Celebrate Stark County Italian-American Festival's return
I have been fortunate to have been associated with the Stark County Italian-American Festival for 27 years. During those years, I proudly served two terms as president, many terms as a member of the Board of Trustees and am most proud to have served as chairman of the Festival Scholarship Committee for 22 years (awarding yearly college scholarships...
Consulate of Italy in Detroit hosts Italian National Day 2022
The Consulate of Italy in Detroit hosted Italian National Day 2022 to celebrate the 76th Anniversary of the Republic of Italy on Thursday, June 2, 2022. From vintage Italian cars to the most delicious Italian food, we couldn’t resist attending the event to help celebrate the anniversary! The event took place at the Detroit City Airport, and the wea...
Mount Carmel in Ashtabula, OH celebrates 125 years
Mount Carmel Church celebrated its 125th anniversary on Sunday with a special Mass and a lunch. "It reminds you (that) you stand on the shoulders of all that come before you," said the Rev. Raymond Thomas of the celebration that was planned by a 14-member committee. Thomas gave the welcome that led to numerous proclamation and resolutions from city...
Holy Rosary Italian Street Festival returns to Indy this weekend
It’s one of Indy’s most loved and most-attended church festivals in Indianapolis, and it’s happening this weekend. That’s right, we’re talking about the Holy Rosary Italian Street Festival. For those who don’t know, this festival is all about food, and it’s happening on Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 at the Our Lady of Most Holy Rosary Churc...
The Maryellen and Umberto Fedeli Family Lobby in Cleveland
Northern Ohio Italian American Foundation’s Chairman, Umberto Fedeli, and his wife Maryellen recently made a historic gift, the largest gift ever bestowed to pediatric programs at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. The Fedeli Family was honored at the Children’s Hospital “Derby Day Soirée” and it was announced the lobby at Cleveland Clinic Children’s is...
Decades after tragic Our Lady of the Angels fire, statue returns home
For survivors of the Our Lady of the Angels fire Tuesday was a day of emotion. Ninety-five people, nearly all of them children perished the blaze in 1958. Survivors and community members gathered at the site for a ceremony decades in the making. The statute of the Virgin Mary, that stood on site that fateful day 62 years ago, is home again — with...
68th Italian-American Days celebrated in Benld
Benld hosted its 68th annual Italian American days over Memorial Day weekend, with events and entertainment lasting from Friday, May 27 until Sunday, May 30. The Italian Club of Benld hosts this annual celebration every Memorial Day weekend at the Benld City Park. The club organizes and runs the event and proceeds from the festival are used to fund...
Carmel announces new Sister City relationship with Italian town
The city of Carmel has a new special partnership with a town all the way in the Tuscany region of Italy. Cortona, located in the country's Arezzo province, is Carmel's newest Sister City. That means the communities will promote "international goodwill, understanding, student educational exchanges and expanded business relationships between the two...
The 12 Points community honors WW2 Veteran Nick Agresta Sr.
Gold Medal Plaza has welcomed a new Dedication Bronze Plaque to the park Saturday in Terre Haute, IN. The Dedication Plaque is in honor of late Italian Immigrant Nick Agresta Sr. who served in World War 2 and raised his family in 12 Points. 12 Points is where Nick continued to show support and patriotism post war by selling thousands of American fl...
A guide to Roseland groups
What comes to mind when you first hear the phrase “Roseland groups”? If you’re in your late 70s and older, its’ probably Frankie Bortoli or Eddie Baldacci and their bands. If you’re from the generation before that, you’re probably thinking Styx or Chicago. If you so, you’d be way off the topic of this column. Many social groups were formed in Rose...
CIACO takes a new approach to its 2022 fundraiser
A philanthropic powerhouse for more than 30 years, the Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization has bestowed nearly $900,000 in scholarships and tens of thousands more to veterans in need over the decades. Most of those funds have been raised at its annual Honor and Hope gala, but this year CIACO has decided to mix things up a bit. “We’...
Book project gives Italian-American women a voice
As part of an ongoing effort to “save our stories,” Italian Cultural Center librarian Dominic Candeloro convened a roundtable discussion about a possible second volume of “Italian Women in Chicago: Madonna mia! QUI debbo vivere?” Published 10 years ago and spearheaded by Candeloro, the book features 40 accounts by scholars, journalists, freelance w...