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Declares Thursday, April 16, As “Earthquake Relief Day in Little Italy” Funds to be Donated Through Italian Tribune Relief Fund
The Little Italy Merchants Association (LIMA), which represents most of the restaurants, cafes and small businesses in lower Manhattan’s historic Little Italy neighborhood, will stage a week-long drive starting April 13, to raise relief funds for the victims and survivors of the major earthquake that shook central Italy on April 6.
All local restaurants, cafes and businesses will collect donations from customers and diners, as well as make sizeable donations themselves, during the week which will culminate on Thursday, April 16, declared “Earthquake Relief Day in Little Italy,” when a group of musical performers, including Tre Bella, a trio of female Italian-American singers, Johnny Mandolin and singer Anthony Mazzella will perform in local restaurants and cafes during the lunch (12 noon to 3 PM) and dinner (6 to 9 PM) periods.
“Everyone in Little Italy has relatives or knows people who live in central Italy where the earthquake and after shocks had their most devastating effects,” said Ralph Tramontana, owner of Sambuca’s Café on Mulberry Street, and President of LIMA. “Immediately after we heard the news about the earthquake on the television and radio newscasts, LIMA held an emergency board meeting and voted unanimously to take action. All the funds we collect will be donated to the Italian Tribune Relief Fund which sends funds directly to the stricken area through a major bank in Italy.”
“This is a major disaster that has resulted in the deaths of more than 275 people and left thousands more homeless,” Buddy Fortunato, publisher of the Italian Tribune, a major English language newspaper that serves the Italian American communities in the tri-state area. “I am very grateful to Ralph Tramontana and members of LIMA, many of whom I have known for decades, to step up to the plate and join our fund-raising efforts.”
Posters announcing Little Italy’s relief efforts were posted throughout Little Italy on Friday, April 10, calling attention to LIMA’s fund raising campaign and “Earthquake Relief Day in Little Italy” on Thursday, April 16. Flyers informing diners how to donate are in every restaurant and café.
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