Wickliffe I & A in Columbus Day Parade
Since Columbus was Italian, we commemorate his discovery with a parade through the streets of Little Italy in Cleveland. It is fitting to hold the parade here since Little Italy resident, Joseph Carabelli, as state representative lobbied to proclaim it a national holiday.
Many area Italian clubs participate in the parade. The Wickliffe Italian and American Club is no exception. We not only had club members riding and marching in the parade, but this year we had a special participant. Former club president, Gino Latessa, was recognized by the Cleveland Italian Heritage Committee for his tireless work in promoting our Italian Heritage. Gino epitomizes the spirit of Italian Americans who immigrated to the United States and made their mark as hard-working, prideful, family-centric contributors to the American way of life. He is an ever-present supporter of organizations, causes and individuals who promote and preserve the legacy of our heritage.