NON-PROFITUS POSTAGE

PAIDMILWAUKEE, WIPermit No. 5716

Published 11 times annually by the ItalianCommunity Center

631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202www.ICCMilwaukee.com

JANUARY 2016 • VOL. 37 NO. 7– CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED –

PASTE ADDRESS LABEL HERE.

THEITALIAN TIMESCelebrate Carnevale

on Saturday, Feb. 6 at ICCBy Thomas Hemman

Times EditorCast aside your burdens for one

spectacular night as the ItalianCommunity Center celebrates its37th annual Il Grande Carnevaleon Saturday, Feb. 6.

Show your creative side bywearing a costume or mask. Dancethe night away. Be treated to a fab-ulous double-entrée dinner and atantalizing sweet table.

Be a witness to the tradition andpageantry that includes a corona-tion of royalty, a gleeful parade ofthose in costume and mask, spec-

tacular fireworks and a few sur-prises that are sure to add to theexcitement of the evening.

Organizers hope that all of thepomp and circumstance will makeyou shout “Viva Il Carnevale!”

In fact, “Viva Il Carnevale” isthe theme for the ItalianCommunity Center’s 37th annual IlGrande Carnevale. Saluting thetraditions of the past and the hopeof the future, Carnevale will bringtogether generations of familiesand friends for a celebration thatno one should want to miss theevening of Feb. 6.

The fun begins at 5:11 p.m. inthe galleria with a cocktail recep-tion (cash bar). The ItalianConference Center’s renowned horsd’oeuvres will be served.

Guests will be called into thePompeii Grand Ballroom at 6:11p.m. for the start of the programand dinner.

The dinner will feature a combi-nation entrée of chicken Roma anda petite filet mignon. There will bebottles of wine at each table toenjoy with the meal.

After dinner comes the program

The National Italian Invitational GolfTournament for Charities completesits $100,000 pledge to the ICC

The National Italian Invitation-al Golf Tournament for Charities,with its donation of $3,500, has ful-filled the $100,000 financial pledgethe Tournament made to theItalian Community Center.

The pledge was made byAnthony T. “Tony” Machi on behalfof the Tournament. Machi is one ofthe Tournament’s charter and long-time members and director of itsBoard, serving, at times, as itspresident.

The Tournament was founded in1958 by a group of local businessand professional men. Among theoriginators of the event wereJoseph and Angelo Alioto, JosephDentice, Attorney William Calvano,Peter Balistrieri, who won theevent the first three years it washeld, and, of course, Mr. Machi.

The Tournament has continuedwithout interruption every yearsince 1958 and has provided signifi-cant financial assistance to numer-ous charitable organizations includ-

ing the Boys and Girls Towns ofItaly, St. Jude’s Children ResearchHospital, the American Cancer

Society and Milwaukee’s ItalianCommunity Center.

During the period of Machi’s

active participation in the Tourna-ment event, he proposed to theBoard of Directors that a $100,000cash pledge be made to the ICC toassist the organization during itsdifficult organizational years. Astime went on, and the Tournamentgrew from a primarily local event toone that is truly national in scope,the reach of the event grew from aone to a three-day event. Therewere also many changes in theindividuals who comprised thegrowing and changing Board ofDirectors. After much discussionand serious consideration, the newand expanded Tournament Boardunanimously voted to honor Mr.Machi’s pledge made under theauthority of a board long sinceretired and continue to honor the$100,000 pledge until it was paid infull. The deciding and determina-tive rationale for continuing thefulfillment of this promise was therespect and affection the new, andmuch younger, board members hadfor Tony. The Board felt that with-out his efforts and the other origi-nal organizers of the event, theTournament would no longer existand could not have continued for 58uninterrupted years in the goodwork they do.

The Tournament has grown overthe years to meet the demands ofchanging times. The NationalItalian Charitable Trust, a bonafide 501(c)3 organization, was cre-ated and a scholarship programbegun. In 2015, two $7,500 scholar-ships were given to students ofItalian descent, raising the totalnumber of scholarships to 28.

In addition to the $3,500 donat-ed to the ICC, which fulfilled theoriginal pledge made by Machi,another $15,000 in scholarshipswas dispersed in 2015 by the

In honor and recognition of Anthony T. “Tony” Machi (seen above), theNational Italian Invitational Golf Tournament for Charities recently ful-filled a $100,000 pledge to the Italian Community Center. Machi, who wasactively involved in the annual charitable event for many years, was thefirst president of the Italian Community Center, 1978-80, and the first gen-eral chairman of Festa Italiana during the same years. The only otherItalian organization to complete a pledge of $100,000 or more has been thePompeii Men’s Club. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)

Please turn to page 8

Cosa c’è dentro?What’s inside?

Party with La Befana page 2

ICC volunteers makeThanksgiving special page 3

President’s message page 5

Bocce leagues startweek of Jan. 4 page 6

St. Joseph’s Dayluncheon scheduled page 6

U.S. Navy recognizes ICC,Pompeii Men’s Club page 10

Nabucco: Verdi’sBiblical epic page 14

Sezione Italiana page 15

Puzzle No. 8 page 15 Please turn to page 6

For the 14th consecutive year,the Italian Community Center willhost a post-Christmas party for theyoungest children and grandchil-dren of ICC members that cele-brates the legend of La Befana.

The gift-bearing witch of Italianfolklore will greet and present giftsto youngsters on Saturday, Jan. 9at a party that begins with a noonlunch in the Pompeii GrandBallroom.

“Since the mission of the ICC isto promote Italian culture, wethink it’s important that our chil-dren and grandchildren learn aboutLa Befana,” said Liz Ceraso, chair-person of the Avanti Committee,which is organizing the event.

Having the party after the busyChristmas season has also provenquite popular with the parents andgrandparents, added Rose AnneCeraso-Fritchie and Mary AnneCeraso-Alioto, Avanti Committeemembers, who are co-chairing thechildren’s party.

Party detailsChildren are encouraged to wear

socks that day because, after theyeat lunch, the children will beasked to take off their shoes andleave them behind a curtain. ICCofficials have heard that Befanahas expressed an interest in leav-ing special treats in the children’sshoes.

The lunch will feature a buffetwith food to please both the chil-dren and the adults in attendance.

The menu will include barbecuebeef sandwiches, chicken nuggets,french fried potatoes, macaroni andcheese, fruit, chocolate or whitemilk for the kids and coffee foradults.

For dessert, everyone will beable to make their own ice creamsundae.

The cost to attend will be – $20per adult and $15 for child.

Pre-paid reservations arerequired by Tuesday, Jan. 5.Please use the form accompanyingthis article to make your reserva-tions.

Please include on the form thenames and ages of each child sothat gifts appropriate for each agegroup are given out.

Walk-ins on the day of the eventwill not be permitted.

Anna Pitzo, a longtime ICCmember, is making the arrange-ments for Befana’s visit.

La Befana: The Yuletide WitchIn Italy, there still remains a

tradition involving the beneficentwitch named Befana. On the nightof the Feast of Epiphany (the 12thand final day of the Christmas holi-day observance), Befana leavespresents in children’s stockings,hung upon a hearth or a stairwayrailing (a tradition quite similar tothe American Santa Claus story).

Legend has it that, when Christwas born, the Three Wise Men (I remagi) stopped at Befana’s hut fordirections on their way toBethlehem and, in the conversa-tion, asked her to join them.Befana said no, she was too busy.

Later, a shepherd asked her tojoin him in paying respects to theBaby Jesus. Again, Befanadeclined.

When it became dark, Befananoticed a great star illuminatingthe sky just as the Wise Men hadtold her earlier in the day. Shethen realized that perhaps sheshould have gone with them. So,she gathered some toys that hadbelonged to her own baby, who haddied as an infant, and boarded hermagic broom to find the kings andthe stable where the Christ Childlay.

The legend states that, regret-fully, Befana was unable to locateeither the Three Wise Men or theplace where Jesus was born.

Since then, each year at thistime, Befana continues her searchfor the Christ Child and leaves giftsalong the way for good children andpieces of charcoal for bad ones.

* * *Here’s an amazing fact about

Befana’s visits to the ICC’sannual party: Not once in thepast 13 years has Befana left char-coal in the shoes or gift bags of anyof the children attending. Couldthat possibly mean that all the chil-dren had been good?

THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 2 – JANUARY 2016

All advertisements must be in accordancewith the rules and requirements as deter-mined by editorial policy. Paid advertise-ments are not to be interpreted as anendorsement by the Italian CommunityCenter or its newspaper, The Italian Times.In addition, the Newspaper Committeereserves the right to reject ads based on edi-torial policy approved by the Board ofDirectors of the Italian Community Center.The Italian Community Center is a mem-

ber of the Metropolitan MilwaukeeAssociation of Commerce, Visit Milwaukeeand the Historic Third Ward Association.

THE ITALIAN TIMES631 E. Chicago St.

Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916(414) 223-2180

Published 11 times annually

Publisher . . . Italian Community CenterICC President . . . . . . . . .Giuseppe VellaNewspaper CommitteeChairman . . . . . . . . . . . . Blaise DiPronioEditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas HemmanAdvertising SalesManager . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas HemmanAdvertising SalesRepresentative . . . . . . Faye Ann KesslerEditorial Contributors, Reportersand Columnists . . . . . . . Blaise DiPronio,Barbara Collignon, Annette Robertson.Donato DiPronio, Angelo Castronovo,

and the late Mario A. CariniStaff Photographers. . . . . . .Joe Spasiano,

and Tom Hemman

For advertising information, please call(414) 223-2180 or send an e-mail to:themman@italiancc.org.

