October is always a special month for area Italians as it observes Columbus Day. But this year, there are extra reasons to celebrate. This October marks the 25th anniversary of creation the Italian American Community Center in Gates. It was in 1993 that a group of civic-minded Italian Americans in the region came together and decided there should be a community center to celebrate Italian American heritage.

The Italian Community Center would be a place for families to gather and for civic groups to host meetings, said Amy Preziosi, who is on the board of directors of IACC. Back in 1993, she was one of the original members who contributed $500 to help with the cost of constructing the center, with over 250 members contributing and raising over $130,000.