West Orange Holds Italian Flag Raising Ceremony At Town Hall

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange town officials, UNICO and the West Orange High School Italian Club recently partnered to hold an Italian flag raising ceremony at Town Hall.

The event was emceed by Frank Gonnella of the Orange/West Orange UNICO chapter and welcomed UNICO national president Ralph Contini, who shared the New Jersey history of Italian American Heritage and Culture Month.

UNICO – which stands for "one" and has a motto of "service above self" – provides annual scholarships to graduating West Orange and Orange seniors and local organizations involved in community outreach.

“Governor James McGreevy proclaimed October as Italian American Month in New Jersey in 2002, and on Oct. 11, 2009, Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed a joint resolution, AJR-97, permanently designating the month of October as Italian-American Heritage Month,” Contini noted.

“It’s great to see all of you gathered here today to celebrate the work, service, and contributions of Italian Americans,” he added.

At the event, West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney shared a story about her maternal grandparents – the Pellegrinos – and how hard they worked to make a life for themselves and their family.

“Through their Italian heritage and hard work, they taught me family values,” McCartney said.

As the Italian flag was raised, students from the West Orange High School Italian Club, under the direction of advisors Vincenza Amabile and Rosanna Zamloot, performed the Italian National anthem, “" Il Canto degli Italiani" – The Song of the Italians.

Township council members Michelle Casalino, Tammy Williams, Susan Scarpa, Asmeret Ghebremicael and Bill Rutherford were also present at the flag raising, along with School Superintendent Hayden Moore, the West Orange High School AFJROTC, World Languages Supervisor Felix Plata, the West Orange Fire and Police Department and other community members.

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