Copyright 2015The Italian Community Center, Inc.

All Rights Reserved

Children: La Befana, legendary Italianwitch, is coming to ICC to meet, greet and

present gifts on Saturday, Jan. 9

CHILDREN'S LABEFANAPARTY& LUNCH RESERVATION FORM

Names of male adult members attending: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Names of female adult members attending: ___________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Cost: $20.00 per adult, $15.00 per child. Total Amount Enclosed: $ . Make your check payable to: ItalianCommunity Center. Mail this form with your payment to: Italian Community Center, Attn.: La Befana party, 631 E.Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916. Reservation form with payment due Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016. No walk-ins permitted.

NAMES OF BOYSATTENDING AGE__________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ____

NAMES OFGIRLSATTENDING AGE__________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ____

La Befana

ICC New Year’s Eve PartyThursday, Dec. 317 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

ICC’s 37th annual“Il Grande Carnevale”

Saturday, Feb. 65:11 p.m. – 12:11 a.m.

ICC’s 24th annualSt. Joseph’s Day Luncheon

Friday, Mar. 18Noon – 1:30 p.m.

ICC’s 21st annual“A Taste of Italy”Sunday, Apr. 17

11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

ICC’s 39th annualFesta Italiana

Friday, July 22 – Sunday, July 24

ICC’s 3rd annual Casino NightFriday, Sept. 9

ICC’s 2nd annualHoliday BoutiqueSaturday, Nov. 19

Upcomingevents

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 3

Homeless and poor given a Thanksgivingfeast courtesy of ICC and its volunteers

About 275 homeless and poorindividuals, including several fami-lies, were able to enjoy a fullThanksgiving dinner courtesy ofthe Italian Community Center andits volunteers. The buffet-styleturkey dinner was served at theOpen Door Cafe, a meal site at St.John’s Cathedral, on Sunday, Nov.15.

The dinner was prepared anddelivered to the meal site by theItalian Conference Center’s staff.Donations to buy the food were col-lected by Tony Lupo, dinner chair-man. An initial article thankingthe donors appeared in our

December issue.The Thanksgiving dinner for the

less fortunate was started nearly40 years ago by a group of localItalian American men that includ-ed Mario Bartolotta, Dr. JimBalistreri and Tom Busalacchi, allof whom are deceased. The tradi-tion has continued and is now acharitable project of the ICC andits volunteers. Tony Lupo hasserved as chairman the last severalyears.

Here are some photos from thedinner which were taken by Timesvolunteer photographer TimTownsend.

Tony Lupo, chairman of theItalian Community Center’sThanksgiving dinner for the lessfortunate, reported that some ofthose who made donations for theNov. 15 event were not listed in theDecember issue of The ItalianTimes.

Those donors included:• M.S.S. Addolorata Society di

Santa’Elia• Bill and Rita Jennaro• Casper Balistreri

• Sciortino BakeryLupo expressed his thanks to

these donors and all of the otherswho helped to make it a record-breaking year for contributions.The donations of more than $4,300were used to buy the fullThanksgiving dinner for those whocame to the Open Door Cafe, themeal site at St. John’s Cathedral indowntown Milwaukee. The mealwas prepared by the ItalianConference Center culinary staff.

More donors reported forThanksgiving dinner for the poor

Top photo (l - r): Shelly Roder, director of OutreachMinistries at St. John’s Cathedral, is seen here with the ICCvolunteers who served the Thanksgiving dinner to thehomeless and poor on Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Open DoorCafe meal site. From the left: Roder, dinner chair TonyLupo, Ray Martinez, Sam Purpero, Carol Martinez, BarbaraNiles, Barbara Lupo, Peter Greco, George Collura, CharlieZingale, Tom Greco, Lena Zingale, Mike Toffler, TonyZingale, Dineo Black and Domenic Foti.

Barbara Lupo and Carol Martinez helped to serve the cake.

From the left: Mike Toffler, Ray Martinez, Tom Greco and Tony Zingale are seen here serv-ing the dinner.

Guests’ plates were filled with the Thanksgiving feast by the volunteers as they moveddown the buffet line.

Times photos by Tim Townsend

THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 4 – JANUARY 2016

Thursday, Dec. 31• Italian Community Center’s New Year’s Eve party, 7 p.m.Details in this issue.

Friday, Jan. 1• Felice Anno Nuovo! Happy New Year! Italian Community Centerwill be closed in celebration of the holiday.

Tuesday, Jan. 5• Pompeii Men’s Club Board meeting, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 8• ICC Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 11• ICC Finance Committee meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 12• Abruzzese Society Board meeting with spuntino, 7 p.m.•Milwaukee Chapter UNICO National, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 14• Società Santa Rosalia Board meeting, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 16• Italian Family History Club, 10 a.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 19• ICC Culture Committee meeting, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 20• OSIA/Filippo Mazzei Lodge Board meeting with spuntino, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 21• ICC membership dinner, 5:30 p.m.• ICC general membership meeting, 6:30 p.m. Vote on bylawsamendments.

Tuesday, Jan. 26•Milwaukee Ladies of UNICO Board meeting, 6 p.m.

Daily and weekly classes and activities• Bocce leagues.Winter bocce leagues will get underway the week of Jan.4, 2016 with mixed leagues on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nightsand seniors leagues on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. Team registra-tion forms are available for league coordinators and at the ICC.

• ICC’s free Children’s Italian class. Look for information on the springsemester class for children, ages 6 to 12, in an upcoming issue.

• ICC Italian classes for teens and adults. Look for information on thespring semester classes in an upcoming issue.

• I Bei Bambini, The Children’s Italian Dance Group. This children’s folkdance group practices weekly on most Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at the ICC.New dancers welcome. For details, visit www.tradizionevivente.com.

• Tradizione Vivente, The Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee. This folkdance group practices weekly on most Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the ICC. Visitwww.tradizionevivente.com for details. Ballate con noi! Dance with us!

Calendar of EventsDecember 31, 2015 – January 26, 2016

Last chance to register to attendICC’s New Year’s Eve party

Lots of food, fun and dancing to Doo-Wop DaddiesConsider this your last chance to

sign up to spend an enjoyable NewYear’s Eve with your family andfriends at the spectacular partyplanned at the Italian CommunityCenter on Thursday, Dec. 31.

The festivities start at 7 p.m.They include plenty of deliciousfood, party favors and dancing tothe sounds of the legendary Doo-Wop Daddies.

The cost for the evening is $80per person. Reservations arerequired and can be made either bycalling 414-223-2180 and using acredit card or by completing theform accompanying this story.Flyers with reservations are alsoavailable at the ICC.

Be sure to make your checkpayable to the Italian ConferenceCenter and submit it along withthe reservation form to: ICC, 631 E.Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202.

If you wish to be seated withspecific people, please list thosepersons on a separate sheet ofpaper. Don’t forget to include yourown name. Tables of 10 are avail-able.

The ICC will not allow walk-insthe night of the event.

At 7 p.m., guests will be able to

enjoy a variety of the ItalianConference Center’s famous hotand cold hors d’oeuvres in the galle-ria. There will be a cash bar.

An hour later, guests will becalled into the Pompeii GrandBallroom for a sumptuous dinner.It will begin with an Italian saladwith Romaine lettuce topped withmozzarella cheese, salami, pro-sciutto, tomatoes, black olives, arti-choke hearts and pepperoncini. Themain course will feature a combina-tion entrée – center cut beef tender-loin with wild mushroomBordelaise sauce and jumbo shrimpscampi – served over angel hairpasta, steamed vegetable medley,Italian bread, and coffee, tea ormilk.

For dessert, guests will beserved tiramisu (ladyfinger cookies,soaked in espresso and coffeeliqueur, layered with mascarpone,dusted with cocoa powder andchocolate shavings).

Following a midnight cham-pagne toast welcoming the NewYear, a buffet station will be madeavailable. The buffet will featureassorted cold cuts, cheese and rel-ish trays, fresh rolls, pasta saladand assorted cookies.

Back by popular demand, theDoo-Wop Daddies will play from 9p.m. to 1 a.m. The group has per-formed for the last several years atthe ICC on New Year’s Eve andalways attracted a good crowd.

Based in Milwaukee, the Doo-Wop Daddies capture the demand-ing vocal styles of doo-wop musicwith unsurpassed excellence.That’s only the beginning – thegroup doesn’t merely recreate thisclassic genre, but has redefined itand made it their own 21st centurydoo-wop.

The group’s live shows attainthat ideal unity of masterful per-formance and entertainment.Combining elements of vintage andcutting edge musical technologies,the Doo-Wop Daddies produce anexciting theatrical show thatremains faithful to the doo-wopstyle.

The Doo-Wop Daddies last per-formed at the ICC before a capacitycrowd on Sept. 3.

The USO of Wisconsin hasbooked the group for a fundraisinggig on Saturday, Apr. 9 at the ICC.

ICC New Year's Eve Party Reservation FormThursday, Dec. 31, 2015

Name(s) _________________________________________________________Address __________________________________________________________City _______________________________ State ______ Zip _____________Phone ___________________ Email __________________________________Please list the names of persons in your party on a separate sheet of paper. Tablesof 10 are available. Singles and couples: If you wish to be seated at a table with

specific persons, please list their names on a separate sheet of paper.Total number of people attending _________ x $80.00 = $Please make your check/money order payable to: Italian Conference Center, and

mail to: ICC, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916.All payments are non-refundable and must accompany this reservation form.

