[00:01:27]
LET ME FIRST WELCOME EVERYONE TONIGHT HERE TO OUR COUNTY HALL OF RECORDS.
UH, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW TIME FLIES HERE IN 2023.
WE'VE NOW MARCHED INTO OCTOBER.
WE CELEBRATE OCTOBER AS ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, THOSE THAT WILL BE WATCHING AT HOME FOR PARTICIPATING AND KEEPING THIS TRADITION ALIVE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, AND I BELIEVE MOST OF YOU IN THE ROOM KNOW ME, I'M LEONARD LUCIANO, AND I'VE PROUDLY REPRESENTED DISTRICT FOUR AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, FORMERLY KNOWN AS FREEHOLDER SINCE 2011.
I BRING GREETINGS ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE, THOUGH, TONIGHT OUR PRESIDENT, WAYNE RICHARDSON AND OUR VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS PALMER, WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.
UH, THEY SEND THEIR REGARDS, AND I AM GREETED.
I AM HERE FLANKED BY SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, WHICH I WILL INTRODUCE TO YOU IN A FEW MINUTES.
IT HAS BECOME OUR TRADITION TO PAY HOMAGE AND RECOGNIZE THE MANY CULTURES AND ETHNICITIES HERE THAT MAKE UP ESSEX COUNTY AND NEW JERSEY, AND CELEBRATE OUR COUNTY'S GREATEST STRENGTH, OUR PEOPLE, AND OUR DIVERSITY.
LIKE I MENTIONED, WE CELEBRATE ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CULTURE AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SOME OF OUR FINEST ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS OF ITALIAN DESCENT.
WE WILL HONOR THREE FROM OUR COUNTY WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE STILL TODAY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, THE NUTLEY BELLEVILLE COLUMBUS DAY PARADE COMMITTEE.
LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND IN ADDITION TO PLAQUES AND COMMENDATIONS FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
WE ALSO HAVE CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE JR'S OFFICE, WHICH WE WILL PRESENT TO YOU LATER ON THIS EVENING AS AN ITALIAN AMERICAN, AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE I AM PART IRISH, AND A LOT OF YOU FOLKS KNOW THAT IN, IN THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, IN BELIEVE IN CATHOLICISM, WE HAVE A LOT OF ITALIANS IN IRISH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT MARRY ONE ANOTHER.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WELL THOSE MARRIAGES GO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY PARENTS, UM, BUT THEY ARE STILL TOGETHER, UH, 48 YEARS LATER.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE MAN THAT I'VE BECOME THANKS TO THEM AND THEIR FAITH IN RELIGION, AND MY FATHER AND HIS HERITAGE, UH, BECAUSE MY GRANDPARENTS CAME FROM BENETO, ITALY AND LANDED HERE IN THE IRON BOUND OF NEWARK BEFORE THEY MOVED OUT TO LIVINGSTON IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS AND HAD A 13 ACRE FARM.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW LIVINGSTON, YOU SEE IT TODAY.
SOME OF US LIVE IN IT TODAY, BUT SOME YEARS AGO, LIVINGSTON WAS ALL FARMLAND.
MY GRAND, MY, MY GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER HAD 12 CHILDREN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WOMEN BACK THEN DID THAT.
12 CHILDREN, THREE MISCARRIAGES.
SHE MUST HAVE BEEN PREGNANT HER WHOLE LIFE,
UM, BUT SHE GREW UP ON, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY RAISED ALL THE CHILDREN.
MY FATHER WAS 11 OF 12, AND THEY GREW UP WITH GOATS AND A COW AND CHICKENS,
[00:05:01]
AND THEY PRETTY MUCH GREW ALL THEIR VEGETABLES.AND IT'S A PRETTY UNBELIEVABLE STORY THAT I SHARE.
AND I'M SURE THAT MY GRANDPARENTS WOULD BE PROUD TO KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEIR CHILDREN, SEVEN, HAVE DECEASED.
FIVE ARE STILL ALIVE, BUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM MADE IT TO OVER 80.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REAL TESTAMENT.
NOW, MY FATHER SWEARS IT WAS THE GOAT'S MILK THAT THEY DRANK,
UH, I DO EAT THE GABO CELL, THOUGH.
I HAVE HAD THE GOAT'S HEAD, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE GOAT'S MILK.
UM, BUT I, I WANTED TO SHARE THAT STORY BECAUSE IT REALLY IS SOME HISTORY AND WE CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO KEEP THE TRADITION ALIVE, REMEMBER WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE COME FROM.
AND THAT BEING SAID, I'M GONNA MOVE ALONG WITH THE PROGRAM, AND I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE YOUR OWN STORIES, AND I HOPE THAT YOU SHARE IT WITH YOUR FAMILY.
SOME OF YOU WILL SHARE IT WITH US TONIGHT WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE MIC AND JUST CONTINUE TO BREATHE THE TRADITION OF ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE.
SO AT THAT, WE WERE CALL UP OUR, I WANNA CALL MUSICIAN, UH, WHO WILL BE BRINGING OUR GREETINGS, AND WE'LL HAVE OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM.
AND LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO DYLAN WIKA DYLAN.
AND LET US NOW STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
THE STRIPES, THE, YOU MAY BE SEATED.
LET'S GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR DYLAN FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL RENDITION.
IT IS NOW A PLEASURE TO BRING UP A FRIEND TO ALL OF US FOR OUR OPENING PRAYER.
PLEASE WELCOME REVEREND TOM THE CASTRO FATHER TOM, LET US PRAY.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
MERCIFUL AND ETERNAL FATHER, GRACIOUS GOD, GIVER OF ALL GOOD GIFTS, LORD OF ALL NATION, WE SEEK YOUR BENEDICTION THIS DAY AS WE ARE REUNITED ONCE AGAIN.
