The Amerigo Vespucci Society (AVS) of Long Branch once again celebrated the start of Italian American Heritage and Culture month with their third annual flag raising at Long Branch’s City Hall on Friday.

Their current President, Joseph Mossa, stated, “As the state and nation’s oldest Italian American Mutual Aid Society, the AVS wanted to make sure it officially started the month the proper way by acknowledging the federally declared month of October as ‘Italian American Heritage and Culture Month’.