Memorable…Heartwarming….Amazing….and those are only a few of the adjectives that pertain to the Scholarship Presentation Dinner held on Sunday, June 4, 2023. The evening opened with a Welcome given by Virgilio President Ray Bini. Pledge of Allegiance lead by VP Tony Intintoli. Invocation offered by Past State President John Costa. Past scholarship recipients Melody and Violet Sparks sung an incredible a cappella rendition of the National Anthem. Assisting in serving the spaghetti & meatball dinner were two additional past scholarship recipients Crissy Bini and Cody Tarantino.

This year’s recipients included: Kelly Harms from Benicia High school receiving the Virgilio and Beatrice Portinari scholarship and was handed her certificate by Ray & Pamela Bini. Ava I. Nichols from Dixon’s Chesterton Academy received the Veronica Tarantino

At the writing of this article, we are at a time when in Napa it feels like spring AND summer. This pokes me to reflect that in our esteemed organization, the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, the power of "AND" runs deep within our very fabric. It is not just a word or a conjunction; it represents our ability to embrace duality, diversity, and the ever-evolving nature of our Italian-American heritage.

When we examine the essence of our name, we find the inherent inclusivity that defines us. Sons AND Daughters—both genders, united in our shared ancestry and common goals. It symbolizes our commitment to equality, recognizing the vital contributions and perspectives of every individual within our organization.

The concept of "Italy in America" further amplifies this notion of "AND." It embodies our dual identity, the fusion of Italian culture and American values. We proudly celebrate

“INSIEME”

Hello everyone.  This is my first message to you as your State President.  I am in awe of being elected to the highest office in the Grand Lodge of California and I look forward to representing you for the next two years. I am ready for the challenge and the work has already begun!

As your leader, I will work tirelessly to promote the interests of our Order and to advance the values and principles that have made us so strong.  I will be your voice and ensure every member feels supported and valued. The Order is in my heart and blood and has been since I joined

Our beautiful 86th Grand Convention was hosted by the Cristoforo Colombo Lodge #1534 of Reno, Nevada at the Silver Legacy in Reno.

Special thanks to Lodge President Dawn Romero and Immediate Past Lodge President Pam Ricci for all their hard work towards making the week so special for all the delegates.

The State Trustees held their trustees meeting on Tuesday, June 20 and did an excellent job of checking the books.  This meeting was followed by the Closed Grand Council session. 

That evening State President Barbara Fumosa Wisniewski and First Gent Ken hosted a delicious family style thank you dinner at the La Strada Restaurant.  The State President welcomed everyone and she presented

 Another convention has come and gone. I want to thank everyone for voting me First State Vice President. Welcome to our returning State Officers and all of the new board members also.

We were presented with a new software package that National is using called Imembersdb. National has negotiated a deal for the State and Local lodges to be able to adopt this software at no cost to us. The only costs are if we upgrade to take some additional packages that we have currently decided not to do at the State Level. I have begun working with the Imembersdb team and by the time you read this the rollout should be close to being available. For those of you who saw the presentation and also wanted to use it for the Local Lodges it should be available very soon. If you have any question please feel free to contact me.

It was quite a treat to see