Doo-Wop Daddies

All advertising copy, news sto-ries and photos for publication inthe February 2016 issue of TheItalian Times must be submitted tothe editor no later than Friday,Jan. 8.

All materials can be emailed toeditor Tom Hemman at them-man@italiancc.org, sent to TheItalian Times, 631 E. Chicago St.,Milwaukee, WI 53202. For furtherinformation, call 414-223-2189.

Deadline set for Februaryissue of The Italian Times

The officers and directors of theItalian Community Center wish tothank and acknowledge all thosewho pledged, fulfilled a pledge, orcontributed to the building fund.

To obtain information on how tomake a donation, please call 414-223-2808.

The following donations werereceived between November 10 andDecember 9, 2015.

In memory of Peter FrankSorceBy his parents Peter T. and KathyM. Sorce and his sister ChristineSorceJames and Marie Schwindt

In memory of Peter Machi, Sr.George and Gina ManningJames and Marie SchwindtSalvatore PurperoMichael Mielotz and family

John A. CefaluIsidore and Mary PecoraroPauline CannestraMary G. WinardLeonard and Jeannine MachiEddie GloriosoZeke and Rose Marie PattersonMichael Mielotz and family

In memory of Ted Catalano, Sr.Sal MussomeliEddie and Joanne GloriosoRon and Joanne CzubekPaul and Rose IannelliGeorge and Judy MenosTony and Barbara LupoRay and Carol MartinezBill and Rita JennaroPeter A. and Judith A. SperaTony MachiAnna PitzoPompeii Men’s ClubRosemary DeRubertisPatti Fritz

Vince and Judy RussoNick and Alhana RussoSummit Filtration TechnologyWestern States Envelope and LabelIsidore and Mary PecoraroSam and Joanne SeiditaJoseph and Rose Purpero SpangLarry and Joan Balistreri

In memory of James CurroBill and Rita Jennaro

In memory of Russell EneaEddie and Joanne GloriosoJimmy and Linda SpataroBill and Rita JennaroTony Machi

Larry and Joan Balistreri

In memory of Frederick AliotoGeorge and Judy Menos

In memory of JosephCastrovinciCarmen Schlotthauer

In memory of MichealOberleitnerCarmen Schlotthauer

In memory of Gino CarraoCarmen Schlotthauer

In memory of Charles CarraoCarmen Schlotthauer

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 5

ORDERSONS OFITALY

INAMERICAFILIPPO MAZZEI GREATERMILWAUKEE LODGE #2763

FELICEANNO NUOVOwww,sonsofitalymilwaukee,org

Call 262-788-5000 for more information.JOSEPH EMANUELE,

PRESIDENT

A message from Giuseppe Vella,Italian Community Center PresidentTo all of our members and

friends, I want to wish everyone ablessed holiday season and a safeand healthy new year.

As members of the ItalianCommunity Center, we can lookforward to 2016 with great opti-mism. I believe that your Board ofDirectors has set our organizationon a path to succeed. I want tothank our officers and directors fortheir efforts and their commitmentto our organization.

CarnevaleWhile your attention right now

is likely on the celebration ofChristmas and New Year’s, I don’twant you to forget that the ICC hasits annual Il Grande Carnevalescheduled on Saturday, Feb. 6.

Joanne Czubek and RosemaryDeRubertis and their committeeare working very hard to makeCarnevale an outstanding event.

Complete details on Carnevalecan be found in this issue.

Membership renewal timeAs your President, I want every-

one to take time to renew yourmembership in the ItalianCommunity Center for 2016. It is

with your support, your dedicationand your volunteerism that theICC has prospered for almost 38years and will prosper for years tocome.

Buona fortuna a tutti!

– Giuseppe VellaICC President

Pompeii Men’s Club makesdonation for ICC’s

Thanksgiving dinner for poor

A $200 donation for the Italian Community Center’s Thanksgiving dinnerfor the less fortunate was presented to the dinner chairman Tony Lupo(right) by Peter Russo on behalf of the Pompeii Men’s Club. Russo is thevice president of the club. This donation along with other contributionsfrom other Italian organizations and individuals helped to raise a record$4,300 for the dinner. The donations were used to buy the fullThanksgiving turkey dinner that was served for the homeless and poorfamilies and individuals who came to the Open Door Cafe, the meal site atSt. John’s Cathedral, on Sunday, Nov. 15. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)

Thanks for your donationsto ICC building fund

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THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 6 – JANUARY 2016

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The National Italian Invitational GolfTournament for Charities completes

its $100,000 pledge to the ICCNational Italian Charitable Trust,which has become the receivingand disbursing vehicle of theTournament, $5,000 was donatedto Associazione Volartariato inRome, Italy, $1,000 to the ALSAssociation, $1,000 to St. Jude’sChildren Research Hospital, and$1,000 to a woman’s breast cancerresearch organization.

Under the leadership of theTournament’s current president,Attorney Joseph G. Alioto, the sonof one of the Tournament’s origina-tors, and the efforts of Mr. Machi

and men like him, the Tournamentwould not have been able to contin-ue for more than a half century.

“We are pleased to announce thecompletion of the $100,000 pledgeby Mr. Machi on behalf of theTournament and the successfulconclusion of his promise to helpthe ICC continue to grow andexpand,” Tournament officials saidin a statement to The ItalianTimes.

“The Tournament’s Board ofDirectors, under the leadership ofits officers, headed by AttorneyAlioto, hope to work with Joseph

Emanuele, President of the OrderSons of Italy in America/FilippoMazzei Greater Milwaukee Lodge,and Joseph Vella, President of theItalian Community Center, to pres-ent a united and cohesive front to

establish the Italian American com-munity in Milwaukee to its rightfulplace in and among the larger pop-ulation of our city,” said John J.Balistrieri, Chairman of the Boardof both the Tournament and Trust.

from page 1

The Italian CommunityCenter’s 24th annual St. Joseph’sDay luncheon will be held Friday,Mar. 18 at noon, chairpersonMary Winard said.

Winard asks that people mark

the date on their calendars.Complete details on the luncheon,honoring St. Joseph, the fosterfather of Jesus Christ, will beannounced in the next issue ofThe Italian Times.

St. Joseph’s Day luncheonset for Mar. 18 at ICC

Since it’s too cold, wet, andsnowy to play bocce outdoors inWisconsin in the winter time, whynot play the Italian lawn bowlinggame indoors at the ItalianCommunity Center? Winterleagues are now forming.

The winter bocce season getsunderway the week of Jan. 4.Teams in the senior citizenleagues play on Tuesday orThursday afternoons. Teams inthe mixed couples’ leagues com-pete on Monday, Wednesday orThursday nights. The regular sea-son lasts eight weeks.

The winter season championplayoffs will take place Monday,Mar. 7 at 7 p.m.

If you’re interested in register-ing a team to play in a winterleague, here are a few things youneed to know. There are two setsof player registration fees. Thelowest fee is for players who aremembers of the ICC. That fee is$30 per person per league season.The non-member registration feeis $40 per person per league sea-son. Each team must consist of atleast four players, with one playerdesignated as the team captain.Each league is interested in hav-ing eight teams. That way everyteam can compete each week.

Team registration forms areavailable from the league coordi-nators: Dan Conley (Monday

night), Craig Lieber and CaroleCasamento (Tuesday afternoon),Tony Tarantino (Wednesdaynight), Anna Pitzo (Thursdayafternoon) and David Alioto(Thursday night). The form alsocan be obtained by calling the ICCoffice at 414/223-2180 or by drop-ping one up at the ICC.

The championship playoffs,featuring each league winner andfour teams with the next bestrecord, will be played the night ofMonday, Mar. 7. Prizes will beawarded to the championshipteam and the runner-up in thetournament.

Spring and fall leagues datesBocce players might want to

mark their calendars for the start-ing dates for the ICC’s spring andfall 2016 bocce leagues.

According to Dan Conley, whoserves as the ICC’s bocce coordi-nator, the spring season will beginthe week of Mar. 14 and will con-clude the week of May 9. The fallseason will start the week of Sept.12 and end the week of Nov. 7. Inboth the spring and fall, leagueswill be available for mixed coupleson Monday and Wednesday nightsand seniors’ leagues on Tuesdayand Thursday afternoons.

The spring championship play-offs will be on Monday, May 16.The fall playoffs will be onMonday, Nov. 14.

Winter bocce season tostart week of Jan. 4 at ICC

The staff of Cafe La Scalainvites you to stop in for

lunch or dinner.Arancini • Boneless Buffalo Chicken Strips • Panzanella •

Italian Beef Sandwich • Reuben • Sicilian Chicken Sandwich• Chicken Basil Panini • Sicilian Steak Sandwich •

Mushroom Swiss Burger • Pasta alla Norma• Chicken & Spinach • Alfredo • Sicilian Steak Dinner• La Scala Pizza • Alfredo Pizza • Prosciutto Pizza

and much more!

WEEKDAY LUNCH BUFFET FORJUST $8.95/PERSON!

Monday 5 Mexican • Tuesday 5 Pasta • Wednesday 5Southern BBQ; Thursday 5 Italian; Friday 5 Fish Fry

Cafe La Scala631 E. Chicago St. • 414-223-2185

LaScalaMilwaukee.comLunch, Mon.-Sat., 11am-2pmDinner, Mon.-Thurs., 5-9pm,Fri., 4:30-10pm, Sat., 5-10pm

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 7

Two amendments have beenproposed to the Italian CommunityCenter Bylaws by the BylawsCommittee.

The first proposal calls forreplacing Article IV, Section 10with a reworded amendment.The current Article IV,

Section 10 states: Any member ofthe Board of Directors absent with-out excuse from two consecutiveBoard meetings shall be deemed tohave resigned from the Board.

