Congratulations to our Centenarian of the year

On Sunday, November 12, 2006 family, relatives and friends celebrated the 100th

birthday of Rosa Pallone at the Norwood Hotel. Rosa was born on November 10th, 1906

in Miglierina, a little town in the heart of Calabria.

Rosa, married at a young age Gregorio Pallone also of  Miglierina, and was blessed

with the birth of six sons, Agostino, Antonio, Franco, Mario, Aldo and Lorenzo.

Her husband and son Aldo have both since passed away. Life was difficult in Calabria after the war,

and Rosa immigrated to Winnipeg in 1966 where she lives today with her children and their families.

Besides her children and their spouses, Rose's loving family consists of nine

grandchildren and six great grandchildren who love her and find her very special.

As a young lady she loved cooking and had a great passion for gardening.

At 100 Rosa enjoys good health, she is full of  vigour and alert. She stays active each day

in the company of her family and close friends and sharing with them many stories about

her youth and life in Miglierina as it was a long time ago.

She claims that her secret to longevity has been the wholesome home -cooked Calabrian food,

especially the home made pasta, and her sunny disposition and worry free attitude to life,

which is characteristic of her youthfulness with no frown lines on her face but

simply the lines of old age.

Her love of cooking prevailed well into her 90's making pizzas regularly for her extended family.

A typical day for Rosa consists of waking up very early in the morning and checking up

on her family with several phone calls. Then she watches TV and spends time and chats

with her youngest son. In the afternoon she takes her daily nap and later she knits and

crochets, making fine tablecloths, doilies, mitts and slippers for her grandchildren.

Rosa has never worn eyeglasses. Later in the evening she makes more phone calls to her

friends to ensure they are all well and to reminisce about old times, reciting lengthy

poems from traditional folklore and church prayers for every religious occasion, all from memory.

Eventually she gets to sleep usually after ten PM,

A devout Catholic, her constant companion is her old prayer book and although unable to

walk to church anymore, friends regularly bring her Holy Communion to her.

Rosa is an inspiration to all who know her and all of us in our Italian community of

Winnipeg wish her a very Happy Birthday and many more years of good health and happiness.

                                                                Ermino Caligiuri