SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ITALY

Transcription

1 Columbia County SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ITALY # Bridge Street Hudson, NY Winter 2013 Lodge Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 4 Calendar of Events Initiation of new lodge members March 9th. Saturday Soup and salad at the lodge 11:30 to 2:00 April 11th. Thursday Spaghetti dinner April 27th. Saturday 2nd Annual Spring Craft Fair 9:30 to 3:30 August 11th. Sunday Rocky Romano Bocce Tournament To read this newsletter, you can also go to: Go to the site & check out all the other events. On Tuesday evening November 27th an initiation was held at the lodge for new members. Back Row: Local Lodge President Edward Konow Jr., OSIA Financial Secretary Biagio Isgro, new members Toni Gallo, Eleanor Shader, Arthur Frank, Amanda Jornov, Barbara Frank, District VI OSIA Deputy Cesare Maniccia, Front Row: New members Helena Kraft, Maria Hendrickson, Linda Foster, Darlene Concra and Evelyn Goering. 1

2 On Sunday, December 9 a full house at our Lodge enjoyed Holiday Melodies presented by Upstage Productions, Inc. Hail damage repairs are now 100% completed (come check out our new look-siding, roofingdecking, doors, windows and more). Fifteen members of the Upstage troupe sang and danced to songs of holidays past and present including Feliz Navidad, White Christmas, O Holy Night, I ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, Merry Christmas Darling, Believe, Rockin Around the Christmas Tree, All I Want for Christmas Is You plus many more. Following the show complimentary desserts and beverages were served. Shown in this photo from left to right are: Robbie Thorpe, Lue Whelan, Christina Viggers, Christine Abitabile, Julie Fisher, Danielle DeLamater, Gavin Baer, Nick Ganey, Megan Morse, Fiona Phelps, Kelly Sienkiewicz, Christine Lee Mackerer, Tom Fisher, Shane Heiser and missing from photo is Candace Wood. Everyone was thankful for the holiday spirit that the performers brought to the lodge. This function was free to members and only $ 10 for guests. After repeated requests, it looks like we ve started something that may return year after year! Also noteworthy the bocce courts are complete along with 2 horseshoe pits. Restroom building is 70% complete and will be ready for spring usage, Concession/ storage building is 85% complete and will also be ready for spring, 40 plus Trees have been planted around the property, major landscaping has been completed. Lions now protect our front entrance. We still have benches, tables, bocce courts, horseshoe pits, concession building, restroom building, trees and more available if anyone wants a plaque with a name or family name showing who donated this item. Anyone interested should contact me (Richard Concra) or rjc2362@yahoo.com 2 We are in need of a refrigerator, stove and other items for our concession building (in good working order please ). We also need chairs, tables and outside items for our grounds in order to provide seating for outside events.

3 2012 TO 2014 ADMINISTRATION The Columbia County Sons and Daughters of Italy 659 installed its new officers for 2012 to Leading the slate of officers is President Edward Konow, Jr. The complete slate of officers is as follows: President Edward Konow, Jr. Immediate Past President Dan Futia Vice President Thomas Fisher Treasurer Philip Abitable Financial Secretary Angela Rapp Membership chair person Barbara Frank Acting Corresponding/Recording Secretary Anthony Concra Chaplain Joanne Concra Guard (Sentinel) --Philomenia Van De Carr Orator Louis Conte Master of Ceremonies Angela Rapp Trustees-- Mike Bucci, Lewis Rubino, Art Frank, Francis Abitabile and John Florio Sr. Lou Conte New York State Grand Lodge Financial Secretary-- Biagio Isgro Lodge -- Anna Marie Saia. New Members 2012 Amanda Jornov 2013 Maryanne Colantuono Donald Marini Thomas & Katherine Konow Jared Giordano 2nd Annual Spring Craft Fair Saturday, April 27th. Doors open at the lodge at 9:30 to 3:30 Food Crafters wanted!! Call Barbara Frank at Recipe of The Month Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake 24 Lorna Doone shortbread cookies (finely crushed) 3/4 cup plus 1 tbs. sugar, divided 1/4 cup melded butter 5oz. white chocolate, divided 3-8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened. 2 tsp. vanilla, divided 3 eggs 1 tub 8oz. PHILADELPHIA Milk Chocolate Indulgence 2 cup cool whip, thawed 1 cup fresh raspberries Heat oven to 350. Mix cookie crumbs, 1 tbs sugar and butter; press into 9 spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes. Melt 4 oz. white chocolate. Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar & vanilla with mixer till blended. Add melted chocolate, mix well. Add eggs 1 at a time. Mix on low speed after each egg just until blended. Pour over crust. Bake minutes until center is almost set. Run knife around rim to loosen cake, cool and remove rim. Refrigerate 4 hrs. Spoon indulgence into bowl, stir till creamy. Add cool whip, whisk till blended. Spread over cake. Garnish with chocolate curls and raspberries. Recipe sent it by Linda Foster me your favorite recipe at barb50@mhcable.com Or mail to me: Barbara Frank 6633 Route 9 Hudson, NY

