L’Aquila Earthquake Rebuilding Event Raises Over $24,000

A charity dinner held at the Italian American Club of Scotch Plains on June 28 raised over $24,000—and the checks are still coming in. All of the proceeds from the event will be used to build a new kindergarten playground in Villa Sant’Angelo, Italy, after a devastating 6.3 earthquake destroyed much of the town, its capital city of L’Aquila, and a great part of the Abruzzi region this past April.

The event was attended by several Italian dignitaries: Ercole Del Negro, mayor of Montazzoli, Pierluigi Biondi, mayor of Villa Sant’Angelo, and Dr. Luigi DeFanis, Consigliere Regionale d’Abruzzi and President of the VI Commission of the European Community.

Local government officials and prominent citizens also participated in the evening's fundraising efforts.

In attendance were Martin Marks, former mayor of Scotch Plains and current assembly candidate, Andrea Barberia from the Italian Consulate of Newark, and Don DiFrancesco, former governor of New Jersey and whose father was originally from Montazzoli in the Abruzzi region.

Mayor Nancy Malool of Scotch Plains also joined the festivities and later proclaimed this week “Scotch Plains-Montazzoli and Villa Sant’Angelo Week.”

“Everyone had a wonderful time and people enjoyed the Scotch Plains High School band who performed, the food, and lot of camaraderie,” said Renzo DiCarlo, former president of the Italian American Club of Scotch Plains and chairman of the fundraising event.

Over the next few weeks, DiCarlo and Mayor Biondi will be working out the details of the playground construction project in Italy. Mayor Biondi plans to dedicate the playground to the Italian American Club of Scotch Plains, who will be invited to attend the grand opening ceremony.

Donations can be made via check to: Italian American Club L’Aquila’s Earthquake Fundraising, 1976 Valley Ave., Scotch Plains, NJ  07076, Attn: Amerigo Checchio.