The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders celebrated the eighth annual Union County—UNICO District X Columbus Day Flag raising event at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. The program, which was emceed by Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, featured a number of speakers from UNICO, County government, and Filomena Coccaro, the owner of Ciao Amici Italian Language Cultural Center, who was the keynote speaker.
Left to right (front row): Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen; Freeholder Vernell Wright; County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Filomena Coccaro of Ciao Amici Italian Cultural Center in Cranford, and Anthony Bengivenga of UNICO National and Westfield UNICO.
Second row: Freeholder Christopher Hudak (holding flag), Joe Almeida of Union UNICO; and William Hearon of Clark UNICO and District X Governor.
Third row: Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski (red shirt); Renato Biribin of Plainfield’s UNICO (Green shirt), Henry Varriano of Clark UNICO (partially blocked), Union County Manager Alfred J. Faella, Manny Alfano of Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition.
Fourth Row: Mike Guarino of Columbus Parade Association, Bob Tarte of Westfield UNICO (glasses), George Abruzzo of Clark UNICO,George Marretta of Elizabeth UNICO, Nino Quaglia of Elizabeth UNICO.
Rear: Sebastian D’Elia (Plainfields’ UNICO)
