Roma Lodge #1573

I saw this cartoon on social media the other day and it seems ironic the COVID-19 pandemic has, in a way, taken the brunt out of Columbus Day celebrations by many local lodges. This issue of the ILeone would be full of pictures of our annual Columbus Day celebration with members enjoying a friendly bocce ball tournament, great food, dessert contest, raffle, and bounce house for the junior members. The pandemic did not allow for us to have an event this year and in view of the “Cancel Culture” occurring in the country it may have been a good thing.

With Christopher Columbus statues being graffitied or torn down across the country I joked Roma Lodge could find a slightly used one, like the one removed from the California Capitol, to donate to the International Agri-Center (IAC) park where we hold our annual celebration. Our members who also serve on the IAC board were not amused.

I try to stay away from politics in my articles and in our newsletter the LeNotizie however I looked up the purpose of the OSDIA in their constitution and it states, to promote national education and secure adequate laws for the benefit of its members by active participation in the political, social, and civic life of our communities. Roma Lodge #1573 has been in our community for 90 years. We do our upmost to remember our ancestors who came from Italy in the early 1900’s and carryon their efforts to ensure America remains a free society in which everyone can express their views without discrimination from others.

The OSDIA, Grand Lodge and local lodges have a duty to continue to voice the importance of Italian Americans and American Italians in making this the greatest country in the world. When the pandemic is over, we need to resume our Christopher Columbus celebrations and try to educate others about the importance of embracing our history and learning from it.

Although Tulare County remains at the “purple” level of the governors COVID-19 response plan the lodge is moving forward with their annual polenta and stew dinner in November. Many lodge members believe it is time to resume some sort of lodge activities or else we will not have a lodge. There will not be a meeting, social distancing will be practiced and a drive through will be conducted so members who would like to pick up their meal they can do so. We will let you know how it works out in our next article.