GRANDSONS OF ITALY IN AMERICA

 

Minutes of May 16, 2009 Meeting

 

 

Sgt.-at-Arms John Oliva called the meeting to order. Pres. Vinnie Corbo led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance. Chaplain Jimmy D’Arrigo led the group in prayer. Pres. Corbo called for a moment of silence for our deceased brothers, those that are ill, Frank Monteleone and Frank (Cheech) La Marca, and our servicemen.

 

Al Miller motioned to accept May 2^nd minutes. Vito Giovannelli seconded it. The motion passed. The club’s web site is www.goiia.com (case sensitive, all lower case).

 

Treas. Tony di Milo read the financial report for the May 2^nd meeting. Members attending the luncheon were 27; Vitello’s Luncheon Tab, $378; 50/50 income, $25; Man-of-the-Year reservations, $675, and Dues, $17.50. Expenses: Postage, $72.86, and Speaker Program Mailing, $120. Shut In Seniors Luncheon: Members Contribution, $160. Expenses: Caterer, $712.85. Cost to Club, $552.85. The balance is $5338.02. Vito Campanelli motioned to accept. Greg Holzer seconded it. The motion carried.

 

OLD BUSINESS: Pres. Corbo thanked Chairman Jimmy D’Arrigo and his volunteers for the great job they did at the Shut In Senior Luncheon at St. Charles Church’s Center. He praised the members for socializing with the guests. "More did it than last year," he said. "This is what they (the seniors) enjoyed most, the chance to talk. People who we fraternized with keep coming back." Corbo also praised the caterer because we ordered lunch for 75 and only 60 persons were there. "He just charged us for 60 lunches, not the 75 that were ordered."

 

The president called up Jim Giallo, a recent member, to give his impression of the luncheon. Giallo said that he vacillated about participating. He recalled visiting his mother every day at a home and he said he wasn’t sure about attending the luncheon but he finally decided to attend. "It was a good thing for me to do," he explained. "Sitting down with the people, some couldn’t talk, some could, escorting them in and out of the hall, lifting them into their chairs and later lifting them into their rides – was a fulfillment."

 

Corbo answered the question asked by some volunteers: "Why should we pay for our luncheons if we are volunteering?" The president explained "paying for our lunches, helps to off set the cost. If you can’t pay see me. If you have financial hardship, we can work something out. We want you to participate." Again he thanked the volunteers. Sec. Bill Poleri added that special praises belong to Mike An’gileo, Ralph Forte and Victor Russo, for transporting the seniors who were in wheel chairs, which had to be folded up and put in the back of their SUVs.

 

Poleri reported that he received a very nice letter from a previous speaker, Joan Del Monte, who is also the widow of a deceased brother. She wrote to say how nice it was to see the members at the Grandsons meeting in March and thanked the club for the invite to the Man-of-the-Year dinner but regrets that she would be unable to make it.

 

MOTY Chairman John Murgo urged members to get their reservations in early. He said that if he orders a room for 100 persons and we get 106 reservations, the last six wouldn’t be able to attend. "Please get your money in as soon as possible. If we need an extra room we can order it," he said.

 

ANNOUNCEMENT: Murgo also explained that he is flattered by our Australian brother, Carlo Pavia, who called every week to see out he is progressing from his back surgery.

 

Corbo welcomed back the club’s youngest member, Nicholas Oliver, who is back for the summer from Cornell University, where he just finished his freshman year.

 

SPEAKER PROGRAM: Vice President Vinny Oliver, who is in charge of the speaking program, introduced

Carmen Civitate, who spoke on his book, "In the Name of the Father and the Son."

 

Civitate, a barber, spoke about his book, which relates his experiences of growing up in an Italian-American

family. He recalled going into his profession in Connecticut 45 years ago, when haircuts were $1.25 and how the Italian-American barbers were against the unionizing. He spoke of coming to Los Angeles after his hitch in the services; returning to East Coast to New York City; learning to write what you know in college and writing short stories. His book relates his experiences as a boy – seeing the rag man, the iceman and the junk man, and the fun at Mount Carmel celebrations and being taught by the nuns in school. His writing is colored with street languages and stories.

 

Carmine Marinelli donated his 50/50 winnings of $43 back to the club.

 

Pres. Corbo adjourned the meeting. The next meeting will be June 6^th at Vitello’s Restaurant at 11:30 a.m. followed by the June 20^th meeting. Submitted by Secretary Bill Poleri.

 

Directory Additions:

 

F. Gino Breggia

13015 Moorpark St.

Studio City CA 91604

(818) 471-1275

ginobeastie3@yahoo.com

 

Jim Cardello

1836 N. Roosevelt

Altadena CA 91001

(626) 429-6384

jacardello@yahoo.com

 

Address Change:

 

Nicholas Oliver

309 Columbia Road

Thousand Oaks CA 91360

(805) 494-3488

saturn6624@cs.com

 

until Aug. 20 then:

 

#6148 Cascadilla Hall

Ithaca NY 14853

ngo4@cornell.edu