DOLLY SINATRA LODGE #2400

On a spectacular day, Monday November 18th, the type of day we moved here for, the Joe La Porta Classic was held at the beautiful Indian Springs Canyon Golf Resort in Palm Springs. A bright sunny  72 degrees day, on the newly planted green green grass, surrounded by mountains and blue skies, 64 golfers gave their best in quest of the winner’s trophy!

Only one team would win the trophy, but all the golfers were winner’s, for participating in the tournament. Formerly known as the Dolly Sinatra Invitational, and changed this year (the fifth year!) to the Joe LaPorta Invitational Classic, in recognition of Joe and Laurie La Porta, who have worked ceaselessly and tirelessly, since the inception of the tournament to make it the amazing fund raiser winner that it is!

The tournament was started as an open invitational, for all the lodges in the Western Foundation, and they sure showed up this year! We had players from six different lodges, seven counting our own. That’s exciting news! Players came from the following Lodges and we thank them all for participating:     Anaheim, Torrance, Fontana, Vallejo, Klamath Falls, San Diego Italian Club. That is PARTICIPATION!, and we look forward to seeing you all, and even more clubs next year, AND THERE WILL BE A NEXT YEAR, so get ready, shine the clubs up, and sign up! It’s a ball! In further support of our tournament, but not playing Mark Vaona, State 1st Vice President and David Lavezzari, State Financial Secretary also came.

Now in addition to the tournament we also had a fantastic and sumptuous Italian Buffet luncheon for the players and their mates, and Lodge members and guests, yes, just about anyone who was supporting the Classic! And that is the big point of the day that Joe and Laurie designed about their tournament, COME PLAY, DINE AND LET’S SUPPORT OUR CHARITIES AND THE Western Foundation!!

When the players were all done, and everyone was dining our new President Larry Capeloto and Vice President Danny Lodolo tallied the golfer’s scores and announced the winners. Coming in 1st place were: Frank Billante, John Battalia, Josh Battalia and friend. Second place was the J.R. Thomas Golf Cars team.

The sponsors of the tournament was the BRESCIA BUILDERS COMPANY, AND WE THANK THEM FOR their generosity. They also brought with them trophies for the last place finishers and this distinguished team included: Michel D’Angelo, Larry Pyre, Mike Colona and Robert Zanora.

Now this whole day, tournament, buffet, and donated merchandise, gift certificates, would not be happening without the tireless effort of the incredible volunteers who put the whole affair together, and then presented and worked incredibly hard to make it all seem effortless! The volunteers have been working for months putting the program together. Soliciting gifts from local merchants, putting the gift baskets together (not an easy task, and a lot of work) and finally the day of the tournament arriving at 6am to begin to set everything up, ready everything and then play it out, and finally clean and clear the club, with thoughts of how they can make it even better next year. Who were these amazing volunteers who put this fantastic tournament together: HATS OFF AND THREE CHEERS FOR THESE VOLUNTEERS: JOE LaPORTA.

TOURNAMENT CHAIRMAN DAN LODOLO, FINANCIAL SECRETARY LAURIE LODOLO, BASKETS & SILENT AUCTION LAURIE TAPPERO and assisting them all day were LARRY CAPELOTO, JENNY CAPELOTO, RENE TRIANO, DONNA MARTELA and SHERYL CHRISTIANSON. We thank them all for their participation, AND THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THEM IS YOU SEE THEM AT THE LODGE, these same people, all the time, doing the same bloody thing, working to make our Lodge the ultimate place!!

In addition to the tournament the Lodge has been in first gear since we opened in October. We have welcomed back to our entertainment program Tony D’Jerlando, and he is better than ever. I’ll be writing about him next month. And we had a visit from Mr. Entertainment himself, Larry Del Rose and his Traveling Entertainment Show with more baggage of props and tools of his trade then Carrot Top, who brings a whole chest!! And here every month in and month out is the dancing king Michael D’Angelo, and the Jokester/Singing EL Presidente himself, Larry Capeloto.

See you at the Lodge!!