Vivona family part of Mt. Carmel Feast for decades
Wednesday, July 20, 2016 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
by Anne Sparaco
Gazette CONtriBUtiNG Writer
HaMMONtON—for
141
years, Hammonton has celebrated
the feast of Our Lady of Mt.
Carmel festival every July. it has
not only become a tradition for all
the town members, but it also has
become a tradition for the people
behind the amusement rides and
all the fun that occurs every year.
the Vivona family has owned
the amusements of america for
77 years and has been providing
Hammonton with annual joy and
excitement for more than 50
years.
the five Vivona brothers began
with just a ferris Wheel and an ice
cream truck during the 1939
World’s fair, and now, they have
more than one hundred rides and
attractions.
“We have been coming to Hammonton since 1960, and it’s one of
our favorite places to come to,”
son of one of the last remaining
brothers and current general manager, Morris Vivona Jr. said.
the five brothers are Phil, Morris Sr., John, Dominic Sr. and Sebastian “Babe” Vivona. they even
had a sister, ann Vivona, who
passed away at the age of 88 in
2015. Phil Vivona is the youngest
of the five brothers and is still
working hard at the age of 80,
alongside Dominic and his oldest
brother, Morris Vivona Sr., who is
95 years old. they are the last
three remaining of the five brothers.
When Morris Vivona Jr. was a
child, his father was doing the
same work that they are all doing
now. With the constant traveling
and labor involved, it is a busy
job, but it is a family business, and
they say they are happy to do the
work every day. after 56 years of
coming to Hammonton with the
carnival, the Vivonas have been
able to grow with the town and the
community.
“What i see differently every
year is that the community supports us more and more every
year. it just keeps getting better
and better,” Morris Vivona Jr.
DiMeglio Septic,
Est. 1975 ~ DEP 03261 ~ Paul DiMeglio
THG/Kelly Hunt. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
The Vivona Family and Amusements of America bring the carnival rides and
midway games each year to the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
said.
what it’s like to have family fun
Morris Vivona Jr. explained and that is what they provide to
how much he really enjoyed the Hammonton every year at the fespeople of Hammonton and that he tival. it’s been a tradition for
is very proud that his family is amusements of america and its
able to be a part of such a commu- connection to the town.
nity. With Hammonton being like
“We’re like family, and we do
a big family itself, as the commu- our best to do a great job for them
nity is so involved with one an- because they mean so much to us
other, amusements of america and coming to Hammonton is like
owners believe it is a place where coming home for us,” Morris
they may contribute their own Vivona Jr. said.
family values. the five brothers
Despite their various travels
have passed down the work to down south to the Carolinas and
their own sons, including Morris florida, and even west to tenJr. and Dominic Jr., and are keep- nessee and Ohio, the Vivona faming the name alive within the busi- ily will return to Hammonton in
ness.
the following years to continue the
together, the Vivonas know tradition.
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Congratulations!
on another amazing
Feast of Our Lady
of Mt. Carmel.
Your hard work and
dedication is appreciated
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