statue – John Michael Marino Lodge

John Coccarelli

Restoring Columbus

The restoration of the Christopher Columbus Statue

in Mineola marks 60 years of preserving Italian-American pride, culture, and tradition.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Columbus Statue Revitalization Committee for their dedication, vision, and hard work in bringing this meaningful project to life.

Columbus Statue Revitalization Committee

John Coccarelli, CommitteeChair - John Michael Marino Lodge #1389
Anthony Cavallaro, Committee Member
Trina Coccarelli, Committee Member
John Maura, Committee Member
Marianne Bartone Prince, Committee Member
Daryl Zimbardi, Committee Member
Joe Gallo, Committee Chair - Loggia Glen Cove #1016
Renato Spampinato, Committee Member

With sincere thanks to the John Michael Marino Lodge #1389 and Loggia Glen Cove #1016 for their leadership and partnership in this historic effort.
Together, we ensure that the Christopher Columbus Statue will continue to stand proudly for future generations as a symbol of exploration, heritage, and community pride.

Grazie mille!

1960's

Back in the early 1960s, a group of John Michael Marino Lodge members-Past Presidents Edward Innella, Matt Corinaldesi, Orlando Scaramucci, and member Dominic Imbese-had a bit of a lunch tradition. They regularly meet with their friend, attorney Jules Siegel, who, though not a lodge member, was a familiar face at many lodge events. During one of these lunch gatherings, Siegel casually dropped an idea: Why not erect a statue of Christopher Columbus? It seemed like a wild thought at first, but Siegel offered more than just a suggestion-he promised to arrange a meeting with Nassau County Executive Eugene Nickerson if the lodge was serious. In return, he'd negotiate with the Town of North Hempstead to allocate a small patch of for the statue.

Lodges Collaborate

The John Michael Marino Lodge No. 1389 and Loggia Glen Cove No. 1016 teamed up and got busy fundraising. They hosted dinner dances-one even attended by John A. Notte, the 65th Governor of Rhode Island. They sold $50 raffle tickets, with the grand prize being a car donated by Joe Marro, a future lodge president and owner of a Ford dealership. Amid this whirlwind of fundraising, the lodges didn't forget their roots. When the town of Aviano, Italy, was devastated by floods, they generously allocated a portion of the funds to help with A viano s flood relief.

October 12th 1964

Italian sculptor Clemente Spampinato was eventually commissioned to bring Columbus to life in bronze. The committee reviewed several designs before giving the green light on the final version. On October 12, 1964, the statue was unveiled during a wreath-laying ceremony hosted by both lodges, and since then, an annual ceremony has been held to honor this remarkable achievement.

2022

When the lodges attended the annual ceremony, it became clear that the statue and its surroundings had fallen into disrepair and action was needed to preserve the landmark. With that goal in mind, John Coccarelli, John Maura, and Joe Gallo formed a committee to develop a revitalization plan. The John Michael Marino Lodge #1389 and Loggia Glen Cove #1016 partnered in this effort. In 2 years the committee successfully raised funds through the sale of bench plaques, material donations, and contributions from generous donors. The original sculptor's son also dedicated himself to restoring the statue, carefully cleaning and reviving it to its original glory.

October 12th 2024

On the 60th anniversary of the statue, the lodges held a large rededication ceremony to unveil the restored sculpture and the newly beautified grounds - a celebration that honored the past while ensuring the landmark's future.