Message From Your Vice President, Southern Dist.
Paul Finazzo
While I am writing this article, the Milano Cortina Olympics is playing in the background. I have enjoyed watching these games as they take place in Italy, especially looking at the mountain scenery in the background that is so beautiful. Also this month the World Baseball Classic takes place. The United States plays Italy on March 10, in Houston, and I hope to watch the game on TV. I’ll be wearing my new Italian baseball team hat while I’m watching the game!
On February 4, I drove to Northern San Diego County to make an Official Visit to La Costa dei Fiori Lodge #2424. I was greeted by President Toni McMahon and the members of her Lodge. They served a delicious lasagna dinner to 45 members. I was lucky enough to sit across from the Legend, Sadie Tamburine, the State Deputy of the Lodge. Toni tells me that she is a font of knowledge about the Order, and a great help and mentor to her. I believe that because Sadie had some useful advice for me about writing this column.
La Costa dei Fiori is a vital and active Lodge with a youthful vibe. They have a full complement of officers, and initiated five new members the night I visited. They have many fun activities planned for the next few months, such as a St. Joseph’s Day Table in March, and a wine tasting in Temecula in April. They have Sal Denaro organizing an Italian Night with the San Diego Padres in July. This is an up and coming Lodge and I expect to see great things from them in the future. I enjoyed my visit with them and I hope to see them again soon.
The Grand Council will be meeting in March in Torrance. I expect that we will be finishing up with the planning for the Grand Convention in Sacramento the last week of June. I hope we will have a lot of members join us for a fun and informative Convention. I also expect that Grand Officer visits to all the Southern Lodges will be complete by then