National Congress of Italian-Canadians in Vaughan starts fund to help earthquake victims

Yorkregion.com
Aug. 25, 2016
By Tim Kelly

It took less than a day for a an Italian-Canadian organization with Vaughan roots to swing into action to help victims of the devastating Italian earthquake that has so far been blamed for the deaths of 247 people, including one Canadian.

The National Congress of Italian-Canadians Toronto District has set up a partnership with IC Savings and Credit Union’s Vaughan location to open up the “Italian Earthquake Fund 2016”.

They are raising funds for earthquake victims and humanitarian relief efforts in central Italy.

To contribute to the fund call the National Congress of Italian Canadian Toronto District office at 416-531-9964 or go through your local IC Savings and Credit Union branch.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ncictoronto/?fref=ts.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the massive earthquake that rocked central Italy early Wednesday, York Region residents of Italian descent are struggling to come to terms with the latest natural disaster.

Aurora resident Anthony Pullano, a past board member of the Canadian Italian Businessman's Association and the Italian Chamber of Commerce, said he was upset by the devastation of the quake.

"You have to understand, these towns are from the Renaissance, they go back hundreds of years. The poor people have nowhere to go. The aftershocks go all the way to Rome," he said in an interview late Wednesday afternoon.

Pullano has family in Rome and said they have been affected, too. He said he tried to call them on Wednesday, but couldn't get through.

He's confident the Italian community, "will raise millions of dollars, as we've done before to rebuild this area".

Pullano said, "it's a miracle the town clock tower stayed up. It's a sign of hope to us."

Italian-Canadians in Vaughan reacted in a similar fashion.

“You get the immediate help to them, but people in L’Aquila (site of a 2009 earthquake that killed more than 300 people) are still waiting for long-term help,” said Woodbridge resident Nick Pinto, who came to Canada from his native Bari in the early 1970s.

Pinto, who has lived in Vaughan for more than three decades and goes back to Italy frequently, has been watching coverage of the earthquake, which centred on the small town of Amatrice in the Norica region, since shortly after it hit at 3:36 a.m. local time (8:36 a.m. EDT) Wednesday.

“A grandmother managed to put two grandchildren under a bed and that’s what saved them. People are offering accommodation to folks, but my biggest fear is, as usual, right now everything and everybody is concerned with it, but then you’ll have the same stuff as what happened in Friuli, as happened in Sicily as happened in L’Aquila, people are still waiting,” he said.

“You get the immediate help, the short-term help, but long-term in L’Aquila people are still waiting, seven years later they’re still waiting,” Pinto added.

He said the residents of L’Aquila are waiting for stable homes, rebuilt facilities, and puts the blame on “various Italian governments that have failed miserably”.

To counter the lack of long-term action, Pinto argues foreign-based fundraisers, such as those that happened in Vaughan for previous Italian earthquakes like the one in Friuli in 1976, be controlled locally.

“I’m sure somebody’s going to move forward with fundraisers, just hope if we raise funds again, I think we should control what happens. Giving control to the Italian government is the biggest mistake we could ever make. A good chunk of money in Friuli was controlled by local guys and they went back and forth at their own expense, did what they did. Other times people have used it just to go back and forth and get a free trip out of it,” said Pinto.

Sam Ciccolini, a Woodbridge businessman and community activist who has been involved in fundraisers for earthquake relief in the past, said he has no doubt a charity drive will be mounted for the quake.

“Usually Villa Charities is the place that usually starts efforts to raise money. Because that area of Italy is a very generous, giving area,” said Ciccolini, who just returned from a trip to Italy.

Ciccolini, who was in L’Aquila during his visit, said he saw proof that the Canadian efforts to help earthquake victims there had borne fruit.

“The Canadian contingency is the only contingency that said they were going to do something and finished it,” he said.

“The drop-in centre, Canada House, is vibrant. I went to the hospital and one side of the hospital in L’Aquila is furnished with equipment that we bought from Germany,” said Ciccolini, suggesting Canadian efforts at least in L’Aquila had been a success.

He also said deceased billionaire developer Marco Muzzo Sr. and Primo DeLuca helped restructure three towns on their own after the devastating Friuli earthquake of 1976. Nearly 1,000 died in that disaster.

“We forget the amount of volunteerism that goes on in our own community and the people that give without ever asking for anything back," Ciccolini said. “For sure, there will be something done with this latest earthquake.”

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, meanwhile, issued a statement late Wednesday morning.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Italy today in the wake of the devastating earthquake. The images are heartbreaking. The loss of life is overwhelming. And the effects of this tragedy are beyond description. On behalf of the City of Vaughan, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the people in Italy who have lost family and friends in the earthquake that struck the central region northeast of Rome. I know that many people in our city have been affected by what they are seeing. My thoughts are also with the people in Vaughan who have family in Italy and are worried about their loved ones. I know that many compassionate and caring Vaughan residents are looking for ways to provide help," he said.

"Italy has faced similar challenges in the past and Italians have always found the strength and inner resources to rebuild their towns and cities. In times of crisis we are reminded that when tragedy strikes one of us, it strikes us all."