L-R-County Legislator James Nolan, Nick Spano, BOL Chair Vedat Gashi
The Westchester County Board of Legislators celebrated Italian American Heritage Month on Monday evening with a ceremony honoring West Harrison business owner Dave Franze and former State Senator Nick Spano of Yonkers. Franze, whose parents emigrated from Calabria, founded West Harrison Fitness Center in 1979 and has organized Harrison’s free summer concert series for two decades. Spano, whose grandfather emigrated from Bari, represented Westchester in Albany for nearly three decades, first in the State Assembly and then in the State Senate.
Chairman Vedat Gashi said, “Italian Americans have helped build Westchester for generations. Their spirit of family, hard work, and community is woven into every corner of our county. This year’s honorees show what that legacy looks like in action: pride in where you come from, turned into service for the people around you.”
Minority Whip James Nolan said, “Nick Spano has dedicated decades of his life to serving the people of Yonkers and Westchester County. Throughout his career, he has remained proud of his Italian American roots and has helped keep the traditions, values, and heritage of our community visible for future generations. Nick understands that being Italian American is about family, faith, hard work, service, and giving back.”