Charles and Rose Cipolla, who have been together for more than 64 years, said the key to their marriage has been two things: patience and love.
“We have patience with each other, we love each other and we have four wonderful children and nine wonderful grandchildren, so that keeps us going,” Charles Cipolla, a 90-year-old resident of HarborView in Port Washington, said. “Believe it or not, it does.”
The Cipollas were among dozens of couples gathered from across the Town of North Hempstead at Harbor Links to renew their wedding vows on Valentine’s Day. The couples have been married for 28 to over 60 years. The event is in its ninth year.
As Town Clerk Wayne Wink led the event, everyone stood together, some holding hands, reading from their vows how blessed they felt and that their destinies are “intertwined.”
“Your commitment to each other, your commitment to your families and your commitment to your community is something that we, as a town, need to celebrate,” Wink, who has been married for 15 years, said.
“The fact that we really only get to do it once a year unfortunately, I think, undermines the real impact that all of you have had on our great communities,” Wink added.
Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth, who spoke with many of the couples before the ceremony, said she could tell “love clearly abounds in this room today.”
“The Vow Recommitment ceremony is truly a heartwarming event we are pleased to hold every year to celebrate the bond, commitment and love shared between our happy North Hempstead couples after all these years,” Bosworth said.
As for the Cipollas, they said they will be celebrating their 65th anniversary in June.
