Survival…
Like many Sons and Daughters of Italy lodges, Saddleback is struggling to retain and even gain members. To that end, we have been successful, and I thought I would give my opinions on why we are doing well. First of all, it is leadership. Our president and his council have been very effective in maintaining morale and loyalty through the pre-pandemic and pandemic period. Hank, especially, has encouraged ideas and has kept virtually all members of the lodge active by delegating the responsibility for activities, meeting programs and meals, and responding positively to member’s ideas. Secondly, we strive for monthly activities. There is so much to see and do around Orange County and beyond that our activities abound. We have done wine tasting, museum trips, outdoor picnics, outdoor movies, and train trips for example at affordable prices. As a result, we have a very cohesive group.

It is our plan to give the Grand Lodge

What a wonderful time First Gent, Ken, and I had at the 40 Anniversary Dinner Dance for Vincenzo Bellini Lodge #2519. President Tony George was kind enough to put us up for the night. I can’t thank him enough for the wonderful accommodations.

The members of this Lodge have had me as a guest all through the pandemic. They are an amazing group of members that continued to meet via Zoom each month. Tony also created the “Bellini Dining Experience”. This was a Zoom meeting, twice a month, with a twist. They decided on an ingredient (fish, pasta, something green, and more) each time. Then everyone would make something that fit in the description. We would then eat together on Zoom and talk about our meals and whatever else. It was a wonderful dinner party.

Because of the continued contact with our members the Lodge has come out of this pandemic stronger than before. I hope

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
By-Laws: What they are and why we need them!

What are By-laws? By-laws are an outline of the structure of an organization. Alone, they do not make an effective organization, but they are necessary to enable an organization to function properly.
Why do we need By-laws? Members can determine what rules they agree on and abide by while allowing them to make changes as the organization grows. By-laws must be adhered to by the membership and not altered by any officer to fit a specific situation.

With the 2022 State Grand Convention coming up in June, (this month), I encourage all, especially the delegates, to read the current by-laws of our organization so that he/she will be able to make intelligent decisions when voting. There will be amendments to the current by-laws presented

Hope this message finds everyone doing well. Getting ready for our first in person convention in the last few years and hope to see many of you there. In person events at the various lodges are starting again and I look forward to visiting.
Thanks all.

To All OSDIA Members,
Half the year has passed, and Convention time is upon us. I know Ervin Siax has been working very diligently along with Lynn Lawrence Murphy, Lori Rossi and of course our State President Barb Wisniewski. Our office manager, Ervin is the silent hero within all this preparation of our Annual Convention. He spends all week at the Grand Lodge attending to concerns and handling phone calls. I would like to give a big shout out to Ervin along with a Hug. Thank You for all that you do at the Grand Lodge.

April and May have been Bocce Months. Gold Country Lodge #2705 had their Pasta Bowl Bocce Tournament, and everyone enjoyed the three F’s: Fun, Food and Fraternity. Sacramento Lodge #1352 also had their Big Bocce Tournament. It was a great success with a grand total of about $1,700 towards their charities. Speaking about Bocce, I would love the Lodges in the North to come to me at Convention and let me know if there is any interest