The kickoff event for the 2013 Cleveland Italian American Heritage Month took place in the Rotunda of Cleveland City Hall on October 7, 2013. The recognition ceremony was sponsored by the Cleveland Italian American Heritage Committee with Rose A. Zitiello serving as Chair and Cleveland Councilman Matt Zone as Co-Chair.

Councilman Zone welcomed the crowd and told the history of the 8 year old annual Cleveland event and the 2013 national recognition of Italian Heritage.

Cleveland Councilman Matt Zone

Reverend Martin Polito, Pastor, Holy Redeemer Church, gave the invocation and told how the Creator has given us a creative heart.

Reverend Martin Polito, Pastor, Holy Redeemer Church

11 year old Giovanni Castiglione sang the Italian national anthem and then the US anthem.

Giovanni Castiglione

Giovanni Castiglione

Mayor Jackson and Councilman Zone applaud Giovanni Castiglione

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said that if you look at the glory days of Cleveland you see that it could not have been possible without people of Italian Heritage.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson

Rose Zitiello and Mayor Frank Jackson

Videos of the honorees were shown. The 2013 honorees are:

City of Cleveland Employee
Tom Berardinelli
Certified Arborist & Forestry Supervisor

Entrepreneur
Joseph Coreno
Caffe Roma & 2013 City of Cleveland Storefront Renovation Recognition for Restoration of Historic Buildings in Lorain Station District

Youth
Cristina DiFranco
Senior Mayfield High School, National Honor Society & Scholar Athlete Award Recipient

Individual
Angela DiFranco Talbort
National Counselor, Order Sons & Daughters of America & Past President, Federation of Italian American Socialites of Northern Ohio

Arts & Culture
Elaine Scalzi Hopkins
Lecturer & tour guide Cleveland Museum of Art

Corporate
Joseph D. Miceli & The Miceli Family of Miceli Dairy Products

Clergy
Reverend Martin Polito
Pastor, Holy Redeemer Church

Rose Zitiello, Chairman of the event, recognized the committee members who make the event possible.

Rose Zitiello

Then the honorees were called up and given their award by Councilman Matt Zone and Mayor Frank Jackson.

Honoree Tom Berardinelli with Mayor Jackson and Councilman Zone

Honoree Jospeh Coreno with Mayor Jackson and Councilman Zone

Honoree Cristina DiFranco with Mayor Jackson and Councilman Zone

Honoree Angela DiFranco Talbort with Mayor Jackson and Councilman Zone

Honoree Elaine Scalzi Hopkins with Mayor Jackson and Councilman Zone

Honoree Jospeh D. Miceli with Mayor Jackson and Councilman Zone

Honoree Rev. Martin Polito with Mayor Jackson and Councilman Zone

The formal program ended with Serena Scaiola, Honorary Italian Consul, who spoke about October being Italian Heritage Month and that 2013 is the Year of Italian Culture in the US. She said that Italians make up the 5th largest ethnic group in the US.

Serena Scaiola

Enjoy these other images from the celebration.

Carla and Joe Coreno With baby Antonio
and Councilwoman Dona Brady

Miss Italia Ohio Pasqualina Zindroski

Peter D'Attora and Paul Sciria

Dennis Vellisario and Chuck Arcoria

Matt Zone with Connie and Tony Marotta of Radio Italia

Gino Colage

Rose Zitiello and Beatrice Colage

Giovanni Castiglione

Tom Berardinelli

Peg Bordonaro

Serena Scaiola and Umberto Fedeli

Rev. Polito and Giovanni Castiglione