AS WE BEGIN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, THE MONTH THAT IS SET ASIDE AND DEDICATED TO OUR ITALIAN HERITAGE, CULTURE, LANGUAGE, AND ANCESTRY, WE ASSEMBLE AND PAY TRIBUTE TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF GREAT ITALIAN AMERICANS WHO'VE MADE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICA AS PROUD ITALIAN AMERICANS.
WE COMMEMORATE AND MARK WITH FESTIVITY AND PO THE GOODWILL AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DARING PEOPLE, CHANCE TAKERS, AND PIONEERS WHO HAVE LEFT THEIR MARK AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IN OUR SOCIETY AT LARGE.
WE HAVE MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR BECAUSE AMERICA'S THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY, DIVERSITY, BEAUTY, AND FAITH.
ON THIS DAY, WE REMEMBER, OH LORD, THE GREAT TREASURE THAT OUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS HAVE PLACED IN OUR HANDS.
THIS TREASURE HAS BECOME OUR HERITAGE, A LASTING LEGACY OF THE VITAL ROLE THAT AMERICANS, ITALIAN AMERICANS HAVE PLAYED IN
[00:10:01]
AMERICAN HISTORY, CULTURE, AND FOLKLORE.MAY IT BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PASS ON OUR HERITAGE AND PRIDE IN LIFE.
HELP US, OH LORD, TO BE UNIFIED IN OUR APPROACH, AND WE STRIVE TO ELIMINATE BIAS IN THE DENIGRATION OF OUR CULTURE AND HERITAGE IN THE MEDIA OR IN UNITY.
WE WILL ACCOMPLISH MUCH IN OUR ETHNIC PURSUITS, TEACH US TO IMPLEMENT IN OUR DAILY ACTIVITY THE IDEALS OF UNITY CHARITY, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
DURING THIS YEAR'S GATHERING OF ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH AND CELEBRATION, SPONSORED BY THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WE HONOR THE FOLLOWING ITALIAN AMERICANS, RICHARD W VALERIO, ESQUIRE, JOSEPH TIANO, AND THE VERY REVEREND THOMAS DINA CASTRO, BLESS THEM OH LORD, FOR THEY ALL THAT THEY DO FOR THEIR ITALIAN HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND TRADITION.
LASTLY, HELP US ALWAYS TO KEEP ITALIAN IN OUR HEARTS AND MAKE IT ALWAYS A PART OF WHAT WE DO, BUT TO BE THOROUGHLY AMERICAN TO THE CORE, AND WE MAKE OUR PRAYER THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR THAT HEARTFELT PRAYER.
I'M NOW GONNA INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE JOINED US TODAY.
UM, I'M GONNA START WITH, UM, OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NORTH WARD OF NEWARK, WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR THERE IN BELLEVILLE? IN NUTLEY.
AND THAT'S OUR COMMISSIONER ROBERT BOBBY MERCADO, OUR LONGEST STANDING COMMISSIONER WHO REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE COUNTY AT LARGE.
SHE'S THE LONGEST STANDING COMMISSIONER HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, AND ONE OF THE LONGEST, IF NOT THE LONGEST, TENURED COMMISSIONER, FORMERLY KNOWN AS FREEHOLDER IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FROM LIVINGSTON, PATRICIA SEABOLD.
PAT AND I SAVED HIM FOR LAST BECAUSE I'M GONNA BE BRINGING HIM UP OVER THE YEARS SINCE 2011, I'VE HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF HOSTING THIS EVENT, WHICH WE BOUGHT BACK TO LIFE.
I KNOW OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, HE HAS HIS OWN EXECUTIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE, WHERE HE HONORS A FEW FOLKS EVERY YEAR IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
BUT MY BROTHER, MY COLLEAGUE, WHO IS REPRESENTED FIRST, HE STARTED AS A DISTRICT COMMISSIONER REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE, WHICH ENCOMPASSED BELLEVILLE AND NUTLEY, AND NOW HE REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE COUNTY AT LARGE, HAILING FROM MONTCLAIR.
THAT WOULD BE MY FRIEND, BRENDAN GILL.
AND BRENDAN, I'M SURE HAS HIS OWN STORY TO TELL
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, TO, UH, LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, UH, FOR COMMISSIONER LUCIANO FOR ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT THIS EVENT TOGETHER, UH, TO MAINTAIN, UH, THE TRADITION, UH, THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE, UH, ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, TO CELEBRATE, UH, THE NUTLEY AND BELLEVILLE, UH, COLUMBUS DAY PARADE.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALWAYS RECOGNIZE, UH, OUR ATAL ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE, UH, AND CULTURE AND WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT MEANS, UH, INTO THE MOSAIC THAT MAKES UP THE DIVERSITY THAT IS ESSEX COUNTY.
SO COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, THANK YOU FOR, FOR CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
UH, OF COURSE, HONORED TO BE WITH COMMISSIONER SEABOLD, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, MERCADO, UH, BOTH WHO ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT THESE EVENTS THROUGHOUT, UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WE REPRESENT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, ETHNIC GROUPS THAT MAKE UP, UH, THIS GREAT, UH, COUNTY.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, AS COMMISSIONER LUCIANO MENTIONED, UH, IN MY OWN, UH, PERSONAL STORY, UM, WHERE, UM, I DON'T THINK IT WAS PROBABLY TOLD UNTIL WE DID THIS EVENT IN 2011, UH, WITH A NAME, WITH THE NAME BRENDAN GILL, IT IS ASSUMED THAT YOU ARE IRISH
UM, IT'S PRETTY MUCH, UH, THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THE IRISH, UH, HERITAGE THAT EXISTS IN MY FAMILY.
BUT AN INTERESTING THING IN MY OWN, UH, PERSONAL STORY IS THAT MY GRANDFATHER, MY FATHER'S, FATHER'S LAST NAME WAS GILI
AND WHEN HE EMIGRATED TO, UM, THE UNITED STATES, UH, ACTUALLY BY WAY OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, LONGER STORY WAS FATHER WAS, UM, WAS IMMIGRATED THROUGH SAN ANTONIO, WAS HIT WITH A BRICK, UH,
[00:15:01]
CALLED A PAPISTUM, BUT, AND IN ORDER TO FIND WORK, HAD TO SHORTEN HIS LAST NAME TO GILL, GILL.
UM, WENT ON TO MARRY COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
UM, AND THAT MARRIAGE, UH, WORKED AND, AND OUR FAMILY, UM, HISTORY, UM, IS BUILT, UH, FROM THERE.
SO, UM, I, UM, TAKE THIS EVENT AS SERIOUS AS YOU DO, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, UH, BECAUSE NOT ONLY, UM, DO I, NOT ONLY AM I PROUD OF THAT, OF THAT HERITAGE AND THAT HISTORY, UH, BUT MY OWN CHILDREN ARE ALSO ITALIANS
SO, I'M HONORED TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU HERE, UH, TODAY.
AS JOE D SAYS, THOUGH, UM, BETWEEN COMMISSIONER LUCIANO AND COMMISSIONER GILL, IF YOU ADD US UP, YOU GET ONE FULL ITALIAN
WE'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT THE COMMITTEE'S ANNUAL ITALIAN FLAG RAISING WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8TH AT 9:00 AM AT THE BELLEVILLE TOWN HALL.
AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE AND BE THERE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HONORATE TO HONOR THE PARADE COMMITTEE, AND I'M GONNA ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO TO JOIN ME BACK AT THE PODIUM AS WE RECOGNIZE THE 2023 COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE HONOREES, UH, WHO WERE HERE IN ATTENDANCE.
AND BEFORE I DO THAT, UM, PLEASE LET ME AGAIN SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE ALL HAVE FAMILY COMMITMENTS AND WORK COMMITMENTS.
WE KNOW THIS ISN'T EASY, BUT WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT CROWD HERE.
UM, AND I'M GONNA BRING UP THE PERSON WHO REALLY IS THE GLUE THAT PUTS THIS TOGETHER AND ALWAYS DELIVERS.
SO LET'S GIVE A, A REALLY WARM WELCOME TO OUR PARADE CHAIR.
EDIE, DO YOU WANNA BRING THEM UP, PLEASE? YEAH.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO EDEDIE.
SHE'S GONNA RECOGNIZE, AND WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, IF YOU COULD JUST JOIN US UP HERE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT UP AT THE PODIUM.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS, FOR REALLY HAVING US HERE TONIGHT AND ALWAYS INVITING US AND MAKING SUCH A NICE EVENING FOR ALL OF US.
EACH YEAR YOU BRING US HERE, YOU HAVE OUR HONOREES COME AND YOU RECOGNIZE THEM.
THIS IS A SPECIAL NIGHT, AND I, I WON'T GO OFF IT TO THAT TANGENT BECAUSE WE'RE HONORING ONE OF OUR OWN, UH, VERY REVEREND FATHER THOMAS NICASTRO.
AND I, I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR, SO, SO YOU SAID ME, I'M THE GLUE.
THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE TRUTH AT ALL, BECAUSE THIS COMMITTEE DOES INVALUABLE WORK.
AND WITHOUT EACH AND EVERY PERSON, WE COULDN'T DO A THING.
SO I WANNA BRING UP MY CO-CHAIR, MELISSA MATURA.
UM, SO THERE, THERE'S ONLY 12 PEOPLE THAT PUT ON THIS PARADE EVERY YEAR, AND IT STARTED IN NEWARK, AS YOU KNOW, YOU REMEMBER WITH AIL AGNE GOING UP, UH, BLOOMFIELD AVENUE, AND THEN WE TOOK IT TO BELLEVILLE AND NUTLEY, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
AND, UH, WE'VE WORKED HARD TO MAINTAIN THE COHESIVENESS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT INVOLVED RUNNING A PARADE.
SO, UH, I'M GONNA ASK, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T BE HERE BECAUSE OF WORK COMMITMENTS, BUT I'M GONNA A ASK THAT.
UH, I'M GONNA SAY JUST SKIP DOWN TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE RIGHT NOW.
DI DIANE STANZIONE, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBER OR CAVALIERI PASQUA MEOLA, WHO'S INVALUABLE TO US CAVALIERI, SUSAN LAMOR, COME ON UP.
SUSAN VITO RO, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THAT'S, UH, MELISSA'S HUSBAND, UH, JOE ELLI FATHER TOM NICASTRO, COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, BILL FRIEDA, UH, UH, BARBARA FRIDA,
[00:20:01]
RO COSTA, BEN COSTA.UM, AND WE HAVE SOME ANCILLARY PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT TO WHAT WE DO.
ONE OF THEM IS COUNCILMAN VINNY ELLI, WHO HELPS US OUT TREMENDOUSLY.
AND ANTHONY SANTA STERI AS WELL.
SO THIS IS A COMMITTEE THAT PUTS ON A PARADE THAT GOES FROM BELLEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE NUTLEY OVAL.
UH, I, I DON'T HAVE TO LIE ABOUT THAT.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE.
GIVES THEIR TIME, THEIR TALENT, AND SOME MONEY AS WELL TO MAKE THIS COMMITTEE WORK AND TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
SO AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS.
UM, YOUR SUPPORT MEANS SO MUCH TO US, REALLY.
YES, WE WILL TAKE THE OFFICIAL PICTURES AFTER.
UM, BUT NOW THAT EDEDIE HAS ANNOUNCED OUR PARADE COMMITTEE AND THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE, UM, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO GIVE RECOGNITION.
AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO COME UP IF YOU'RE HERE, AND STAND NEXT TO ME TO OUR NUTLEY BELLEVILLE PARADE HONOREES THIS YEAR.
LET'S GIVE 'EM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, RIGHT? AND, AND I'M NOT CERTAIN IF EVERYBODY'S HERE, SO I'M GONNA RATTLE OFF THE LIST, AND IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME AND YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE COME UP SO YOU COULD BE RECOGNIZED.
UM, WE HAVE OUR GRAHAM MARSHALLS, UH, CAVAL CAVALIER, MARIA DEPALO AND CAVALIER VINCENZO DEPALO, ARE THEY HERE? COME ON UP.
OUR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
EL EAB CALELLO IS EAB BEA HERE, NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT WE'LL GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TOO.
ITALIAN BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR.
IS RENEE HERE? YES, I'M SORRY.
WE CAN'T FORGET THAT SHE'S MARRIED TO AN IRISH, RIGHT? WE, WE ACCEPT THAT HERE.
WE WILL ALSO RECOGNIZE NUTLEY ITALIAN MAN OF THE YEAR.
UH, DANIEL CANELLA IS, NO, NOT HERE, BUT WE'LL GIVE DAN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
NUTLEY ITALIAN WOMAN OF THE YEAR.
DO WE HAVE LINDA HERE? LINDA MONTROSE SAID, NO, BUT WE'LL GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
OUR BELLVILLE ITALIAN MAN OF THE YEAR.
OUR BELLVILLE ITALIAN WOMAN OF THE YEAR.
WE'LL GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WHAT ABOUT OUR RENAISSANCE WOMAN? CHARLA MACALUSO.
AND COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE AWARD, RIGHT? THAT GOES TO MATTHEW TYLA.
MATTHEW'S NOT HERE, BUT WE'LL GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
SO THIS IS OUR GROUP HERE, I THINK, AND I'M, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M MISTAKEN, THE WEATHER LOOKS GOOD FOR THE PARADE, RIGHT? SO WE OCTOBER 9TH OCTO, OCTOBER 8TH, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8TH.
UM, THE PARADE WILL GO RAIN OR SHINE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IF WE BELIEVE THE WEATHER FORECAST THAT IT WILL BE BEAUTIFUL AND SUNNY.
SO ONE MORE TIME BEFORE I ASK THEM TO SIT DOWN, PLEASE RECOGNIZE IN ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR OUR 2023 PARADE COMMITTEE.
AND WE WILL TAKE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS AFTER, BEFORE WE THANK YOU.
SO AT THIS POINT IN THE PROGRAM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR FIRST HONOREE, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER PATRICIA SEABOLD.
I'M A COMMISSIONER AT LARGE, AND MY NAME IS PAT SEABOLD, AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS HOW HONORED I AM TO BE PART OF TODAY'S ITALIAN HERITAGE CELEBRATION.
ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES, I THANK EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE AND EVERYONE WATCHING VIA LIVESTREAM FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
AT THIS TIME, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST HONOREE FOR TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING RICHARD VALERIO TO THE PODIUM RICHARD.
[00:25:03]
NOW, NOW, BEFORE I START TALKING ABOUT RICHARD, I LIVE IN LIVINGSTON, AND I HAVE LIVED IN LIVINGSTON FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.I GREW UP IN HILLSIDE, NEW JERSEY, AND THEN AFTER I WAS MARRIED, I MOVED TO LIVINGSTON AND IT WAS A FARMING COMMUNITY.
AND SOME OF THE FIRST PEOPLE I MET WHEN I MOVED TO LIVINGSTON WAS RICHARD VALERIO AND HIS WIFE, CYNTHIA VALERIO.
I'VE KNOWN THEM FOR SUCH A VERY LONG TIME, AND THEY ARE TRULY, TRULY GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE.
SO I AM CERTAINLY HONORED PERSONALLY TO EXPRESS MY HONOR TO RICHARD VALERIO TONIGHT.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COMMENDATION.
RICHARD VALERIO ESQUIRE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, IN NORTH WARD.
HE IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF ESSEX COUNTY.
HE GRADUATED FROM ESSEX CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, SETON HALL UNIVERSITY, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA LAW SCHOOL.
HE HAS BEEN MARRIED TO WONDERFUL CYNTHIA WALLER VALERIO FOR 49 YEARS.
DURING HIS LEGAL CAREER, MR. VALERIO WORKED AS AN ASSOCIATE AT SCHWARTZ PHILO AND DL SIO IN BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY.
HE WAS A PARTNER AT CHERRY, PETRI AND VALERIO IN TOTOWA, NEW JERSEY.
HE WAS ALSO OF COUNSEL AT DE DE BLASSIO AND RE DI BAZI AND RONALDO IN NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY.
RICHARD VALERIO HAD, HAS HELD SEVERAL PUBLIC POSITIONS, MANY PUBLIC POSITIONS.
HE HAS BEEN A MEMBER AND CHAIR OF THE LIVINGSTON ZONING BOARD.
HE WAS THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE IN LIVINGSTON.
HE WAS THE ATTORNEY OF THE LIVINGSTON PLANNING BOARD.
HE IS THE ATTORNEY NOW FOR THE LIVING ZONING BOARD.
UNFORTUNATELY,
YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE EXCEPTIONAL AND WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S, COMMENDATION AND PLAQUE.
THE PLAQUE READS, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, HEREBY HEREBY HONORS RICHARD W VALERIO, ESQUIRE FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT AND PRIDE OF THE COUNTY ITALIAN COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATION OF ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH, OCTOBER 5TH, 2023.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, RICHARD, SAY A FEW WORDS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, SELECTING ME FOR THIS HONOR.
AND AS YOU SAID, I, I WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN NEWARK, UH, IN THE NORTH WARD, SPECIFICALLY IN THE ROSEVILLE SECTION.
