Huntington Local

Sons of Italy State President Nancy DiFiore Quinn, 2007-08 Nassau Sons of Italy Queen Danielle Reed, and her father, Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs Deputy Commissioner Jim Reed.

By Eric Pappalardi

The Long Island Columbus Day Parade will take place on Sunday, Oct. 12, in Huntington, on Main Street (Route 25A). Starting time is 12:30 p.m., beginning at the YMCA at Park Avenue and proceeding west to West Neck Road and Gerard Street.

The Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) is proud to sponsor the Annual Long Island Columbus Day Parade in Huntington, New York. Parade participants from Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties will be in attendance. The Grand Marshals of this year's parade are New York Grand Lodge OSIA State President Nancy DiFiore Quinn and Suffolk County Clerk Judith A. Pascale. The theme of this year's parade is "God Bless Our Troops".

Over twenty-five chapters from Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties will be participating with their individual banners and marching with pride as they celebrate the 103rd Anniversary of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA). OSIA is the oldest and largest organization of Italian Americans in the United States and now has more than 745 chapters throughout the country.

The Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) works at the community, state and national levels to promote the heritage and culture of an estimated 26 million Italian Americans, the nation's fifth largest ethnic group in America. The Order raises funds to provide scholarships, donates money to various charities and promotes a positive image of Italian Americans by fighting bias and bigotry.

Among the parade's participating organizations are the following high school marching bands: Kings Park High School Marching Band, East Meadow High School "Jet " Marching Band, W.T. Clarke High School Marching Band, Islip High School Band, Walt Whitman High School Marching Band and the Coast Guard Auxiliary Band Flotilla 22-07.

OSIA's Nassau County Queen, Lindsey Brekne and King Vincent Illuzzi, Jr. - together with Suffolk County Queen, Kathleen Thomas-will all be marching in the parade.

In addition to the above, the Sangeneto Italian Marching Band will participate as well as the Italian Honor Societies of Walt Whitman High School, Kings Park High School and Northport High School. There will be numerous decorated floats, boats, antique fire trucks, classic car clubs and children's characters such as the Red and Blue Monster, Explorer Boy & Girl, Spongy Pants, Pink Ant, Orange Moose and Scooby.

The following groups will also be marching in the parade: Boys and Girl Scouts of America, Columbia Police Association of Nassau County, Empire State Regional Council of Carpenters Local 7, The Huntington Detachment of the Marine Corp League Color Guard, The Jewish War Veterans, American Legion Greenlawn Post #1244, The Huntington Veteran's Advisory Board, as well as other veteran groups from Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Elected officials from both Nassau and Suffolk counties have been invited to participate as well as the national and state officers of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in America.

The parade will bring the Italian American pride and presence to the Town of Huntington during the annual Fall Festival celebration weekend, which will take place from Friday, Oct 10. from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 11, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday, Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Fall Festival will take place at Heckscher State Park, Huntington.

For more information about the parade contact: Eric Pappalardi at 718-744-5640 or e-mail-frogwelder@aol.com.

Eric Pappalardi is the parade chairperson.