Since we could not meet and honor our 2020 Pinochi and Stagnoli scholarship awardees last May, this month’s Il Leone article will introduce them to our members.

Alyssa Camilli graduated from Arcata High School in 2020 with honors and is now attending UC Davis studying Psychology and Sociology. Her accomplishments while in high school include: peer tutor, Sources of Strength mentor, Soroptomist Girl of the Month, Wellesley College Book Club award, AHS German language honor society. She is an artist and was accepted into the Arcata High Arts Institute

Elizabeth Laval, a former producer at PBS TV, Fresno, and now in charge of the Kearny Museum, has now been assigned by the Fresno County Historical Museum to help plan an Italian Heritage section to the Fresno Museum at the fairgrounds. For anyone of Italian heritage, this is an especially important event. This museum display will be one of the few ways that we can demonstrate that we, as a contributor to the success of Fresno County, were here. If you have photos or stories that you would like to submit,

Columbia Lodge #1940
MAKES GOOD ON ITS TOYS FOR TOTS PROGRAM

A group of us met on December 20th at the main fire house in San Mateo at 10:00 AM, only to be told that none of the fire houses were not accepting toys in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. They are accepting gift cards to be distributed to the agency to purchase toys. They did recommend the Central County Fire Department

The Pugliese Lodge has lost a longtime member and true daughter of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, Vita Zaccaria. Sister Zaccaria passed away on Wednesday, January 6th around 7 a.m. Vita has been a member of the Order since April, 1954. Through the years, she has held various offices in the Lodge even serving as President. She also served as president of the United Lodges of Southern California.

To this day, she holds the distinction as the only woman president

We quietly made it through the 4th of July celebrating America’s birthday at home. Things just didn’t feel the same because it wasn’t, but we felt pride in our country as we watched different states sending up to the heavens an amazing display of fireworks.

Every year we put on different events to help raise money for our scholarship fund. This year we did a “Winner Every Day” drawing, which was to take place in May but had to be moved to July. Our lodge president Mark Rossi along with Juanita Stopponi, Don and Jeanne Cradduck and Jerry and Shirley Firpo