Festa in Barga today to celebrate the 50 years since the opening of the retirement home Villa Pascoli now housing 70 residents and providing work for 50 local people. The President of the Giovanni Pascoli Benevolent Society of Chicago, Hugo Bertagni was here in Barga with 10 of his councilors from the benevolent society for the celebration on Palazzo Pancrazi and also to lay a wreath at the statue of Garibaldi. As the Mayor of Barga, Umberto Sereni pointed out in his opening speech of welcome to his guests, the statue, which was only the second to be erected in Italy (article here) to the memory of Garibaldi was paid for with subscriptions from Barghigiani living outside of Italy, many in fact from the states.
The band I Raggazi del Giglio di Fosciandora provided the musical accompaniment to the occasion.
Click on the link below to hear the President of the Giovanni Pascoli Benevolent Society of Chicago, Hugo Bertagni making his speech to the assembled guests.
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