Brantford Raises Thousands in Italian Disaster Relief

Brantford has raised almost $37,000 to aid victims of last April’s devastating earthquake in Italy. Over 300 people lost their lives in the disaster in Abruzzi Region, its capital city of L’Aquila and surrounding towns and villages. Tens of thousands were uprooted from their homes.

 Rossini Lodge which is the center of the Italian community in Brantford since 1953 and having a long history of coming to the rescue and organizing special fund raising drives when disaster like these strike, immediately called upon the community it represents to spring into action. A committee was formed. Co-chaired by Patrick Luciani and Eduardo Pace. The L’Aquila Earthquake Committee organized and directed fundraising events and efforts by local volunteers over the past ten months.

Dr. Maria Cantalini-Williams, Director of Nipissing University’s Brantford Campus Concurrent Education Program, was recently chosen to partner with L’Aquila Earthquake Committee. The committee expressed the following goal: “We particularly want to help the young people of the region who have been so tragically hurt by the earthquake”. Brantford funds will furnish a new Computer room with LCD monitors, Cameras, Computers, Lap Tops and a Virtual Blackboard. Maria with many of her faculty and former students has visited the region and is working with University of L’Aquila. Nipissing University in Brantford will keep the community updated on the progress of the partnership project. Dr. Cantalini-Williams travelling with a group of students to the Abruzzo area for a teaching practicum and will visit L’Aquila this April to mark the first anniversary of the tragedy.

 The L’Aquila Earthquake Committee wishes to thank the countless volunteers and local businesses who helped in the L’Aquila Earthquake fundraising efforts, citing Rossini Lodge members, Nipissing University faculty and staff,  Sponsors, Brantford Expositor, CKPC Radio, and individual donors across Brantford. Donations will continue to be received to the L’Aquila Earthquake Fund-Brant at the Bank of Montreal, 195 Henry Street, Account # 2233-8094-800, or mailed to 325A West Street, Brantford, Ontario, N3R 3V6.  Official tax receipts will be provided on request.

For further information, please contact:

L’Aquila 325 A West Street-Brantford

(519) 752-4363, ext. 2000