Residents of Seneca Falls will gather this Saturday to celebrate courage and community during the annual Antonio Varacalli Day ceremony.
The April 26 event commemorates Antonio Varacalli, an Italian immigrant who died saving a woman from drowning in the Cayuga and Seneca Barge Canal in 1917. The ceremony, set to begin at 11 a.m. on the Bridge Street Bridge, will feature tributes to Varacalli and recognize modern-day individuals who reflect his legacy of bravery and kindness.
The day will begin with a color guard of local first responders and a procession led by the Bedford Falls Mediocre Marching Band Drummers. A report from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission will recount the act of heroism that earned Varacalli a posthumous bronze medal.
Town Board Member Jackson Puylara will read the official Antonio Varacalli Day Proclamation. Two of Varacalli’s great-great nieces, Shelley Farrell and Madelyn Justian, will also take part in the ceremony.
Students from Elizabeth Cady Stanton School will be honored for essays on the theme, “If you could have one superpower, what would it be, and how would you use it to make a positive impact in your community?” Winners include Myla Seneca, Ava Pinckney, Tegan Griffith, Zachary Snyder, Giovanni Testa, Fiona Clemenson, Olive Warrick, and Hunter Meacham.
This year’s Antonio Varacalli Day Award for Good Citizenship and Heroism will go to Sarah Smolinski. She was nominated by Paula Coffey for her community work, including founding Ashia’s Closet, supporting domestic violence awareness, and contributing through United Way.
The ceremony will also honor “Community Angels” nominated by local organizations: Robert F. Kernan from the Seneca Falls Library, Marty Toombs from the Seneca Falls / Waterloo Kiwanis, and Deb Barbieri from the It’s A Wonderful Life Museum.
Musical performances will include the Mynderse Academy Chamber Singers, led by Anna Luisi-Ellis, and a trumpet solo by Janelle Bradshaw. The celebration will close with a flower ceremony to honor Varacalli’s memory.
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