Union County, UNICO District X to Hold Eighth Annual Columbus Day Flag-Raising

From Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders:

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced that Union County's eighth, annual Columbus Day flag-raising event is set for Friday, Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse.

The keynote speaker is State Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, who represents the 22nd District in Union County. Senator Scutari is the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Scutari, who is an attorney and a former Union County Freeholder, has a tradition—dating back to Italy—of civic involvement in his family.

Filomena Coccaro, the owner of Ciao Amici, the Italian Language and Cultural Center in Cranford, will also speak. Coccaro was born and raised in Potenza, Italy and graduated from the University of Rome “La Sapienza.” She moved to the U.S. in 1996 and has been teaching the Italian language and culture ever since.

Other scheduled speakers at the flag raising include: Members of the Union County Freeholder Board, including Al Mirabella, who is emceeing the event this year, Plainfields' UNICO Founder Renato Biribin, Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition President Manny Alfano and UNICO District X Governor Bill Hearon. Additionally, resolutions will be presented to all Chapters of UNICO in District X.

UNICO is the nation's largest Italian American service organization whose chapters and members engage in promoting and defending Italian culture and heritage as well as providing scholarships, engaging in community service and other philanthropic endeavors.

The courthouse is located at 2 Broad St. in Elizabeth at the corner of Rahway Ave. In the event of rain, the program will be moved indoors to the County Courthouse Rotunda.

UNICO District X and Plainfields' UNICO work to organize and co-sponsor the event.

Italian-style refreshments will be served after the program in the historic Union County Courthouse. Parking (pay) is available in the Midtown area at the J. Christian Bollwage Parking deck at Elizabethtown Plaza and Caldwell Place. A second deck is Elizabeth's Parking Deck #6 on Jefferson Ave. and Dickinson St. The entrance is on Dickinson St.

Photo courtesy of Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders