Message From the State President

 “INSIEME”

It has been another very busy month and I have just arrived home from our Council meeting which went very well. A lot of important business was conducted. A few of the State Officers who were interested visited the building that we are in the process of buying. They were very impressed and were very happy with the decision. It was passed to officially close the Santa Rosa lodge which has been in limbo for the past year. None of the members wanted to remain. It was a very old lodge and so sad to see it finally closed.A decision was made to officially make Anna Graeber the new Editor of the Il Leone. So in addition to sending articles to Debbie Ure, in the future also send them to Anna as 

 was done in the past with Andy Pampuro. Thank you Anna for accepting this responsibility. An end of an era was done with the dissolution of the Queen Contest. Times change and so must we.

Trustee Ginny Arietta gave information on a Grand Council at Sea which will be held next September 2024. Information is enclosed in this issue of Il Leone. This trip is a fundraiser and is open to all members and their friends. It should be a fun weekend. We have not done one in 22 years!

The 100th Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of California will be held in September 2025 and a gala celebration is going to be planned. I have asked John Tedesco and Maria Fassio Pignati to chair this event as they did for the 75th. Anyone wishing to assist please let me know. All help will be needed and appreciated. 

The changes in bank signers have almost all been completed with one bank left to go.

Our FOTO representatives were at the meeting and give a very nice report of the activities at the National Convention. It was suggested that they work with Louise Silacci on the Youth Ambassador program. This will be discussed further. 

 Brother Mark Vaona reported on the imembersdb Program and it is all set to go. Lodges interested should contact Mark and he will set up a trainer for you. We will be having a July 2024 fundraiser for the Grand Lodge of California and it will be chaired by Sister Pauline Richmond. Tickets will be printed and available for distribution at the March 2024 Grand Council meeting. The March Grand Council meeting will hopefully be held in our new building. Don’t forget the 100th anniversary celebration of the Cornelia Vita Nuova Lodge on November 4, 2023. Everyone has received an invitation. The Eureka Lodge will also be celebrating their 100th in March and will be celebrating March 23, 2024.Saturday evening we honored Past State President John Costa at a lovely and intimate dinner. It was a fun evening and we got to “roast” Brother John a little! I want to again congratulate him for a great four years and for a job well done even due to COVID. It was not easy but he did it. Thank you also to Ray Bini for a great job as M/C Prior to the Grand Council (the night before) I returned from a great cruise to Boston and Canada.

Ciao!