The Bylaws Committee is ask-ing members whether they wouldlike to replace this amendmentwith a two-part amendment.This is the proposed two-

part amendment to Article IV,Section 10:

a). Any member of the Board ofDirectors absent, with or withoutexcuse, from more than three (3)Board meetings in a term year ofoffice shall be deemed to haveresigned from the Board.

b). Any member of the Board ofDirectors absent, with or withoutexcuse, from more than four (4)

general membership meetings in aterm year of office shall be deemedto have resigned from the Board.The committee provided this

rationale for the amendment:Members of the Board of Directors,officers and directors, are electedby the members to conduct thebusiness of the Italian CommunityCenter. Multiple absences reducethe effectiveness of the position ofthe absentee.

The second proposal would cre-ate a new amendment to thebylaws – Article IV, Section 20.This is the proposed Article

IV, Section 20: Each director shallserve as a member of a standingcommittee of the ItalianCommunity Center.The committee provided the

following rationale for theamendment: This amendmentensures that the Executive Boardhas an ongoing knowledge of theactivities of each standing commit-tee of the ICC.

The membership will vote on theproposed amendments at the gen-eral meeting on Thursday, Jan. 21.

Bylaws amendmentsproposed

Mark your calendars now. TheItalian Community Center’s 21stannual “A Taste of Italy” will beSunday, Apr. 17. Chairperson AnnRomano announced.

“A Taste of Italy,” at whichattendees can enjoy entrée items,sandwiches, salads, dessert andbeverages, at extreme low prices, isan essential fund raising activityfor the nonprofit organization. Ithas always been a success, said

Romano, who chaired the activity20 of the 21 years it has been held.

She announced that AnthonyZingale has agreed to return as vol-unteer food ticket chair and thatMarie and Jim Schwindt arereturning to be charge of the raffleheld in conjunction with “A Taste ofItaly.”

Look for much more informationon “A Taste of Italy” in upcomingissues of The Italian Times.

Taste of Italy will be Apr. 17

Name Branch AddressDuBuono, Joe Army 2913 W. Mount VernonDurante, Felix Army 3041 N. 12th St.Durante, Mike Army 5203 W. GreenfieldDandrea, Bert Army 824 W. ArmourDeCastro, Fred Coast Guard 3217 S. 25th St.Eannelli, Pasquale Army 818 E. CenterEannelli, Joe Army 2011 N. BuffumEccher, Mario Army 2651 S. DelawareEmanuele, Charlie Army 1426 N. JacksonEmanuele, John Army 1426 N. JacksonEmanuele, Vince Army 3111 N. BartlettEndrizzi, Augusto Army 924 W. LloydEndrizzi, Charles Army 924 W. LloydEndrizzi, Ernest Army 2416B N. 11th St.Endrizzi, Germano Army 2334 N. BuffumEndrizzi, Marino Army 2138 N. 23rd St.Endrizzi, Martin Army 2138 N. 23rd St.Enea, Joe Army 163 N. JeffersonErato, Angelo Navy 712 E. MichiganErato, Victor Army 712 E. MichiganErmi, Angelo Army 1807 S. 11th St.Ermi, Louis, J. Army 1339 E. PotterFabera, Charles Army 2752 N. 16th St.Fabina, Joe Navy 1637 N. 14th St.

Fabina, Steve Army 726 W. GalenaFaccidomo, Andrew Army 430 N. Van BurenFaccio, Andrew Army 213 W. BrownFaccio, Angelo Army 213 W. BrownFalbo, Joe Army 1605 W. MeineckeFalbo, Sam Army 1605 W. MeineckeFalbo, Sam Army 2024 N. BuffumFalbo, Sam Army 2024 N. BuffumFaldi, Veri Army 325 E. WrightFalletta, Sam Army 721 S. 34th St.Famularo, Angelo Army 1648 N. FranklinFamularo, Anthony Army 1747 N. ArlingtonFamularo, Buster Navy 1725 N. PulaskiFamularo, Sebastian Marines 1725 N. PulaskiFamularo, Joe Army 1430 E. BradyFare, Carmelo Army 1740 S. 10th St.Farina, Charlie Army 2227 N. 4th St.Farina, Mike Army 2809 S. LoganFarina, Tony Army 2809 S. LoganFarino, Larry, Jr. Army 132 N. 33rd St.Fatigati, Jim Navy 2412 N. HoltonFatura, John Army 3815A N. 14th St.Fazio, Anthony Army 1601 N. JacksonFazio, Jim Army 1602 N.JacksonFerra. Phil Army 418 E. DetroitFarracinI, Paul Army 807 E. BradyFerrara, Frank Army 3429 N. BartlettFarrara, George Army 3439 N. BartlettFerrara, Joe Marines 3419 N. BartlettFazio, Jim Army 3398 N. 23rd St.Ferrari, Ed Navy 216 E. GarfieldFerrari, Guido Army 216 E. GarfieldFerraro, Annunzio Coast Guard 2538 S. LoganFerraro, Ottilio Army 2538 S. LoganFerri, Nellie Navy 2457 S. SuperiorFerrito, Batiato Army 1416 N. JeffersonFiasca, Fred Army 1691 N. Marshall

Source: Wright’s Milwaukee City Directory, 1941, WrightDirectory Co., Milwaukee.

Continued in the next issue

Milwaukees Italians who served in the U.S.Military during World War II – Part 8

Researched and written by the late Mario A. Carini,Italian Community Center Historian

The information presented here was researched andcopyrighted as a historical record of the men and women ofItalian descent who lived in the City of Milwaukee andserved in the United States Military during World War II.

The information recorded and documented by thisresearcher from records kept at the Milwaukee CountyHistorical Society and the City of Milwaukee LegislativeReference Bureau. These works were copyrighted in 2004and an original copy has been placed in the repository atthe United States Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The research was secured from City of Milwaukee Directories 1941,1942 and 1944-45. No directory was published in 1943. The years 1944and 1945 were combined into one directory.

By Blaise Di PronioYes, life is sweet, la dolce vita,

and especially in Italy on NewYear’s Eve.

The nation of Italy is sweetnesspersonified, if a country can be soattributed. It is known for allthings sweet such as its confetti,cookies, liqueurs and, of course, ourpanettone – the sweet, fruity breadloaf made famous in Milan eonsago but now popular all over theworld during the Christmas andNew Year seasons.

In Italian, the word “pane”means bread. Its diminutive“panetto” signifies a small loaf andits augmentative “panettone” thusmeans a very large loaf. And it islarge and cupola (like a giant muf-fin) shaped. Its dough is made offlour, water, butter and eggs, butwhat’s inside is what counts: can-died fruits, raisins, lemon zest,almonds, chocolate and, at times, avariety of liqueurs. Please note, asshown below, the name of this cakeis not as simple as I’ve made it as italso has some history.

Like all else Italian, the historyof panettone goes back to RomanEmpire times where it started outas leavened cake sweetened withhoney, and it continued to makeappearances throughout the agesin literature, paintings and tradi-tional foods. And then, of course,the legends kick in. One such leg-end claims that the word derivesfrom the Milanese, “pan del ton”,meaning “cake of luxury”. (InEngland, ‘tony’ means: expensive,fancy, high quality). Another tracesthe invention to the 15th century

Milanese nobleman UghettoAtellani, who loved the daughter ofa poor baker named Toni. To helphis cause, the nobleman disguisedhimself as a baker and invented arich cake to which he added theabove indicated ingredients. Theduke of Milan, Ludovico il MoroSforza (1452–1508) agreed to themarriage, which was supposedlyheld in the presence of Leonardo daVinci, and encouraged the launchof the new bread-like cake: Pan deToni (or Toni’s cake).

In the more recent early 20thcentury, two other Milanese bakersbegan to make panettone in largequantities for all of Italy to enjoy.They were Angelo Motta andGioacchino Alemagna. Theirbrands were to become worldfamous and are still being producedtoday.

In the United States, panettoneis slowly becoming the light andairy alternative to the muchmaligned and ridiculed brick-likefruitcake (of mail order fame andfamously quipped by JohnnyCarson that “there really is onlyone fruitcake in the world passedfrom family to family”). Nowadays,a new, smaller size loaf, called(back to the diminutive) panetton-cino is making inroads with thecalorie minded and, thus, showingup on shelves.

Because of its ultra sweet taste,panettone is best enjoyed withsweet wines and, thus, back to NewYear’s Eve and its featuredSpumante (Italian champagne, lit-erally:bubbly,fizzy) such as Asti or

Give us this dayour panettone

Please turn to page 18

THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 8 – JANUARY 2016

Viva Il Carnevale: Feb. 6, 2016

FFoorr yyoouurrWWeeddddiinnggRReecceepptt iioonn

aannddRReehheeaarrssaa ll

DDiinnnneerr

The ItalianConference Center

located at theItalian Community Center631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee

You'll welcome our attention to detailand the way our staff goes out of itsway to meet your every need. Yourguests will love the setting, the food,and easy access and parking.

Our wedding specialists will workclosely with you to make certain thatyour day is everything you dreamed itwould be. They'll even assist with flo-ral arrangements, music, photography,ordering the wedding cake and otherextras.

Call David or Kim Marie now foravailable dates and a tour.

(414) 223-2800www.italianconference.com

Continued on page 9

that co-chairs Joanne Czubek andRosemary DeRubertis say will be “acombination of exciting entertain-ment, colorful pageantry and tradi-tion.”

