OCEAN COUNTY – This year will mark the 31st Annual Ocean County Columbus Day Parade and Italian Festival based in Seaside Heights and that means a grand marshal needed to be chosen.
After carefully reviewing each candidate, Parade Chairman Mike Blandina announced that the parade committee chose Dr. Cav. Gilda Rorro Baldassari.
He added that each year the selection is difficult because “there are several worthy individuals nominated and reviewed by the search committee.”
This year’s Columbus Day Parade will be held on Sunday, October 9. The three-day Italian Festival begins on October 7.
“Each year we are faced with the difficult task of selecting a person from the many deserving candidates to serve as the ceremonial leader of our Parade and Italian Festival,” screening committee member John Giavatto remarked.
“After thoroughly reviewing and considering all the candidates this year, the screening committee felt that although several terrific nominations were submitted, Dr. Cav. Gilda Rorro Baldassari should serve as our Grand Marshal,” he added. “Her community involvement in education and especially her efforts on behalf of Italian heritage and culture contributed to our decision.”
The newly chosen grand marshal was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on March 15, 1938. She has two children, Michael and Mary, with her husband Dr. Louis M. Rorro.
She was the director of the New Jersey Department of Education’s Office of Equal Educational Opportunity (Civil Rights Office), and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources for the Trenton Board of Education.
“Gilda, being proud of her Italian heritage and culture, served as Chairperson of The New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission (NJIHC). Since 2003, she has spearheaded its University of Italian Heritage curriculum. For 10 years she served as the Honorary Vice Consul for Italy, in
Trenton, and was subsequently appointed Corrispondente Consolare (Consular Correspondent) for an additional 13 years,” Giavatto said.
Currently, she has been appointed to the prestigious New Jersey Council of Education, and the national Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations in the United States.
“Dr. Rorro has always been in the forefront to preserve and promote issues of importance to Italians. For all her efforts she has received three lifetime achievement awards for volunteerism and civil rights leadership including a Jefferson Award from the United States Senate, the Citizen of the Year from the Trent Athletic Association in Trenton, Equity Leader of the Year from the New Jersey Department of Education and the Golden Disc 50 Year Achievement Award from Arcadia University,” Giavatto added.
Giavatto said, “she was inducted into the New Jersey Equity Hall of Fame. Additionally, Gilda was inducted into the Italian American National Hall of Fame. This month, she will receive the international Columbus Education Award, directly from Italy.”
Screening Committee member Luigi Luongo said, “Gilda stood out among this year’s nominees because of her commitment to all that is Italian. We are confident that this extraordinary individual will uphold the fine tradition established by her predecessors.”
“We are looking forward to having Gilda Rorro Baldassari lead our 31st annual celebration as Grand Marshal during this year’s celebration,” Luongo added.
Dinner Dance Event
“Please join us as we celebrate the 31st Annual Parade and Festival, the past and future successes of the Ocean County Columbus Day Parade and Italian Festival. We will also celebrate Gilda’s selection as our 2022 Grand Marshal at our Annual Grand Marshal Dinner Dance,” Blandina said.
This event will take place on Thursday, August 18, at the Atlantis Ballroom, located at the Days Hotel in Toms River, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Those interested in attending the dinner dance, sponsoring the event, joining the Parade Committee, or looking for any other information regarding this year’s Parade and Italian Festival and accompanying events should contact Blandina at 732 477-6507 or e-mail the committee at info@columbusnj.org.
