Message From the State President

I hope you are all staying cool and smoke free. Ken and I have missed many Reno Aces games because of the unhealthy air. We are hoping to get to the rest before the season is over.

Ken and I visited the Gold Country Lodge #2705 to celebrate their 25th Anniversary, with President Jim Silveira, First Lady Barbara and so many of their officers and members. The food and company were wonderful.

I want to remind everyone that, as President, I would like to attend all your events. Unfortunately, that is not possible but if you send me an invitation and copy the Grand Lodge, we can try to get me there. I especially want to attend your meetings so I can meet our members. Please let me know when you are going to initiate new members so I can try to make it. Again, just copy my invite to the Grand Lodge so Recording Secretary, Lori Rossi, can assist me in keeping some kind of schedule.

I hope you are all sending in your stubs and money for our Italian Heritage/Columbus tickets for a winner every day in October. Lots of winners and lots of money to give away. You have to be in it to win it.
20 weekdays at $25.00 each
Columbus Day $500.00
Halloween $200.00
4 Saturdays at $100.00 each
5 Sundays at 50.00 each

We are working on some other fundraising efforts that we hope you will support. The Trustees have come up with some ideas that they are going to implement.

Our Recording Secretary, Lori, has saved us a lot of money taking over the duties of the Office Manager during COVID. It is now becoming “business as usual” and we can’t get by with a part-time Manager. I am working on finding and hiring a full-time Office Manager and a part-time staff person. We need our Recording Secretary to concentrate on that task.

I am excited to announce that I will be hosting monthly Zoom meetings with our Grand Lodge Presidents. These meetings are completely voluntary, and I hope that we will use them to share our experiences. We only get together at Conventions and there is not enough time to share information.

I attended the National Convention in Jersey City, New Jersey on the 14th of August. It was wonderful to see so many of our Sisters and Brothers again. We opened the 57th Biennial Convention with our own Past President, Maria Fasio Pignate singing the National Anthem and the Italian National Anthem.

We elected the 38th National President, Robert Bianchi Esq. of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. Robert was the First Vice-President under the Nancy DiFiore Quinn Administration.

In addition to electing Robert A. Bianchi as National President, joining him are the following officers:

Joseph A. Boncore, Esq. of Massachusetts, National First Vice-President

Michael G. Polo of Connecticut, National Second Vice-President

Thom A. Lupo of New York, National Third Vice-President

Dr. Mark S. DeNunzio of Florida, National Fourth Vice-President

Tony Bisceglia Anderson of Northwest, National Fifth Vice-President

Frank Gattuso, Esq of New Jersey, National Orator

John Saladino of Massachusetts, National Recording Secretary

Joseph F. Rondinelli of New York, National Treasurer

Lynn Lawrence-Murphy of California, National Historian

Rev. R Adam Forno of Florida, National Chaplain

National Past President Joseph Sciame of New York was appointed then Elected to continue serving as President of the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF).

Past State President of New York, Robert M. Ferrito was appointed and elected to serve as National President of the Commission for Social Justice (CSJ).

We in California are so very happy for our own Past President, Lynn Lawrence-Murphy and know she will make us proud.

Till next month
Fraternally
Barbara