4 Chairperson & Contact Info for Events. On Saturday October 20, The Sons & Daughters #659 of Greenport sponsored a 2013 March 9th Soup and Salad Barbara Frank: barb50@mhcable.com Call April 11th Spaghetti Dinner Joann Concra jcon262@yahoo.com Call April 27th 2nd Annual Spring Craft Fair Richard Concra: barb50@mhcable.com Call August 11th Rocky Romano Bocce Tournament phila@yahoo.com Call fund raiser in memory of one of their long time passed members, Anna Riozzi. Fourteen people got together to show off their baking skills by baking cupcakes. Over 100 tickets were sold which allowed ticket holders to sample 6 different mini cupcakes. Afterwards, full size cupcakes were available for purchase. Guest were served coffee and tea while visiting and sampling their treats.. After tasting, each person got to cast their vote for the best cupcake display and of course the best tasting cupcake! Member Christine Abitabile won both categories with her Custard filled cupcake and her Winter Wonderland display. Chairperson Barbara Frank said members of the Riozzi family came from as far as Staten Island, NY to attend. Thank you to all who made the morning a great success. Plans are already being made for our 2nd annual Anna Riozzi Great Cupcake Bake Off of Thank you to all my bakers! Kate Konow, Joanne Concra I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who helped me build our newsletter. I couldn t do it without you. Thank you all! Barbara Christine Abitabile, Helene Craft Lea Schwartz, Sharon Ressler Aneissa Roman, Vj Hartnett, Donna Bahorik Helen Frank, Amber Frank Soup & Salad Lunch at the Lodge! Barbara Frank, Elizabeth Frank and Art Frank Saturday, March 9th. 11:30 to 2:00 Tickets $5.00 each call Barbara Big Special Raffle Basket Stop by the lodge for a quick bowl of soup & salad while you re out doing your weekend errands. Come in, rest your tired feet and visit with your With all your friends. 4 Need Soup Makers! Call me. Pasta dinner on 11/8/2012 made a profit of $ We sold 207 dinners, at $8 each for a profit of $1652. The 50/50 raffle saw a profit of $80, the dessert table made a profit of $ Thank you to all our helpers, Phil & Christine Abitable, Dot Brown and her granddaughter, Tony & Darlene Concra, Richard & JoAnn Concra, Lou Conte, Helene Craft, Tom Fisher, Ed Konow, Angela Rapp, Joe& Pam Torchia, and Dolly VanDeCarr. Hope I didn't leave anyone out. Thanks to the committee and the patrons for making this event a success.