Tradizione Vivente, the ItalianDance Group of Milwaukee, and IBei Bambini, the Children’s ItalianDance Group, are expected to per-form.

Highlighting the evening’s pro-gram will be the coronation of roy-alty. The worthy recipients of thesehonors will be:

• Sal and Maria Purpora as Reand Regina (King and Queen)

• Ray and Carol Martinez asNonno and Nonna (Grandfatherand Grandmother)

• Thomas Blaubach and ClaireElliott as Principe and Principessa(Prince and Princess)

• Charlie Bartolone and IsabellaVella as Piccolo Principe andPiccola Principessa (Junior Princeand Junior Princess)

• John Alioto as Il Gran Mares-ciallo (The Grand Marshal)

• Frank D’Amato as Il Vescovo(The Bishop).

Ready to fill the dance floor withmusic for all ages will be BillSargent’s Big Band. Sargent’s bandhas long been known as “the tight-est, most solid ensemble of expertmusicians Milwaukee may eversee.”

The program will return withthe parade, led by Il GranMaresciallo John Alioto and theroyalty. The parade will alloweveryone who comes adorned incostume and/or mask to marchbefore a panel of judges, who willselect the best in various cate-gories. Winners will receive anarray of prizes.

As the judges complete theirscoring, Alioto will lead everyoneout of the ballroom into the loggia(or for those who want to brave thecold, outdoors) for the spectacularBartolotta Fireworks show, stagedacross Chicago Street in a parkinglot.

After the show, everyone will beinvited to a scrumptious sweettable in the galleria.

The band resumes for everyone’spleasure as people return to theballroom. The only other stoppage

of the music will come for theawarding of costume and maskprizes and the drawing of winnersfor the Carnevale raffle. There willbe four cash prizes awarded: $500for 1st prize, $300 for 2nd prize,$100 for 3rd prize and $100 for 4thprize. Raffle ticket prices will be $2each or seven for $10.

As usual, the general public isinvited to join ICC members inattendance. While the general pub-lic can revel in the festivities for$60 per person, an ICC membercan partake for just $55. Reser-vations are required by Jan. 31.

Your reservations can be madeby using the form accompanyingthis article, in person at the ICCfront office during regular businesshours or by calling 414-223-2180and having your credit card handy.You may also pick up a Carnevaleflyer with a reservation form atvarious locations throughout theICC.

There will be assigned seating.Check in at the reservation tableduring the social hour to get yourtable assignment.

For the third straight year, the

Carnevale Committee is pleased toannounce that free valet parkingwill be available that evening, Thedrop off point is under the canopyat the south entrance to the build-ing, which makes it a short walk tothe registration table, the coatcheck room and the galleria wherethe festivities begin.

Whether you are attendingCarnevale or not, you can partici-pate by buying tickets in the raffleor making a tax-deductible dona-tion to the ICC.

Donations to help cover the costof this event can be made the sameway as reservations by using theform accompanying the article, inperson at the ICC, by filling out theflyer found in the building or bycalling 414-223-2180 and usingyour credit card.

Il Re e LaRegina Sal andMaria PurporaSal and Maria have been mar-

ried 26 years. They have threewonderful children: Francesco, 23,a graduate of the University ofWisconsin-Milwaukee who is nowthe owner of Papa Luigi’s inCudahy, Salvatore,19, a student atthe University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Josephine, 18, asenior at Oak Creek High School.

The Purporas are long time resi-dents of Oak Creek. Sal is a gradu-ate of St. Rita’s grade school,Pulaski High School, and UW-Milwaukee graduate businessschool. Maria, a graduate of NotreDame High School, attained herhairdressing degree. She overseesthe financial affairs of the familybusinesses.

Sal and Maria own Papa Luigi’sCudahy, which has been there for33 years, Papa Luigi’s II in SouthMilwaukee for 10 years, and S&PEquipment, Wisconsin’s largestnew and used restaurant dealer forover 30 years.

They are upstanding donors for

from page 1

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 9

John Alioto has been an activemember of the Italian CommunityCenter since its beginning when heassisted Sam Ceraso, his father-in-law and past president, in cleaningand organizing the former home ofthe ICC on Hackett Street.

He is married to Mary AnneCeraso-Alioto. He and Mary Anne

were the Re and Regina ofCarnevale in 2013. Mary Anne iscurrently a director on the ICCBoard.

John has three daughters:Jenna, Kayla and Anna, and a son,Sam. Jenna was the Principessa ofCarnevale 2008. Sam was thePiccolo Principe in 2010.

Carnevale 2016 RoyaltyIl Re e La Regina

Sal and Maria PurporaIl Nonno e La NonnaRay and Carol Martinez

Il Principe Thomas Blaubach Il Gran Maresciallo John Alioto

the schools in the area whichinclude Oak Creek, SouthMilwaukee, St. Francis, andCudahy. They are also supoortersof Three Holy Women Parish/St.Rita Church, St. Joan Antida HighSchool, and the the ItalianCommunity Center.

Sal’s motto is give back to thecommunity that helped you. Saland Maria’s businesses stress fami-ly values and hospitality.

They are long time members ofthe Italian Community Center. Sal

is also a member of the PompeiiMen’s Club and is on its Board ofDirectors. He sponsors bocce andsoccer teams that play at Festa.Papa Luigi’s has been a vendor atFesta for four years. They love howFesta brings family together. Sal’sknown for his “Fugettaboudit” and“How u Doin?” sayings. He lovesmaking people feel like family.

Sal and Maria’s election as Reand Regina is in recognition of alltheir efforts and contributions,saidCarnevale Chairs Joanne Czubekand Rosemary DeRubertis.

from page 8 Longtime ICC members Ray andCarol Martinez will be filling theroles of Nonno and Nonna(Grandfather and Grandmother).The couple, who live in Grafton,have established a solid trackrecord for volunteering at suchevents as: the ICC’s “A Taste ofItaly,” in the Festa volunteer tent,at the Pompeii Women’s Club’sPalm Sunday breakfast, thePompeii Men’s Club’s Good Fridayfish fry buffet, the St. Joan AntidaHigh School spaghetti dinner andthe ICC’s Thanksgiving dinner forthe homeless and poor.

Ray and Carol have been mar-ried for 57 years. They have twomarried children, five grandchil-dren, and two great-grandchildren,all whom live in the Milwaukeearea. Their children are: Michele(Javier) Lopez and Robert (Pietra)Martinez. Their grandchildren are:Elena (Matt) Laudon, Natalie and

Robert Martinez and Nicole andAngie Lopez. Their great-grand-children are: Jaymeson andBenjamin Laudon.

For 34 years, Ray worked as anindustrial engineer forHarnischfeger Corporation. He isan active tennis player. He spentthe first five years of his retirementas tennis coach at Port Washingtonand Dominican High Schools.

Carol retired as a supervisorfrom Blue Cross/Blue Shield after31 years.

Ray and Carol are members ofSt. Joseph’s Catholic Church inGrafton where Ray volunteers asan usher and Carol is on a commit-tee that prepares appetizers forvarious church functions.

The couple said they have“strong family ties and enjoyspending time with family andlongtime friends, especially at theICC.”

Maria and Sal Purpora Ray and Carol Martinez

Thomas Blaubach is an 18-yearold senior at Homestead HighSchool in Mequon where he is onthe National Honor Society, ranCross Country, participates in theLatin Club, and is a member of theJazz Band.

His parents are Ryan and FranLoCoco Blaubach. He has a 15year-old sister Sarah. In his sparetime, he enjoys playing guitar, lis-tening to music, traveling, readingabout history, and running 5Ks.

Thomas is a regular usher at theFesta Italiana Mass under the

leadership of his grandfather, SalLoCoco. He is considering attend-ing college at either the Universityof Wisconsin, the University ofMinnesota, the Loyola Universityin Chicago, or the University ofWisconsin – La Crosse to pursue adegree in Political Science andInternational Studies.

Thomas Blaubach

John Alioto

Claire Elliott, La Principessa, isa senior at Whitefish Bay HighSchool. She is planning to attendcollege in the fall to work on adegree in education and eventuallyteach at the elementary level.

Her school activities includebeing involved in student counciland Bay Gives Back. She playedvolleyball for the past eight yearsand is now an assistant coach for aclub team.

Claire is the daughter ofRoseanne and John Elliott. She hasan older sister, Cassie, who attendsCreighton University, and ayounger brother, Jack, who is astudent at Holy Family CatholicSchool. Jack was Il Piccolo Principeat Carnevale in 2014.

Joining Claire on the 2016 RoyalCourt, will be her grandfather,Frank D’Amato, who is serving forthe sixth straight year as IlVescovo. Frank and his late wife,Catherine, were Il Re e La Regina

of Carnevale in 1997.In her free time, she loves to

spend time with family and friends.

More Royaltyinformation and photos

on page 10.

La Principessa Claire Elliott

Claire Elliott

Please turn to page 10

THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 10 – JANUARY 2016

La Piccola PrincipessaIsabella Vella

Il Piccolo PrincipeCharlie Bartolone

Il VescovoFrank D’Amato

Il Gran MarescialloJohn Alioto

Following in the footsteps of hersiblings and her parents, IsabellaVella becomes the fifth member ofher family to serve as CarnevaleRoyalty. Isabella, 8, will succeedher sister, Maria, 10, as La PiccolaPrincipessa. Her brother Sal, 12,was Il Piccolo Principe in 2012 andher parents, Giuseppe and RhianaVella, as Il Re and La Regina in2010.

Isabella is an avid swimmer forthe Shorewood Swim Club andcompetes in meets every weekend.She also loves to dance and takeHip Hop classes.

