On Saturday October 12, 2013, the Westwood chapter, along with other chapters from Northern NJ District IX, joined UNICO National President Michael Veselka as he honored Christopher Columbus during Italian-American Heritage Month. He laid a wreath at a monument & landscaped garden in Paramus NJ that had originally been presented to the people of Paramus on October 12, 1992 by the Paramus chapter to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the New World. Funding for the monument was obtained from the Paramus chapter, supported by contributions from other chapters and businesses in the area. Michael Veselka was accompanied by his wife Marlene, District IX governor Gerry Heytink and his wife Roseann, executive director Andre DiMino, Columbus Day chairman Ralph Contini and various chapter presidents and members. After the ceremony, the group of approximately 30 Unicans retired to nearby Petruska Park under a beautiful sunny sky for soda and hot dogs.
