Members of the local Italian community were present at City Hall on Wednesday morning to raise the Italian flag in honour of Italian Heritage Month.
“The City of Thorold is a multicultural community,” said Mayor Terry Ugulini in a speech. “Canadians of Italian heritage have a strong influence in moving the City of Thorold forward.”
The flag-raising ceremony was a community initiative by Club Capri, an organization dedicated to the promotion of Italian culture that has been serving the Thorold community for more than 100 years.
After his official remarks, Mayor Ugulini took the time to share a few childhood memories of his Italian grandfather.
“My grandfather on my dad side immigrated to Canada after the First World War and came to Thorold,” he said. “My grandfather’s goal was to work and to get enough money together to buy a farm. One day he was sitting under the apple tree and I said: ‘Grandpa, when are we going back to Italy?’ and he said: ‘Italy? We live in the best country in the world here.' But we kept all the traditions and heritage alive.”
To celebrate Italian Heritage Month, Club Capri will be a hosting an all-you-can-eat Italian buffet on Thursday, June 23. Tickets are $25 per person. To reserve a seat call 905-227-0121.