AND IF YOU GROW UP, WHEN I DID BACK IN THE FIFTIES AND EARLY SIXTIES, THAT AREA WAS LIKE BEING IN AN ENGLISH SPEAKING ITALIAN VILLAGE, BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS ITALIAN.
THE BUSINESSES WERE ALL ITALIAN.
I REMEMBER ANOS, THAT'S WHERE THEY STARTED ON ROSEVILLE AVENUE AND, AND MEROSE FUNERAL HOME.
UH, SO IT WAS REALLY, IN SOME WAYS A VERY INSULAR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO GROW UP.
AND AS I GOT OLDER AND I WENT TO ESSEX CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, IT WAS STILL MOSTLY ITALIAN, BUT THERE WAS A SMATTERING OF OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS.
THEN I WENT TO SETON HALL UNIVERSITY, AND AGAIN, IT WAS A LITTLE MORE DIVERSE.
AND THEN I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, AND I WENT DOWN THERE SAYING, I'M NOT GONNA FIND ANY ITALIANS DOWN HERE.
AND THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS, I WALK INTO THE CONTRACTS CLASS AND NOW COMES A PROFESSOR ANTONIN SCALIA.
AND I SAID, EVEN HERE, WE'VE GOT ITALIANS.
ALL RIGHT? AND, UH, OF COURSE, HE CALLED ON ME AND ASKED ME AN IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION THAT NOBODY COULD ANSWER RANDOMLY.
I'M SURE MY BOWEL AT THE END HAD NO, NO, UH, BEARING AS TO WHY HE SELECTED ME.
BUT, UH, IT, IT, IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY, UH, INTERESTING PATH TO COME HERE.
AND WHEN MY WIFE AND I WERE FIRST MARRIED, WE LIVED IN NUTLEY.
SO I FEEL A LITTLE CONNECTION HERE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT HONOREES TWO FROM LIVINGSTON, WE HAVE ONE FROM NUTLEY.
[00:30:01]
IN NUTLEY FOR A WHILE.MY OFFICE IS IN NUTLEY, SO I'M KIND OF LIKE THE CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE OTHER TWO HONOREES HERE TONIGHT.
SO I, I LIKE, UH, LIKE THAT FEELING.
BUT, UH, I'M ALSO WANT TO MENTION MY, UH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT ARE IN THE BACK.
AND, UH, I HOPE THAT, UH, WE ALL HAVE A VERY WONDERFUL EVENING.
AND I, AGAIN, THANK PAT AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR SELECTING ME FOR THIS HONOR.
THANK YOU, CYNTHIA, COME THANK YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, RICHARD, TO YOU AND YOUR, TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE AGAIN WITH YOU TONIGHT.
IT'S NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR SECOND HONOREE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING JOSEPH TIANO TO THE PODIUM.
PLEASE ALLOW ME TO SHARE SOME DETAILS FROM THE COMMENDATION, UH, FOR THE GROUP, UH, TONIGHT, GIUSEPPE, JOSEPH TIANO GREW UP IN NEWARK.
I'M, I'M SENSING A THEME HERE.
AND ATTENDED BARRINGER HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT'S RIGHT,
UM, WE DID OKAY IN MONTCLAIR TOO, BUT NORTHWEST, HE WORKED AT FRANK'S PIZZERIA WHERE HE DEVELOPED A LOVE AND PASSION FOR THE PIZZA AND RESTAURANT BUSINESS.
IT'S WHERE HE MET JOSEPH, MET HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE, JUDY, AND THEY STARTED CALABRIA'S RESTAURANT AND PIZZERIA IN LIVINGSTON.
OVER THE YEARS, HE HAS ENJOYED SPENDING TIME WITH HIS FAMILY AND MAKING MEMORIES TRAVELING TO GO BACK TO HIS ROOTS AND TO SHOW HIS FAMILY WHERE IT ALL STARTED.
HIS FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR IS HIS SUMMERS AT THE JERSEY SHORE.
HE AND HIS WIFE JUDY, HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 42 YEARS.
THEY HAVE THREE CHILDREN, NATALIE TOMASO AND GIUSEPPE.
HE'S BEEN FORTUNATE TO WATCH HIS FAMILY GROW.
NATALIE IS MARRIED TO MICHAEL WITH THREE SONS.
TOMASO WAS MARRIED TO HIS WIFE SARAH, WITH THREE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS.
AND GIUSEPPE, WHO WAS FOLLOWED IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS WITH THE BUSINESS, WAS RECENTLY MARRIED TO HIS WIFE GABRIELA, AND THEY'RE EXPECTING THEIR FIRST CHILD.
JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHER, DINO STARTED THE RESTAURANT IN PIZZERIA 35 YEARS AGO.
THEY MOVED IT TO THEIR CURRENT LOCATION IN 1991.
HIS HOMEMADE FOOD COMES FROM THE RECIPES INSPIRED BY HIS MOTHER'S COOKING.
THE ESTABLISHMENT IS KNOWN FOR ITS FOOD, COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT, AND COURTEOUS SERVICE.
I'M SURE MANY IN THIS ROOM HAVE BEEN THERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR MANY MEMORABLE TIMES, IT HAS BEEN USED AS A LOCATION FOR VARIOUS TELEVISION SHOWS LIKE CBS'S, TONY TAN'S DINING DEAL, THE HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY.
I WISH I WAS THERE FOR THAT ONE.
BOTH HE AND THE RESTAURANT ARE KNOWN FOR BEING VERY CHARITABLE AND HAVE SUPPORTED MANY LOCAL CHARITIES INCLUDED, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE LIVINGSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE KIWANIS, UH, THE KIWANIS CLUB, ST.
