Alright, welcome everybody here to the Rotunda at Neurochell City Hall.

My name is Vim Parisi, I'm the Parks Commissioner, and happy to be your MC for this shindig.

There's you hear about all these, you know, really cool and historical Italian American stories and history, and Barbara Davis is going to do the best job of all later.

But you know, listening to the stories these last several years from Dominic Fava and all those old Dom Procopio stores and the Calabria crew and the Columbus statue and Hudson Park and all the little traditions throughout the years has been really cool.

But this, particularly the last couple of years, you know, because of our city manager and because of our mayor is a new little tradition that is cool and is only going to grow during the month of October for Italian American Heritage Month.

So round of applause for all of you for being part of this new tradition that we want to keep going here in the city of Nourish.

Also want to say uh thank you to the Sam and Sam crew, Samantha Vargas, Sam Gomez, thank you for um you know putting this entire crew together here.

Uh special thanks to the committee, uh Carmelina DeMarco, who you're gonna hear from on behalf of the committee in a second, Will Ianuzzi, Dominic Fava, Ronza Zima.

Um we only want to grow the committee, and we only want to do more and more uh obviously moving forward.

So from our Italian American committee, please welcome Carmelina DiMarco.

Benvenuti a tutti e buonasera.

As been told you, my name is Carmelina Di Marco, and I've been a resident of Neurochell for the past 52 and a half years, which is incredible since I'm only 49 years old.

Good evening, and thank you for joining us this evening as we celebrate Italian American Heritage Month in New Rochelle.

New

Rochelle.

Sorry about that.

New Rochelle is a city where diversity is an asset.

It is the city which welcomes all and embraces each of us with love and admiration.

We are here tonight to enjoy our company and eat delicious Italian food.

There is no particular honorees this evening because all of us are honored in our own right.

We will hear from a few dignitaries who will briefly, and I emphasize briefly, speak about some aspect of the Italian heritage.

After which we will enjoy each other in conversation and dine Italian style.

Thank

you.

Also, thank you to our city hall, um, Brian Bracie's crew uh here with DPW Public Works.

If you want to go outside and take a picture, uh the Italian flag was just raised.

For remarks and a proclamation, please welcome the mayor of Neurochell, Yadira Ramos Herbert.

Thank you, Commissioner, and thank you, Miss Carmelina.

I knew you were gonna wear red, white, and green.

Your fashion sense is impeccable.

Um I knew I have to step my game up to make sure I'm matching all of the different events.

But and I say that more just to reflect how much care you have for celebrating.

And I think it's really amazing when I think of all of the uh the contributions Italian Americans, Italians, Italian Americans have made in making New Rochelle the great community that it is.

When I think of families coming from Italy, just to grow their family and give their family members opportunities.

It's a privilege to be here today with you to celebrate.

I will not want to make Carmelina mad, so I will keep my remarks brief and just say thank you to our Italian American community.

Thank you for everybody for coming out tonight.

I do have a proclamation that we will hang up in the wall in the back.

It's a way we do it to honor just the diversity of the different communities.

Um and it just says, I won't read all of it, that I um Idira Ramos Herbert, as the mayor of the city of New Rochelle, recognize Italian American Heritage Month and commend the Italian American community for its enduring contribution to our city, our state, and our nation, and extend my appreciation to all those who continue to preserve, share, and celebrate Italian American Heritage for generations to come.

Thank you again, everyone.

Please welcome a true Paisan, Deputy City Manager Todd Costaldo.

Good evening, everyone.

Um, on behalf of our city manager Will Melendez, I want to welcome everyone to City Hall as we come together to celebrate Italian Heritage Month.

As you could tell from my last name, I'm very Irish.

But I'm also very Italian.

On my mom's side, my grandparents came here in the early 1900s from Placenza Calabria.

And on my father's side, my grandparents came here from Afragola, which is right outside of Naples.

My dad's dad actually, when he came to Ellis Island, his name was Gaetano.

And when he left Ellis Island, his name was Thomas.

So not sure how they drew that line, but it means a lot to be here on Italian Heritage Night.

But I just wanted to welcome everyone, say thank you to staff for putting this together as always, and uh enjoy the night, everybody.

Thank you.

And

for the true Italian American history here in the City of Neurochell, please welcome our city historian Barbara Davis.

Good evening, everyone.

Pleasure to be here with you all, and to give you a little bit of history.

I uh that's my job.

Um if there was ever any doubt of the impact of Italians on Neurochell, just look up.

Look up at the amazing brickwork of the buildings, particularly in West Neurochell.