5 CARMINE AND MARIA PIZZA FAMILY The Columbia County Sons & Daughters of Italy #659 Honor the Carmine and Maria Pizza Family with its most prestigious award The Positive Image Award. The story of the Pizza Family begins in 1897 when Carmine Pizza landed at Ellis Island from his home in Lioni, Italy. Carmine was a hard working individual and he spent time in New York City and Poughkeepsie doing anything he could to better himself all the while saving his money so that he could return to Italy and get married. Carmine returned to Italy in 1905 and married our grandmother, Maria before once again returning to America to continue to work so that he could save enough money to send for his new wife. Maria arrived in America in March of The Pizza family story began in earnest with the birth of Gerry in April of 1908 in Hyde Park where Carmine was working for the New York Central Railroad. Carmine continued to rise up the ladder of success when he was transferred to Greendale and promoted to the position of section foreman in charge of a length of track that became the prize of the railroad. For 8 consecutive years Carmine received the top prize awarded by the railroad for track quality and cleanliness and he took great pride in the fact that his section of track was the best there was on the entire system. Being a foreman Carmine was allowed the privilege of being able to live in a boxcar parked on a siding in Greendale where he eventually brought his wife and newborn son and where their second son Rocco was born. Rocco s arrival allowed Carmine and Maria the even greater privilege of moving into the crew s headquarters near the Greendale train station so that the kids wouldn t be playing near the tracks and so that Carmine could still be near the section of track he was Responsible for. 4 more children were born while the couple occupied the crew s quarter, Anthony, Julia, John and Joseph so Carmine began looking for a more suitable home for his growing family. When the railroad moved Carmine to a different position and the new section foremen lost the award for top rail section Carmine was so proud of he quit the railroad and in 1917 he bought a large home in Greendale that was supposed to have been a hotel, moved his entire family in and started planting hundreds of fruit trees including cherries, apples, peaches and pears and also a large grape vineyard which produced grapes for Welch s grape juice and jelly not to mention the occasional barrel of homemade wine. Since you can never have enough help on a farm the family got even bigger with the arrival of Harry in 1918, followed by Elizabeth, Pat, Margaret and finally the youngest child Mary in Carmine kept his kids very busy during their younger years. When not tending to the farm or picking the fruit the 11 kids, whom you will be shortly hearing about, somehow managed to get an education and attend church, helped their mother make much of their own food and clothes all the while keeping the house clean. They tended the various livestock kept on the farm, served in the army and started their own careers on the railroad and in other kinds of occupations. This work ethic was handed down to his grandchildren upon their arrival in later years when they too did their part helping out on the farm as well. Many a happy weekend during harvest season saw members of the ever growing Pizza Family picking fruit, eating lunch sitting on the farm trailers or around a huge table for a dish of spaghetti and meatballs after the days work ended. In their later years Carmine and Maria spent winters in a home in Florida where they had purchased land and built a home. They returned in the spring to the farm until the passing of Maria in 1951 and finally Carmine in The story of the Pizza Family is probably similar to lots of other Italian immigrants who came here in search of a better life but everything our family has or has accomplished is due to Carmine and Maria being brave enough to do what few of us would have the nerve to do. He would be proud to know that his family of 11 kids grew into 19 more grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and 24 great- -great grand children living in many states including Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Vermont and Virginia and who have gone on to lead productive lives in their own right. We owe it all to Carmine and Maria. Written by Grandson Michael Pizza. Next monthly meeting weeks February 26th. March 26th. April 23rd. May 28th. 5 Newsletter Designed by Barbara De Luke Frank barb50@mhcable.com

6 Columbia County SONS & DAUGHTERS OF ITALY 27 Bridge Street Hudson, NY TO: Sign completed Winter Newsletter January, February, March Greetings to our loyal supporters and friends of Columbia County Sons and Daughters of Italy Lodge # has arrived and the Ad Book Committee has decided to get an early start to our solicitation for Advertisements to be included in our Ad Book Program Booklet. As some of you already know, the booklet is distributed at every Lodge event and is a wonderful tool for advertising your business. Personal ads are also welcomed and are a wonderful way to remember your family, living or deceased. Some ads are submitted offering congratulations to the Lodge in support of its community service and dedication to the ideals of our Italian American heritage. We ask that you consider taking an ad, personal or business, to support the work of the Ad Book Committee as we endeavor to use this avenue as a fund-raiser to help achieve the many goals of the Lodge. Thank you for your consideration. BUON ANNO! - HAPPY NEW YEAR! 6