BARNABAS'S MEDICAL CENTER, NEWARK ACADEMY, AND THE ENTIRE LIVINGSTON SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEY ARE COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.
YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE EXTRAORDINARY.
WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S, A COMMENDATION AND PLAQUE, AND THE PLAQUE READS, OH, THANK YOU.
THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HEREBY HONORS GIUSEPPE JOSEPH TIANO FOR EMBODYING
[00:35:01]
THE SPIRIT AND PRIDE OF THE ESSEX COUNTY ITALIAN COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATION OF ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH, OCTOBER FOUR, FIFTH, EXCUSE ME, 2023.AGAIN, MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO HONOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FOR EMBODYING, EMBODYING EVERYTHING THAT IT MEANS TO BE AN ITALIAN AMERICAN.
YEAH, WE CAN STEP AND WE'LL TAKE A FEW MORE BACK.
I'M SO PROUD TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO BE AN ITALIAN AMERICAN AND AMERICAN TOO.
AND BEFORE I START, I WANT TO THANK ONE PERSON TO BE HERE.
WHAT CAN I SAY? I'M AMERICA DREAM.
I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY WHEN I SPEAK ENGLISH, AND THAT'S AMERICA DREAM CAN MARRY 42 YEARS AGO, BEEN TOGETHER 44, 3 BEAUTIFUL KIDS, MY DAUGHTER, MY TWO SON, MY TWO DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, AND MY SON-IN-LAW AND SIX BEAUTIFUL GRANDCHILDREN.
YOU LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY WITH NOTHING.
THINK AND YOU COME THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE AN ITALIAN AMERICAN.
AND CONGRATS AGAIN, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
IT'S, IT'S, UM, UNDERSTANDABLE, UH, TO BE EMOTIONAL.
I'M SURE YOUR FAMILY IS EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE HERE WITH YOU HERE, UH, TONIGHT.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HEAR A MUSICAL SELECTION BEFORE RECOGNIZING OUR LAST, UH, HONOREE.
YOU HEARD HIM AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR PROGRAM SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
AND NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME DYLAN BACK TO SHARE MORE OF HIS MUSICAL TALENTS.
UH, BUT BEFORE HE DOES ALLOW ME TO SHARE A FEW DETAILS ON HIS BACKGROUND.
UH, DYLAN IS A NATIVE IN NEW JERSEY.
HAVING ATTENDED DON BOSCO PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL IN RAMSEY, WE LET A PERSON WHO WENT TO SCHOOL IN BUREN COUNTY INTO THIS EVENT,
UM, BUT IN ALL SERIOUS SAYS, COMING FROM A FAMILY OF MUSICIANS, UH, DYLAN ENTERED THE ARTS AT A YOUNG AGE AND, AND HONED HIS CRAFT DURING HIS SIX YEARS STUDYING, WORKING AND LIVING IN FLORENCE, ITALY, UH, FLUENT IN ITALIAN IN ADDITIONAL TO SEVERAL OTHER LANGUAGES.
HE USES HIS LOVE OF CULTURE, LANGUAGE, CUISINE, AND HISTORY TO ACCENT HIS CAREER AS A FULL-TIME ENTERTAINER.
HE HAS APPEARED ON MANY STAGES AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE MCDONALD'S GOSPEL FEST, THE SOUL FEST IN NEW ENGLAND, AND THE YOUR VOICE INSPIRATION COMPETITION.
HE PLAYS THE PIANO AND ORGAN COMPOSES BOTH SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS MUSIC AND MINISTERS VERY FREQUENTLY AND VERY HOUSES OF WORSHIP.
HE SPECIALIZES IN GOSPEL AND POP R AND B AND SOUL, BUT IS VERSATILE WORKING AS A BAND LEADER, MC AND FRONT MAN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
HE'S CURRENTLY THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT AVENUE CHURCH IN NEW YORK CITY, IN YORKVILLE, ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE OF MANHATTAN, AND IS WORKING ON HIS DEBUT ALBUM.
AND YOU CAN FOLLOW HIM ALL OVER THE IN INTERNET USING THE ACCOUNT NAME AND HASHTAG DYLAN
[00:40:01]
AND THE MUSIC, AND WE WILL BE SURE TO DO THAT.SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING BACK TO THE PODIUM, DYLAN FOR A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE.
SO BEFORE I BEGIN, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT I CHOSE THIS SONG, IT'S ZA BY TI.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A PATRIOTIC SONG, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME DURING THE TIME WHEN I LIVED IN ITALY.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SONGS THAT I STARTED SINGING WHEN I WORKED THERE, AND VERY QUICKLY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LET'S GIVE IT UP AGAIN FOR DYLAN AND NOW TO OUR FINAL HONOREE THIS EVENING,
[00:45:02]
UH, WHICH IS A REAL PLEASURE.AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANYONE IN THIS ROOM WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE IMPACT HE HAS ON OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
LET ME WELCOME HIM UP TO THE PODIUM BEFORE I READ A LITTLE BIT OF HIS BIO.
LET ME BRING UP THE VERY REVEREND TOM, THE CASTRO.
TOM TOM WAS BORN IN 1961 IN NEWARK.
NOW EVERYONE KNOWS HOW OLD YOU ARE.
FRANCIS XAVIER CHURCH AND ATTENDED ESSEX CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN NEWARK AND GRADUATED IN 1979 WITH HONORS IN RELIGION.
REVEREND NA CASTRO THEN WENT ON TO ATTEND SETON HALL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SEMINARY IN THE FALL OF 1984.
HE EARNED AND RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN MODERN LANGUAGES.
HE COMPLETED HIS THEOLOGICAL STUDIES FOR THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD ON MAY 22ND, 1989, RECEIVING A MASTER'S OF DIVINITY DEGREE IN PASTORAL MINISTRY FROM IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SEMINARY IN SOUTH ORANGE.
