Obici - Oderzo Fountain unveiled

Staff

Published Monday, August 25, 2003

Suffolk News-Herald

The public was invited, and the public came.

The reason? The Obici - Oderzo Fountain to be dedicated Monday afternoon in the Godwin Courts Building Courtyard.

The significance? "It serves as a reminder to the citizens of Suffolk the contributions of one man, Amedeo Obici, who contributed so much to the city. This will also be a visible monument of the sister cities, Oderzo, Italy, and Suffolk," said Mary Jane Naismith, chairman of the Sister Cities Commission.

Obici, for those unfamiliar with him, was born in that city, and came to Suffolk in the early 1900s. Among his most notable contributions here are the founding of Planters Peanuts and establishing the Louise Obici Memorial Hospital, which was built in memory of his late wife.

Present for the occasion were persons on the board, local officials, Sister Cities International state coordinator and representative, Mrs. Polly Owens and Mrs. Amy Kohlbrecher, interested onlookers, and more notably, dignitaries and guests from Oderzo, including the mayor, Elio Pujatti, and the architect, Paolo Rosso.

Mrs. Jolyne Dalzell, great-niece of Obici (on his sister's side), also attended.

For the past three years, the commission had raised $50,000 to build the fountain. The city made a contribution, but the majority of money came from about 40 local manufacturers, organizations and individuals.

With the aid of Roberto Piraino to translate, Rosso - himself a native of Oderzo - explained the symbolism of his creation.

"This fountain is made of a select few components meant to represent Obici. The base is square, which is a basic geometric square that Italian cities are based on.

Oderzo is built on the remains of an ancient Roman Empire city, and among the discoveries found in archeological digs are vases. These transport things and can be transported from one place to another. A vase is a cultural expression of Oderzo, and it's transported to the citizens of Suffolk."

Referencing a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, Suffolk Mayor E. Dana Dickens III said that many people come in and out of our lives, but friends leave footprints in our hearts, adding that the citizens Oderzo have done just that for Suffolk residents.

In the hope that the Italian guests will one day return, Dickens invited them to toss coins into the fountain.

And they did.

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---