The third grader at Lake BluffElementary School in Shorewoodhas shown that she is a very smartgirl. Her favorite subject is math.

Isabella loves to help in the fam-ily bakery, Peter Sciortino Bakery.As she is getting older, her desireto help out in the bakery has gottenstronger. She helps her Zizi withthe cookies and loves working withthe customers in the store.

Festa Italiana is one of herfavorite times of the year. Runningaround with her friends, getting toeat the good Italian food and going

on the sky glider are her favoritethings at Festa. Having fun is hermiddle name!

Isabella Vella

Charles (Charlie) SalvatoreBartolone is eight years old. He isthe son of Christopher and LisaBartolone, longtime ICC members.

He has three siblings, Isabella,13, Dominic, 11, and Sofia, 7.Charlie’s grandparents are Nettieand Charlie Natoli and Kathleenand the late Dominic Bartolone.

Royalty runs in the Bartolonefamily. Charlie’s older brother,Dominic, was Il Piccolo Principe in2013. Their father, Christopher,was Il Principe in 2000.

Charlie is a third grade studentat Richards Elementary School inWhitefish Bay.

He enjoys playing baseball, bas-ketball, soccer and chess.

Charlie Bartolone

John is employed at C&DTechnologies of Milwaukee.

Over the years, he has contin-ued to show his support for the ICCby managing several of the stagesat Festa, and this past year, man-

aging the Festa wine booths. Healso has assisted at both the ICC’schildren’s Easter and La Befanaparties and has had been a specialparticipant in the Center’s mem-bers’ Christmas party for yearswith his son, Sam.

from page 9

The role of Il Vescovo (TheBishop) will be filled for the sixthconsecutive year by FrankD’Amato. Frank is no stranger tothe Carnevale court – he and hislate wife, Catherine, were selectedas the Re and Regina in 1997.

Frank, a retired lithographer,resides in Brown Deer. He is theproud father of six children (threeboys, three girls), the grandfatherof 12 and great-grandfather of 3.His wife of 52 years Catherine (neeDentice) passed away in 2008. Heis the brother-in-law of ICC mem-ber Joe Dentice. His grandson,Jack Elliott, was Piccolo Principe in2014.

Frank can remember beinginvolved in the ICC when it waslocated on Hackett Avenue. Sincethen he has served on several com-mittees. Most notably, he has beena member of the Festa Mass andProcession Committee since itsinception and has served both asthe chairman and co-chairman. Hehas long worked as a volunteer inFesta’s Pompeii sacred art exhibit

and has been on the CarnevaleCommittee for the past severalyears.

Frank D’Amato

Italian Community Center andPompeii Men’s Club receiverecognitions from U.S.

Department of Navy for role incommissioning USS Milwaukee

In recognition of the roles the Italian Community Center and the PompeiiMen’s Club played in the commissioning of the USS Milwaukee on Nov. 21,the United States Department of Navy presented several commemorativeitems to both organizations. Pompeii Vice President Domenic Foti (left)presented the commemorative items to ICC President Giuseppe Vella atthe Dec. 17 general meeting/Christmas party. The commemorative itemsincluded: framed owner’s plank certificate (shown here), a scroll commem-orating the commissioning, a plaque, a paper weight and a cap. The ICC,working with the Pompeii Men’s Club, provided free parking and trans-portation to Veteran’s Park where the ceremonies were held. The vesselwas built in Marinette, Wis. by an Italian ship building company. The com-memorative items will be displayed in an appropriate place at the ICC.(Times photo by Tom Hemman)

Pompeii Women present$500 donation to ICC

Each year at the Italian Community Center’s December general meeting,the members of the Pompeii Women’s Club step forth with a donation tothe ICC. This year, Pompeii President Pat Consolazione (left), on behalf ofher organization, presented a $500 donation. The presentation was madeto ICC President Giuseppe Vella at the general meeting/Christmas partyon Dec. 17. Over the years, the Pompeii Women’s Club has been one of thebiggest supporters of the ICC. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)

Any member of the ItalianCommunity Center who has achange of address is asked to notifythe ICC promptly so that mailingsfrom the Center are sent to the cor-rect address.

Since the ICC uses nonprofitbulk rates to mail The ItalianTimes, the United States PostalService is entitled to charge a feefor each newspaper that isreturned to the ICC and deemedundeliverable due to an incorrectaddress.

Even if you are temporarilyaway from your permanent resi-dence and are not receiving mail atthat address, you need to notify theICC of your temporary address sothat your newspaper can be deliv-ered to that address and so that theICC is not charged the same fee foreach failed attempt to deliver thepublication to your permanent resi-dence.

“We’ve had a number of mem-bers who have gone to Florida oranother warm weather location forthe winter and these people did notsupply us with their temporarychange of address; hence theirnewspaper was returned to the ICCwith the service fee due for eachnewspaper,” Editor Tom Hemmansaid.

Nonprofit bulk rate mail is notforwarded to a new address, whichmeans those members who neglectto inform the ICC of their change of

address will not receive the news-paper.

Please send change of addressinformation to: Italian CommunityCenter, 631 E. Chicago St.,Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916 oremail Constance Jones atcjones@italianconference.com orcall her at 414/223-2808.

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 11

Word Search No. 4 : Last NamesMilwaukee’s Italians

By Blaise Di Pronio

Look for completed Word Search on page 15

Members: Please notify ICCof a change of address;noncompliance is costly

Charter ICC member Rose Emanuele helped to get her longtime luncheonand card club members in the spirit of Christmas by making decorativeholiday headpieces for them to wear for their gathering on Friday, Dec. 4at the ICC. From the left: Kathy Kriss, Maria Vitrano, Angie Kienzle, RoseEmanuele, Anita Emanuele and Fran Reardon. Some of the ladies in thisgroup have known each other since their grade school days. They regular-ly meet at the ICC. Their name, “The Hens”, was jokingly given to them byRose Emanuele’s late husband, Vince. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)

In the spirit of ChristmasPhoto of the left: The Italian Community Center held its annual members’Christmas dinner and dance on Thursday, Dec. 17. Chairperson SusieChristiansen and her volunteers decided to roll out the red carpet for aHollywood-inspired celebration. It included a Sicilian steak dinner, danc-ing, a bake sale, door prizes, a red carpet photo area where everyonecould have a free photo taken and a visit by Santa Claus and his favoriteelf. Here’s Santa with Mary Anne Ceraso-Alioto and Santa’s elf. We under-stand that John Alioto and his son, Sam, made the arrangements for theappearance of Santa and his elf. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)

Stop in forCafe La Scala’s“Happy Hour”

Monday – Friday4:00 p.m . – 6:00 p.m.

Half Price on AllBottled Beers

andRail Drinks!!!

By George KoleasOn Nov. 7, the Italian Family

History Club, also known asPursuing Our Italian NamesTogether, Chapter 22, collaboratedwith the Culture Committee of theItalian Community Center and theMilwaukee County GenealogicalSociety to present “Trova i TuoiAntenati” (Find Your Ancestors).We are also the Milwaukee CountyGenealogical Society’s Italian AreaInterest Group.

Pictures from the event wereprinted in the December 2015 issueof The Italian Times.

We brought our private data-base of 45,123 names and 14,052families from the area in or aroundPalermo, Sicily. We also used thesite at www.bellanti.org. This is thewebsite created by the late PeterBellanti, with whom we collaborat-ed for many years until his passing.The site has continued to operate.This site has information aboutmany Italian families inMilwaukee.

The Milwaukee County Genea-logical Society brought their com-puters, handed out materials andhad access to Ancestry and Fold3.Both of our teams also used family-search.org and other sites that wehave had success with in the past.We had a total of 22 visitors. Wehelped many people find connec-tions or put them on the right pathto discover more about their fami-lies. Some of us even met newcousins.

One of the newest resources weused that Saturday waswww.antenati.san.beniculturali.it.This site is in Italian but can betranslated by clicking the Englishflag in the upper right corner of thesite. All of the records on the siteare in Italian. Our member, FranColboth, provided the followingtranslation of the site and advice:“The Portale Antenati (AncestorsPortal) – promoted and sponsoredby the Direzione Generale per gliArchivi (Italian National Archives)– was born out of the necessity tomake available the huge treasureof documents that are stored in theState Archives, not only for thepurposes of genealogical research,and of recreating the history offamilies and individuals, but also tocontribute to the understanding ofthe social history of communities.”

The website continues toexplain: “Through Il Portale (ThePortal), it is actually possible tobrowse through millions and mil-lions of historical images of recordsin possession of the State, and tofind the names of people in thesedocuments and obtain informationon the documentation as well.Currently (October 2015),41,892,295 images from 43 statearchives are present in the Portal.The major headings include: II ter-ritorio e le fonti (Regions &Sources), Archivi di Stato (StateArchives), selezionare una regione(Select a country; i.e. Sicily), ClickRegion (i.e. Messina), Sfoglia I reg-

istri (Browse civil state records),Stato civile della restaurazione(Status of Civil Restoration), Selectcity in the Province.

Navigate: scroll forward succes-sivo (successive page) or ultimo(last page). To go back, chooseprecedente (previous) or primo(beginning). Inventorio (Inventory, we suggest that youreally don’t need this, just go rightto documents you want to browse.)Indice (Index, only contains a fewyears. You can skip this too.).Choose the record you want toresearch: Matrimoni (Marriages),Morti (Deaths), Nati (Births).• Choose the Year.• Click on the year you want to

browse.• Individual images appear for

that year.• Choose Ultimo and then go

back until you find the first page ofthe Index.

