October is Italian Heritage Month, and with Monday being Columbus Day, the community came together to celebrate the Italian explorer. At Central Park in Mishawaka, over 100 attendees recognized the adversity immigrants face when coming to the United States and honored the determination of their ancestors. The event also recognized the 30th anniversary of the construction of the Columbus statue that stands in Central Park.

After the ceremony, they welcomed the community to DiAmicis Club for an Italian Buffet. “We’re actually engaging in that great Italian tradition; long Sunday dinners,” said Joseph Agostino, the event chairman for Michiana Unified Columbus Day. “We’ve got seven different restaurants who’ve contributed food to our event. This is a complementary meal for everybody, just to celebrate and bring some camaraderie to everybody.”