Title
Proclamation Declaring October 2018 as Italian American History Month. (City Manager 2110)
Body
Proclamation
Whereas, Italian American Heritage Month is celebrated to honor the achievements and contributions of Italian immigrants and their descendants living in the United States. It was first celebrated in 1989; and
Whereas, the purpose of Italian American Heritage Month is educational and celebratory. The goal is to inform the public about the contributions made by Italians and Italian-Americans to our civilization, especially in the arts, the humanities and the sciences, and to celebrate the impact that Italian culture and language have had and continue to have on our lives as Italian-Americans; and
Whereas, residents of Italian ancestry have been an important part of the fabric, character, culture, and economy of the City of Alameda; and
Whereas, C.J. “Chuck” Corica, an Italian American, was an honorary member of many of the Italian Clubs in Alameda. He served as Mayor of Alameda in 1975 and was re-elected in 1979 and 1987, serving for 12 years and retiring in 1991. The Alameda Municipal Golf Course, a 45-hole facility, was renamed Chuck Corica Golf Complex in 1992, to honor the former Mayor; and
Whereas, in 1941, the Alpicella Family Club was established in Alameda, and continues to thrive today with several of its leaders and members tracing their roots to Varazze, Italy, a seaside town located on the Italian Riviera. The attraction of connecting to its ancestral origin motivated the Alpicella Club to approach the Alameda Sister City Association (ASCA) to seek establishing a Sister City relationship with Varazze. With oversight from ASCA, the Alpicella Club facilitated a year-long dialogue with the Varazze Committee in Italy to outline the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a Sister City partnership; and
Whereas, on September 18, 2018, the City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the Memorandum of Understanding that establishes Sister City relations between the City of Alameda and the City of Varazze, Italy; and
Whereas, the Alameda-Varazze Sister City committee plans to send a delegation to visit Varazze, Italy in late April 2019, to formalize the Memorandum of Understanding.
Now, therefore be it resolved, that I, Trish Herrera Spencer, Mayor of the City of Alameda, hereby proclaim October 2018 to be Italian American Heritage Month in the City of Alameda and call on all residents to join me in recognizing the lasting contributions that Italian Americans have made in the past, and continue to make, to strengthen the fabric of American society.
Trish Herrera Spencer
Mayor