• Find the name you want toresearch.• Make a note of the page num-

ber for the record associated withyour name.

• Go back to an Image Numberclose to the page number and scrollforward or backward as needed.”

The holidays are nearly over.Memories of your family gatheringsare fresh in your mind. Those holi-day family gatherings you attendedand stories you heard may have

inspired you to learn more aboutyour ancestors. At our meetings, wediscuss new developments inresearching your family history.Members report on progress theyare making in their research. Theydescribe their brick walls and othermembers offer suggestions on howto overcome those brick walls tofind the information they need, andwe help new members and interest-ed visitors to get started. If you oryour family are from theMilwaukee area, you may even finda family connection to one of ourmembers. You may even meet anew cousin.

Our next meeting will beSaturday, Jan. 16 at the ItalianCommunity Center, 631 E. Chicago St., starting at 10a.m. and concluding at noon. Pleasemark you calendars for our othermeetings in 2016 as well: AllSaturdays Apr. 23, Sept. 24 andNov. 12.

Please feel free to bring guests.Whether you are just starting orhave been researching your familyfor many years, anyone with aninterest in Italian family history iswelcome.

If you have any questions orneed additional information, pleasefeel free to contact me, GeorgeKoleas, by e-mail atGeorgeJK676@wi.rr.com or by call-ing 262-251-7216 after 7 p.m.

THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 12 – JANUARY 2016

News from ‘Trova i Tuoi Antenati’(Find Your Ancestors)

The Pompeii Women’s Club heldits annual Christmas dinner partyat the Italian Community Centeron Nov. 18. It afforded a good timefor all who attended.

After a delicious dinner, thoseattending were entertained by abarbershop quartet called VintageMix. They presented a wonderfulprogram of standards and a coupleof Christmas songs. What is trulyremarkable about this group is thatthey are quadruplets – three girlsand a boy named Kelsey, Anika,Julia and Ian Shoppacit. They are

only 14 years old and attendWaukesha West High School.Everyone said they were delightful.

The affair ended with doorprizes of poinsettia plants.

The Pompeii Women’s Clubwishes all of the officers, directorsand members of the ICC and all ofthe other societies and clubs thatmeet at the ICC a very blessed andhappy Christmas and a safe andhealthy new year.

– Mary G. (Mineo) WinardPublicity Person

Pompeii Women’s Club

If we were to survey the olderItalian Community Center mem-bership, there would be quite afew that, at some point in theirlives, worked for the now defunctMilwaukee and statewide retailer,Gimbels-Schusters. (It closed itsdoors in 1987).

It is safe to say that in the1960s and ‘70s, the majority, ifnot all, of their tailors and seam-stresses were Italian immigrants.In fact, in 1990 this small Italianconnection was expanded upon asFesta Italiana was the site for areunion of all former Gimbels-Schusters employees. It featuredtheir street parade to the Festagrounds from their former storesite at Wisconsin and PlankintonAvenues. The turn out was great

back then but, like all else withthe passage of time, the numberstoday have gotten smaller butthose former so-called Gimbelitesin the Milwaukee area still gatherfor monthly lunches and an annu-al dinner.

In order to revive participation,recruit future members and havea means of easy worldwide com-munication, the group has createda Facebook Group page aptlynamed Gimbels-SchustersMilwaukee Alumni.

It is hoped that more suchalumni come forward and partici-pate with the group by joiningand sharing their memories, sto-ries and pictures. Participation isfree and all are welcome as it is apublic group.

Gimbelites joinsocial media

Pompeii Womencelebrate holiday withdinner and music

Having up to 300 dinner guests?

Entertain them at the ItalianConference Center’sFESTA BALLROOM.

A gorgeous setting in which to enjoy great food!The Italian Conference Centerin the Italian Community Center

631 E. Chicago St. (a block west of Summerfest)Call David or Kim Marie at 414/223-2800 toreserve your party or meeting space at the ICC.

Visit: www.ItalianConference.com

Taking place in the historic cen-ter of Aosta (Valle D’Aosta regionof Italy), the Fair of Saint Orso is a1,000-year-old event that showcas-es the creativity of the Aosta Valleyresidents. It attracts thousands ofexhibitors, craftsmen and visitorsevery year.

The dates for the 2016 fair areFriday and Saturday, Jan. 29 and30.

The objects on display rangefrom sculptures and ornaments toclothing and toys, manufacturedwith a variety of primary materialslike wood, stone, wrought iron, laceand wool.

Concerts, folklore events andstands packed with mouth-water-ing specialties keep visitors enter-tained on the days before, duringand after the Fair of Saint Orso.

Fair of Saint Orso is Jan. 30-31

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 13

Crossword Puzzle No. 7 – SolvedBy Blaise Di Pronio

Crosswordpuzzle No. 7:Answerswith

explanationsand

commentsAcross3. Donkey – Of ‘pin a tail on’ fame.10. Marciano – The real preStallone Rocky.12. Valentine – Beer and Love Day.13. Coliseum – Of Packers vs.Lions vs. Christians fame.14. Canal – From oil tankers onone to gondolas on the others.17. Spanish – So called due toSpanish Embassy at bottom.18. Volunteers – Without them-niente Festa.19. Pieta – One of 3 bronze replicasin the world at the ICC. 21. Eagles – MU’s basketball war-riors.22. Pavarotti – Tenor who doesn’tget shot when he sings.23. Baker – You thought Sciortino,right?26. Aperitivo – Imbibed before eat-ing to enhance appetite.28. Row – The old fruit distribu-tors’ district.30. Cretin – With apologies to allyou real Cretans.

Down1. Aaron – He made up for theProdigal Brett.2. Vespucci – The map maker whoinadvertently named U.S.4. Dimottos – Judges and ICCmembers Jean and John.5. Practices – Until they get itright, even if wrong.6. Flags – The Renaissance lookingguys do it at Festa.7. Usinger – We race them atMiller Park.8. Grazie – ‘Thank you’ and ‘you’rewelcome’ in Italy.9. Pope – Purity is a virtue to bedisplayed year round.11. Ciao – Yes, it means hello andgoodbye.15. Alitalia – Italian airline. Alimeans wings. 16. Procession – When the saintsgo marching out.20. Centurion – Usually leadingthe wrong way in Italy.24. Calamari – It means ‘inkwell’and rightfully so.25. Pesto – Drop the ‘o’ if you don’tget it.27. Idiot – Of ‘every village has one’fame.29. High – It’s that holy incensesmoke again

San Sebastianofeast day

celebrated in Sicilyand Abruzzo

The feast day of San Sebastianois celebrated in many places inSicily on Jan. 20. In Mistretta, ahuge statue of the saint is paradedthrough the town on a litter borneby 60 men. In Acireale, there is acolorful parade with a silver car-riage and singing of hymns.

The Abruzzo city of Ortono cele-brates by lighting the Vaporetto, abrightly colored papier machémodel of a boat, which is decoratedand loaded with fireworks, in frontof the cathedral named in honor ofSan Sebastiano.

By Blaise Di PronioAs the title indicates, Hollywood

does not have a monopoly on bibli-cal epics. Italy’s Giuseppe Verdiwas catapulted to fame with his1841 opera on the oppression of theIsraelites at the hands of theBabylonians and their KingNabucco and his scheming adopteddaughter Abigaille. It tells thestory of the Hebrew priest Zaccaria,who wants to lead his people out ofslavery and that of Fenena,Nabucco’s daughter, held captiveby the Israelites and in love withher Hebrew jailer Ismaele and, ofcourse, Abigaille who not only

wants her adoptive father’s throne,but also Fenena’s lover Ismaele.

Nabucco is truly of blockbusterdimensions- to continue with theHollywood analogy. It is filled withpolitics, religion, a love triangle,intrigue, deception, war and exileand all that goes with it. It is prob-ably most famous for the greatestchoral music of all time includingthe thrilling and inspiring “VaPensiero”.

The following synopsis is a verythumbnail version of the opera and,thus, missing a lot of the intricatedetails which are not really neces-sary in order to enjoy the glorious

singing and choruses.The opera begins with Nabucco

on the verge of entering Jerusalemwhile, inside the gates, Zaccaria ispraying for a miracle rescue by Godwhich doesn’t come. Also inside areFenena, who is being held hostageand watched over by her jail-er/lover Ismaele. Their relationshipgoes back to when it was Ismaelewho was held hostage and Fenenasaved him. The two are planningan escape, but Abigaille has foundout and she threatens to reveal allunless Ismaele becomes her lover.

Nabucco now enters the scene,and Zaccaria threatens to kill

Fenena, but Ismaele saves her fromhis knife and brings her to herfather. Nabucco goes ahead withdestruction of the temple. TheIsraelites go into exile.

Before going off to other wars,Nabucco appoints Fenena as regentover the captured Hebrews, whileAbigaille finds out she is notNabucco’s daughter but a child ofslaves and not royalty. Hence, sheswears revenge on Nabucco andFenena and plots for the throne. Inthe interim, Fenena converts toJudaism and frees the Hebrewslaves. At this point, Abigaille pro-claims herself ruler, but Nabuccoappears on the scene and snatchesthe crown and declares himself notonly king but also a god. He is sud-denly struck down by a thunder-bolt, and Abigaille crowns herself.

The Babylonians now hailAbigaille as their ruler, and herhigh priest wants her to proceed inkilling the Israelites. However, shewants Nabucco to sign off on such adecree so she tricks him into sign-ing their death warrant. He thenfinds out that the warrant willinclude the execution of the con-verted Fenena, for whose life henow pleads Abigaille but in vain.

