Message from the 3rd Vice President

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I’m sorry to start this article on a sad note but our dear friend Manny Finazzo passed away suddenly on October 15th. Manny held several positions over the last 20 years, currently as Orator of the Grand Council. I am sad to say that I did not know him well but to say hi in passing at conventions, until last year. I began to know him better when collaborating with him on the Grand Council. He was always there to help if I had a question about a rule or a bylaw. If he did not know the answer, he found out and got back with the proper explanation. He was so proud of his Italian Heritage as well as his Military Service. We sat down one night and talked for two hours. One of the subjects we spoke about was how we are losing our Italian Culture and Heritage. He loved The Sons and Daughters of Italy and had watched it slowly dwindle down from around 310 Delegates to less than 70. He told me we all must make an “all-out effort” to get our Lodges to express the importance of family unity. At Lodge meetings he said, “have one member stand up and talk of how their family always came together on Sundays to eat, drink and tell stories about Aunt Lil and Grandpa Frank, or the time that young Lucca took the car for a ride and couldn’t reach the brake pedal, oops!” Make the Lodge meetings today feel like their family did back in the old days when they got together. Don’t just eat, have a raffle, then a meeting. Have the members talk to each other. Instead of sitting at the same place with the same people, try to move to a new area with other members. We tend to get in a rut. We do the same things over and over again. It was an honor and a privilege to become more closely acquainted with Manny this last year. I hope many of you will try to spend more time with your Paesano and the next time we get together, let’s all talk. Manny, you will truly be missed. God Bless.

I want to remind everyone that elections are this month. If you are not running for an office, please think about helping the newly elected officers and give them your support. If a Lodge is going to continue to be strong, members can offer to help set up tables, clean up, cook, or bring or help sell raffle prizes for fundraisers. There are so many things that make a Lodge great! If you do not run for an office, please offer to volunteer. Help your Lodge be great!! Ciao for now,