Columbus Day in Vineland isn't just a day to recognize explorers sailing the ocean blue. It's also a celebration of the community's Italian heritage.

On the front steps of city hall, local politicians and community members spoke of the Italian spirit that is found throughout Vineland.

"If you just go through the phone book, you will see that everybody has an Italian last name," said Vincent Marolda, president of the Sicilian American Club and the Italian Cultural Foundation.

Being an Italian, Christopher Columbus serves as a cultural icon.

"It's always nice to identify ourselves with Christopher Columbus because we both come from the same place," Marolda said. "The same way he came to America in 1492, there were a lot of Italian Americans in the beginning of the last century."

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Source: http://www.nj.com