Welcome to October the Italian Heritage Month … Make It Known!

At our last meeting in September, we proudly welcomed two new members into our
Per Sempre Lodge family. Please join me in extending a sincere and heartfelt welcome
to Sister Rosaria and Brother Antonio! We are so happy to have you as part of our
Lodge family and look forward to your participation, friendship, and fellowship for
many years to come. Our Lodge is now 188 members strong!

At this meeting, we also enjoyed our Ice Cream Social, which was a wonderful time for
our Per Sempre Family to come together, enjoy some delicious treats, and share plenty of laughter. It was a truly enjoyable evening for everyone! Now I really know who likes very large ice cream cones and what toppings are liked the most. This meeting we had to postpone the Italian Citizenship for American Citizens. It will be held at the November meeting. This has been confirmed. With this cancellation we had a wonderful slide show from Mario and Antionette Divella on their vacation to Mario’s place of birth in
Noicattaro, Bari Italy.

Let me take a moment to talk about our month — October, Celebrating Christopher Columbus Day and Italian Heritage Month. In recent years, this famous month has received more publicity, recognition, and pride surrounding Italian Heritage and Columbus Day. While we don't want to dwell too much on the negativity and discrimination that Italian immigrants and their descendants have faced, we should never forget
the tremendous contributions that thousands have made to America and to the world. The Italians gave the world the Piano, Barometer, Eyeglasses, Typewriter, Violin, The Radio and the Banking system. In modern America Italians gave us the Telephone, Intel 404 Processor, Photo-Finish Camera, Tropicana Orange Juice, The Jacuzzi, Planters Peanuts, The Big Mac, and the famous Buffalo Chicken Wings. Also, the most Famous Christmas Tree in the world - the first Rockefeller Center tree was purchased by an Italian
American. This month not only will there be the big Columbus Day Parade in NYC, but Long Island will have a Columbus Day Parade in Deer Park Long Island on October 10th. You can march in the Parade, and this newsletter will have all the information. Let’s march with the Per Sempre Lodge Family and raise the Italian and American Flag and celebrate your heritage.

October 20 is Our Italian Heritage Night with Speaker Lou Del Bianco, grandson of the Chief Carver of Mount Rushmore (RSVP is required - Children are welcome to attend). This is a good month to bring your family and friends who might want to join our lodge or to celebrate their heritage. I would like to see 150 in attendance! Yes, I just said that. So, let’s do it.

Also, at this October meeting our lodge will be accepting New Halloween Costumes for families that can’t afford to purchase costumes for their children. Our lodge will be donating them to the Lynbrook Library. Because some Halloween costumes are not cheap, I am asking for one costume per member that would like to donate to this cause. One last thing to mention for October please visit the Lynbrook, Valley Stream, Ocean Side and Island Park Libraries for the CSJ Italian Heritage and Christopher Columbus Day displays.
Our members have worked very hard on this project.