiled up 1,000 pounds of fresh gulf shrimp, corn on the cob and the like, and the managers and other employees set up a free buffet on their parking lot. 

The hungry -- whether residents, homeless, or rescue workers --were invited to dinner.

And the Gaidos did it without fanfare or any expectation of gratituous publicity.  They are, after all, a Roman Catholic family that has always naturally followed their Catholic teachings.

Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

The Galveston County Daily News

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

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