Italian Canadians mobilize to help victims

TORONTO — The Italian-Canadian community is mobilizing to help after a deadly earthquake in central Italy killed at least 247 people and left thousands homeless on Wednesday.

The magnitude 6.2 quake struck at 3:36 a.m. and reduced three towns in central Italy to rubble.

Bob Sacco, president of the National Federation of Canadian Italian Business and Professional Associations, said that while it’s still early, his organization is looking at options to support recovery efforts.

“I got a lot of calls from our chapters in Montreal and various chapters across Canada that basically said: ‘How can we help?’ The first step is really to figure out who the right people are to have an idea and do an effective plan,” he said.

Members of Victoria’s Italian Society, based at the Leonardo Da Vinci Centre, planned to meet Wednesday night to discuss fundraising plans.

“We will do some kind of fundraising. I don’t know exactly what yet because I have to get together with my council,” president Ugo Barbon said.

He was not aware of any members directly affected by the earthquake, but said the society has raised funds in the past for disasters in Italy, as well as other countries.

“We’ve always done a little collection, whenever there’s a case like this. … It’s our duty to do it,” Barbon said.