TOM WAS ORDAINED A TRANSITIONAL DEACON ON DECEMBER 8TH, 1989, AND ORDAINED TO THE SACRED PRIESTHOOD ON MAY 26TH, 1990 FOR THE SERVICE IN BRIDGEPORT DIOCESE.
IN OCTOBER, 2003, TOM THE CASTRO, WAS RELEASED TO SERVE IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEWARK WHERE HE GREW UP.
IN JUNE, 2008, HE WAS INCARNATED INTO THE ARCHDIOCESE.
HE HAS SINCE SERVED IN VARIOUS PARISHES.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020, HE BECAME THE ADMINISTRATOR OF ST.
AND IN OCTOBER, 2021 WAS INSTALLED AS THE 14TH PASTOR.
HE HAS ALSO SERVED AS CHAPLAIN FOR MANY ORGANIZATIONS.
HE IS A LIFETIME AND LIFELONG DEVOTEE TO ST.
WE'LL GIVE THAT UP, RIGHT? A DEVOTION THAT HAS BEEN IN HIS FAMILY FOR OVER 150 YEARS.
IN 2012, HE PUBLISHED A BOOK, THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF THE FEAST OF ST.
LUCY'S CHURCH IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
HE'S NOW COMPLETING A BOOK ON THE LIFE OF ST.
GERARD, WHICH I WILL REMIND YOU THAT THE FEAST DAY COMING UP AND ST.
LUCY'S PARISH WILL BE CELEBRATING ALL WEEK AND NEXT WEEKEND.
WE HOPE EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE HERE AND EVERYONE AT HOME WATCHING HELPS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE PARISH AND CONTINUE TO KEEP THE HONOR OF ST.
ON AUGUST 15TH, 2023, HE RECEIVED THE VERY TITLE OF VERY REVEREND ON DECEMBER 9TH, HE WILL BE KNIGHTED IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCE EMANUEL FILLER OF SAVOY, PRINCE OF VENICE, AND PIEDMONT.
AND THE TITLE OF CAVALIER WILL BE CONFERRED UPON HIM.
HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE VERY, VERY, VERY HIGH, AND HE CONTINUES TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
NOT ONLY IS HE OUR FATHER AND OUR PRIEST, BUT HE IS OUR FRIEND.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO BRING HIM TO THE MIC SO THAT HE CAN SHARE SOME OF HIS WORDS AND HIS WISDOM.
LET'S GIVE A WARM WELCOME AND ROUND OF APPLAUSE AGAIN TO OUR FATHER, TOM NICARO.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, MY DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
PLEASE KNOW HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO RECEIVE THIS BEAUTIFUL RECOGNITION DURING ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH, THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
IT IS SPECIAL HONOR, BUT ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL AS A CHALLENGE.
AWARDS ARE MARKS OF SOMEONE'S MERIT OR IMMENSE INPUT IN A PARTICULAR FIELD.
AND IN THIS CASE, MY CALL TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND NURTURE MY, MY GREAT ITALIAN HERITAGE THAT WAS PASSED ON TO ME FROM MY GRANDPARENTS AND PARENTS.
I AM HUMBLED AND HONORED TONIGHT.
I THANK THOSE WHO SUBMITTED MY NAME AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME FOR RECOGNIZING THIS GREAT HONOR FOR ME, THIS IS FIRST AND FOREMOST, REALLY A RECOGNITION, NOT SO MUCH FOR ME, BUT FOR MY PARENTS AND MY GRANDPARENTS, WHO WERE THE FIRST TEACHERS OF THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE TO ME AND THE ITALIAN HERITAGE, IT HAS BEEN SAID AS THE TRANSMITTAL OF ACQUIRING THINGS FROM THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE US.
OUR ITALIAN ANCESTORS, OUR ANCESTORS ARRIVED ON THE ISLAND OF TEARS, ELLIS
[00:50:01]
ISLAND.AND THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM LITTLE MORE THAN THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK AND A SMALL SUITCASE, A CARRY BAG.
AND THEY VENTURED OUT WITH TRUST IN GOD AND HOPE IN THEIR HEART.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM RO A GREAT TREASURE.
A TREASURE THAT'S COMPOSED, I BELIEVE, OF SIX PARTS, OUR HERITAGE THAT IS CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS, CULTURE AND LANGUAGE FROM THE OLD COUNTRY, THEIR CATHOLIC FAITH, LOVE FOR THE CHURCH, THE BLESSED MOTHER, THEIR SAINTS, ESPECIALLY THE PATRON SAINT OF THEIR PAI.
AND THE GIFT OF FAMILY RESPECT FOR NONNA, GRANDMA, NONNO, GRANDPA, MAMA, MOM AND PAPA DAD.
FAMILY CELEBRATIONS, THE RESPECT AND THE GIFT OF FRIENDS.
AMICHI FRIENDS, KINI COUSINS, RESPECT FOR GODPARENTS, THEIR PAANI AND THEIR TOWNSPEOPLE, THEIR FESTE ITALIAN FEAST THAT CELEBRATED COLUMBUS DAY, CHRISTMAS, EASTER, THANKSGIVING, AND THE FEAST OF VARIOUS SAINTS, ESPECIALLY THE PATRON SAINT OF THEIR TOWN IN ITALY.
AND FOOD, ITALIAN CULINARY CUISINE, AS WELL AS VEGETABLES FROM THEIR GARDEN AND THEIR BACKYARD, THEIR FIG TREES AND GRAPEVINES AND HOMEMADE WINE AND JARRED TOMATOES.
IT IS OUR HERITAGE AND OUR LEGACY.
IT IS TRULY A LIVING MEMORIAL AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEW WORLD IN MANY WALKS OF LIFE.
