The Italian Flag is now flying at Prince George City Hall, as Italian Heritage Month has been proclaimed in the City.
“This is the first time in a very long time that we actually have raised the Italian flag here at City Hall, so we’re excited about that, and excited to kind of bring back some events that we’ve done in the past as well,” said Italian Club President Ron Polillo.
Polillo said Italian heritage has been celebrated informally in Prince George for decades.
“There’s a very vibrant and large Italian community in the City, always has been,” Polillo explained. “We incorporated as a society, the Italian Centre, in 1968, but really, there was Italians in this community going back 100 years. In fact, some memorabilia that we have from one of our members and actually in the Prince George Soccer Association, has an all-Italian team winning the soccer championship in Prince George almost a hundred years ago.”
Polillo said he believes the Prince George Italian Club is the most active cultural club in the City.
“We do have the building downtown that we own, we have three renters in there and then our space,” he said. “We do monthly dinners, we also do theme dinners, we celebrate Italian culture and heritage, we have pasta sales that we do twice a year, and now, in the last few years, we’ve been celebrating Italian Heritage Month with events.”
Polillo said the club is looking for new members, and you don’t have to be Italian to join.
“You can join us, and take part in that wonderful Italian food and culture,” he said.
Polillo said the food might be his favourite way both Italian and Canadian culture have combined in Prince George.
“When we do our monthly dinners, and then we do our pasta and bake sales twice a year, that’s probably the one way, but also I think probably soccer,” he explained. “In fact, the Italian Centre did sponsor a team in the local men’s league about seven or eight years ago, and hope to do it again.”
Throughout Italian Heritage Month, the club will be hosting a variety of events, such as a Bocce tournament and a big dinner later in the month.
Polillo said more information about these events is expected later in the week.
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