Sharing a birthday with a nation
Susan Gallo will forever be linked to Canada in a special way.
And she couldn’t be more proud.
The Niagara Falls resident was born July 1, 1967, and was the only centennial baby born in the Honeymoon Capital.
She will celebrate her 50th birthday Saturday, the same day Canadians will celebrate the nation’s 150th anniversary.
“I’ve always felt honoured and blessed to have been born on the 100th anniversary of Canada’s confederation,” said Gallo.
“It was an important day for our country. I’m very happy to have been part of it.”
Gallo has kept a certificate that was presented to her parents when she was born from the City of Niagara Falls, recognizing Gallo for being the only child born in the municipality on Canada’s 100th birthday.
The city council of the day wished “the richest of blessings” for Gallo, then Susan Elizabeth Damore, “as she grows with our nation.”
The city also presented Gallo’s parents with a centennial medallion, while then Niagara Falls MPP George Bukator sent the family a congratulatory letter, enclosed with a clipping of a Review photo showing Gallo being held by her mother.
“It’s a nice keepsake that I’ve kept all these years.”
Gallo said she would like to think she has grown with her nation during the last 50 years.
“I would like to say that I’ve made a nice contribution to the country by obtaining a university degree, the first of my family, and then watching with pride as my two children, Sabrina and Antonio, just this past September, started their first year of university at Brock together,” she said.
“That was a very proud moment for me because it happened to be on the exact same year that I received my 25-year cameo pin from Brock for graduating in 1991. It was a nice milestone.”
Gallo said she took business administration at Brock, and majored in accounting.
“My son is following in my footsteps in business admin, and in the co-op program, and my daughter is taking child and youth studies, so I’m very proud of both of them.”
Gallo owns her own accounting and management business, which she operates from home.
“I chose to stay home when my kids were young, and I wanted to be available — I wanted a job that provided flexibility for me, so that I could meet their needs.”
Gallo has spent her entire life in Niagara Falls, and said she doesn’t anticipate ever leaving.
“I just feel so attached to Niagara Falls.”
Gallo said she and her husband, Tony, always took their young children to the city’s Canada Day parade.
“Every year I loved to just see the celebration and the whole community coming together for that day, and then joining in the carnival after,” she said.
“Now that the kids are older, they’re both working on my birthday, but we’re all going to go out for dinner, and during the day I’m going to go out with my mother and my husband to the parade, without the kids.”
Gallo said Canada has become a “very inclusive” country.
“We’re so diverse, and we seem to more and more through the years appreciate the diversity of all the different cultures that come together and make Canada what it is today,” she said.
“There’s just so many opportunities. Canada is abundant in opportunities, and I tell my kids how truly blessed we are to live here in this country.”