IT IS REALLY THEN A FRAME OF MIND, AN APPRECIATION OF ONE'S HISTORY, ANCESTRY AND VALUES, EMBRACING WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND BE PROUD OF IT.
THE CHALLENGE TO PASS THE TORCH TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
WE MUST PASS ON THE GRAND, THE GREAT TREASURE THAT HAS BEEN PLACED IN OUR HANDS.
I THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR THIS GREAT HONOR, WHICH REALLY BELONGS TO NONNO, NONNA, MAMA AND PAPA.
REMEMBER TO KEEP ITALIAN IN YOUR HEART AND MAKE IT ALWAYS A PART OF WHAT YOU DO.
BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER TO BE THOROUGHLY AMERICAN TO THE CORE.
I AM TRULY CHALLENGED THIS DAY.
I'VE ONLY BEGUN TO EARN THIS AWARD, THIS GREAT HONOR, GRACIA GRANDE, A THOUSAND, HEARTFELT THANKS FOR THIS GREAT HONOR AND KINDNESS AND MANY BEAUTIFUL THINGS.
ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR FATHER TOM.
PLEASE, FATHER, AS, UH, THOSE REMARKS WERE, UM, OUTSTANDING
SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO DO THAT, UM, EACH AND EVERY DAY, UH, TO COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, TO COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD, COMMISSIONER MERCADO, THANK YOU, UH, SO MUCH AS WE CONCLUDE THE PROGRAM TONIGHT.
I ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO TAKE SOME TIME, UH, TO THANK THE HONOREES, UH, TONIGHT, TO GET TO KNOW THEM, UH, THEIR LEADERS IN OUR INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES, UH, AND WE ALL HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE WORK THAT THEY DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.
UH, FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE OR ARE ONLINE VIEWING, UH, THIS EVENT, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WE THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS TIME WITH US TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE ITALIAN HERITAGE.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF TONIGHT'S PROGRAM'S PARTICIPANTS,
[00:55:01]
UH, FATHER TOM, NOT ONLY FOR BEING ONE OF OUR RECOGNIZED HONOREES, BUT FOR THE PRAYER, UH, DYLAN, FOR YOUR FANTASTIC, UH, PERFORMANCE, UH, THIS EVENING AND TO ALL THE DESERVING HONOREES AND THEIR FAMILIES.AS WE CONCLUDE, UH, TONIGHT'S EVENT, WE'RE ALL INVITED TO A RECEPTION THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED JUST DOWN THE HALL HERE IN ROOM 5 0 1.
SO PLEASE JOIN US FOR SOME FOOD, UH, AND FELLOWSHIP.
AND, AND IF YOU CAN, PLEASE JOIN, UH, THE NUTLEY BELLEVILLE COLUMBUS DAY PARADE FOR ALL THE FESTIVITIES ON SUNDAY, UH, FOR THE FLAG RAISING, UH, AND EVERYTHING FOLLOWING ON THAT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AS WELL.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD, AGAIN, I THANK EACH OF YOU, UH, FOR BEING IN ATTENDANCE, UH, TONIGHT AND THIS TIME.
GONNA ASK FATHER TOM TO COME BACK TO THE PODIUM,
THANK YOU SO MUCH, FATHER, LET US PRAY.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, LORD OF ALL NATIONS, WE GIVE THEE THANKS FOR THY GIFTS AND BE AS PROUD ITALIAN AMERICANS AND CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES AND MEMBERS OF THE NUTLEY BELLEVILLE COLUMBUS PARADE COMMITTEE TO COMMEMORATE THIS YEAR'S COLUMBUS DAY AND HERITAGE MONTH.
WE RECALL AND CELEBRATE THE BRAVERY AND GOODWILL OF DARING PEOPLE IN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.
WE TAKE PRIDE IN OUR GREAT NATION AND THE EXISTENCE AND THE BRAVERY OF THAT CHRISTIAN SPIRIT OF THAT DETERMINED NAVIGATOR.
BLESS ALL OF OUR HONOREES AND MAY THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, WHOM WE HONOR, ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING AND SPARK IN US ENTHUSIASM, GOODWILL, AND EAGERNESS.
WE PRAY THAT THE GOODWILL STEADFAST OF COLUMBUS WILL BE AN EXAMPLE TO BE MEN AND WOMEN DETERMINED IN OUR CAUSE FOR UNITY, AND THAT WE BE TRAILBLAZERS IN OUR OWN DAY.
WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THE FOOD AND FRIENDSHIP WE SHARE, AND THE GRATEFUL ABUNDANT HARVEST WE HAVE RECEIVED.
FROM YOUR HANDS IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS JUST ASK THE FOLKS IN THE FRONT HERE TO BE A LITTLE PATIENT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FAMILY, UH, TO THE THREE HONOREES THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND TAKE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS, WE WILL GET THEM TO YOU.
UH, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE FOR OUR PARADE COMMITTEE AND OUR PARADE DIGNITARIES TO TAKE ONE GROUP PHOTO WITH THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE, BUT AT THAT, ANYONE ELSE THAT'S READY CAN MAKE IT OUT INTO THE HALLWAY AND, UH, BEGIN THE LINE FOR OUR BUFFET.
THIS SHOULD TAKE NO LONGER THAN FIVE MINUTES AND WE'LL ALL BE TOGETHER.
THIS, WE'RE GONNA START FIRST WITH THE, UM, WE'LL DO THE PARADE COMMITTEE AND THEN THE PARADE DIGNITARIES, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO EACH INDIVIDUAL HONOREE OF THE THREE.
AND THEN YOU CAN BRING YOUR FAMILY UP AS WELL.
SO LET'S START WITH THE PARADE COMMITTEE AND MY COLLEAGUES, PAT, OVER TIME WITH THE PARADE COMMITTEE.
THIS MY, THE GOVERNMENT FROM I, NO.