Hello to October and Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month.  It is wonderful to see all the Lodge activities scheduled across California and Nevada celebrating Columbus and Italian-American Heritage. What is your Lodge doing to celebrate our heritage this month?

Over the last month, I was able to attend a Napa Lodge Meeting, where they had 119 attendees! Lori and I secured all the food and paper products for Northern Solano’s Annual Gene Bruno Picnic on Saturday August 23rd.  The picnic was held at the Fairfield Bocce Courts where the weather Gods blessed us with mild day.  On Sunday the 24th Lori and I traveled to Sonoma for the Valley of the Moon’s, Ice Cream Social to raise funds for local scholarships. We met their new President Molly Caselli, Vicki Mulas, the new Recording Secretary and Walt Viviani, one of the new Trustees.  We also

Hard to believe that summer is coming to a close, my granddaughters are back in school already.  We have been very fortunate in the Bay Area with this year’s mild summer weather.  Last week I spent most of the week in Florida at the National Convention and Florida’s weather was hot and humid!   

Thank you to the Lodge Presidents who attended the 1st Lodge President Zoom Meeting that was held in July.  The three area Vice Presidents will be holding these Zoom Meetings on the 4th Thursday of each month.  We have a very simple agenda, where we spend the first 10

Thank you to all the Grand Lodge Officers that have served over the last 2 years; it has been a pleasure working with you as the CAO of the Sons of Italy Western Foundation.  I have served two terms as the Foundation CAO and am grateful for the work of the Foundation Trustees, Committee Chairs and Grand Lodge Officers. The most important thank you goes out to our individual donors and lodges that continue to support the charitable and educational

As everyone reads this, the State Officers and Delegates are getting ready to go to our convention. I hope to see many of you there. Not only is it convention, but we will also be celebrating our 100th Anniversary for the Grand Lodge of California.

The Hotel has worked very hard to give us a good rate and what looks to be a great menu for our events. For those who aren’t delegates, you are welcome to come and sit in the convention hall with the guests

Well here it is February and hope everyone had a great Valentines Day.

In January I was able to do the installation of officers for the Enrico Caruso lodge in Visalia with the help of there State Deputy and Youth Committee Chairperson Brian Watson. In February I was able