The opera now switches to itsmost famous scene: that of theHebrew slaves resting from theirforced labor along the river andtheir thoughts (pensieri) turning totheir beloved homeland and thepowerful choral Va Pensiero*engulfs the stage.

The jailed Nabucco now watchesfrom a window as the Israelites andFenena are being led to their execu-tions. His sanity returns, and heimmediately self converts toJudaism and prays for forgiveness.He breaks out of his room and sum-mons his soldiers and goes to therescue of his daughter and theIsraelites and then takes over thereign. Subsequently, Abigaille findsremorse, prays to the God of Israel,takes poison and dies. Nabuccofrees all and tells the Israelites toreturn to their native land wherehe promises to build them a newtemple. The Israelite andBabylonians unite in prayer to God.

The Lyric Opera of Chicago willperform Nabucco in early 2016. Itwill run from January 23 toFebruary 12. For information andtickets call 312-827-5600.

*Please note and refer to accom-panying article on “Va Pensiero.”

THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 14 – JANUARY 2016

ITALIAN TIMES PUZZLE NO. 8By Blaise Di Pronio

Nabucco: Verdi’s Biblical epic

DVDs of MPTVdocumentary onMilwaukee’s

Italians availableat ICC

A limited number of DVDs ofthe Milwaukee Public Television(MPTV) documentary “StoriaItaliana Milwaukee” are availablefor purchase at the ItalianCommunity Center. The cost is$15.

The DVD must be purchased inperson at the office reception desk.Since only a limited number ofDVDs have been made available tothe ICC, orders cannot be accepted.

The one-hour documentary“Storia Italiana Milwaukee” wasbroadcast in late February onChannel 10 as part of the nationalPublic Broadcasting System’sseries special “Italian Americans.”

The premiere screening of“Storia Italiana Milwaukee” wasshown at the ICC on Feb. 4 beforea capacity audience.

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 15

Va Pensiero: Flying on wings of goldBy Blaise Di Pronio

It is known in English as the “Chorus of theHebrew Slaves”. Pensiero is Italian for thoughtor reflection. In Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Nabucco,the powerful choral Va Pensiero embodies thethoughts or memories of the Hebrew slaves turn-ing or going (va) to their homeland from whichthey have been exiled and placed in captivity. Itis sung along the banks of the Euphrates Riveras they rest from their forced labor.

At the time of Nabucco’s nascent performanc-es, many thought that Va Pensiero was intendedto be an anthem to Italian nationalism. At thetime (1840s to 1850s), Italy was in the midst oftrying to unify and free (like the Israelites) itselffrom foreign controllers, especially theAustrians. People in Italy found parallelsbetween the opera’s story and their own plight.The lines “ O mia patria, si bella e perduta” (Ohmy country, so lovely and so lost) rang true andhit home for many Italians.

At times, proposals have been made or pur-sued to have the song become Italy’s nationalanthem; most recently in 2009 by SenatoreUmberto Bossi. In effect, it has become Italy’sunofficial national anthem. It is often heard at

both official and non-official events.

Verdi died in Milan in 1901. Approximately300,000 people gathered in the streets to payrespect to his funeral cortege and lament notonly his loss but, like Hebrews, the loss of theirItalian homeland to outsiders. Spontaneous cho-ruses of Va Pensiero resonated along the way.The Italians also yearned for their homeland“where the gentle breezes are warm, fragrantand soft” (Ove olezzano tepide e molli l’auredolci) and the “memories of our hearts are rekin-dled and speak of the times gone by” (Le memo-rie nel petto raccendi, ci favella del tempo chefu).

By the early 1860s, Italian unification hadcome about while Va Pensiero’s homage tonational sentiments continued to ring true tothis day. Let’s see what you think. The lyrics andtheir translation are provided below.

* * *Va’, pensiero, sull’ali dorate;Va, ti posa sui clivi, sui colli,ove olezzano tepide e mollil’aure dolci del suolo natal!Del Giordano le rive saluta,di Sionne le torri atterrate…

Oh mia Patria sì bella e perduta!O membranza sì cara e fatal!Arpa d’or dei fatidici vati,perché muta dal salice pendi?Le memorie nel petto raccendi,ci favella del tempo che fu!O simile di Solima ai fati,traggi un suono di crudo lamento;o t’ispiri il Signore un concentoche ne infonda al patire virtù!

Go, thought, on golden wings;Go, settle upon the slopes and hills,where warm and soft and fragrant arethe breezes of our sweet native land!Greet the banks of the Jordan,the towers of Zion ...Oh my country so beautiful and lost!Or so dear yet unhappy!Or harp of the prophetic seers,why do you hang silent from the willows?Rekindle the memories within our hearts,tell us about the time that has gone byOr similar to the fate of Solomon,give a sound of lament;or let the Lord inspire a concertThat may give to endure our suffering.

Word Search No. 4 : Last NamesMilwaukee’s Italians (Solved)

By Blaise Di Pronio

631 E. Chicago St.Milwaukee, WI

Call David or Kim Marie414/223-2800

or visitItalianConference.com

The PerfectEndingBring your wedding day toa successful close. Gatheryour families and friendswhere the ambiance is spe-cial, the food is exceptionaland the staff is attentive toyour every need.

Christmas is the time of year forcooking and giving. My cookbookmakes a great hostess gift for theperson who has everything. I haveseveral easy holiday recipes.

Dedicated to my nonna who inspiredme to cook – Mangia, Mangia!!

BUON NATALE!!Sale price - $12.00

Send check or money order to:FRANCENA,

125 Boyce Road, Centerville, OH 45458Call: 937-433-7313 or email:

fslyd@aol.com

Love spreading word of my Italianheritage of which I am so proud.

Get your message out to the readers of The Italian Times with an ad in our next issue.For details, call 414-223-2189 or email themman@italiancc.org.

While January is off-season formost tourist destinations in Italy,the ski resorts in the northern partof the country flourish.

Italy is internationally knownfor its world-class ski slopes and itsgreat mountains that remain cov-ered with snow during the wintermonths. The famous Dolomites aregenerally the most popular forthose who like winter sports.

The Dolomites are a mountainrange located in northeastern Italy.It is a part of Southern LimestoneAlps and extends from the RiverAdige in the west to the PiaveValley (Pieve di Cadore) in theeast. The northern and southern

borders are defined by the PusterValley and the Sugana Valley (ValSugana). The Dolomites are nearlyequally shared between theprovinces of Belluno, South Tyroland Trentino.

The Dolomites are listed as aUNESCO (United NationsEducational, Scientific, andCultural Organization) WorldHeritage Site and are characterizedby their dozens of high, snow cov-ered mountain peaks. Several high-ly acclaimed ski resorts are locatedin the area. Some of the mostfamous are located in Alleghe,Auronzo, Falcade, Urtijei andArabba.

Italian ski resorts flourish in January

di Donato Di PronioNome derivato da Epifania: la

festività religiosa ricadente il 6Gennaio, giorno in cui i Cristianiricordano la manifestazione almondo della Divinità di GesùCristo.

Dal Vangelo di Matteo (2, 1-12):Gesù nacque a Betlemme diGiudea, al tempo di re Erode.Alcuni Magi giunsero dal’ Oriente aGerusalemme e domandavano:“Dov’è il re dei Giudei che è nato?Abbiano visto sorgere la sua stella,e siamo venuti per adorarlo.”Entrati nella casa, videro ilBambino con Maria sua madre, eprostratisi, lo adorarono. Poiaprirono i loro scrigni e glioffrorono in dono oro, incenso e

mirra.Forse ad imitazione dei Tre Re

Magi che portarono dei doni a GesùBambino, invalse l’usanza tra lefamiglie Cristiane di fare doni aipiccoli nella ricorrenza dellafestività. Nel corso degli anni,portatrice dei doni venne e vieneidentificata in una vecchietta moltoanziana, che volando su una scopa,la notte tra il 5 e il 6 Gennaio,entra nelle case attraverso ilcamino e mette nelle scarpe e nellecalze, che i bambini mettono eappendono sotto la cappa: dolciumie regalini in quelle dei buoni ebravi e carbone in quelle deimonelli. Ricordate la filastrocca: “La Befana vien di notte / con lescarpe tutte rotte / con le toppe alla

sottana / Viva, viva la Befana.”Quando la recito ai nipotini, misembra di ritornare piccolo e sognocome … allora!

Ecco una delle tante leggendenate sulla Befana: i Re Magi nonriuscendo a trovare la strada perandare nella grotta dove era nato ilBambino Gesù, chieseroinformazione ad una vecchiasignora che si rifiutò diaccompagnarli. La donna, poi,pentitasi del suo rifiuto, preparòdei dolci e si mise in giro a cercarli,senza riuscirci. Cammin facendo, sifermava in ogni casa e donava aibambini che incontrava sperandoche uno di essi fosse il BambinoGesù.

Agli inizi del 1900 invalse inItalia tra alcune categoriecommerciali e professionali laconsuetudine di raccogliere denaro,indumenti, generi alimentari, ecc.da distribuire il 6 Gennaio trafamiglie bisognose. Il RegimeFascista nel 1928 istituì con lostesso scopo la Befana Fascista (oBefana del Duce). L’iniziativa ebbegran successo: per esempio, nel1932 furono distribuiti circa1.250.000 pacchi dono.

E allora: Viva, viva la Befana!

THE ITALIAN TIMES

La Pagina Italiana

PAGINA 16 – GENNAIO 2016

Viene viene la Befana,vien dai monti a notte fonda.Come è stanca! La circondaneve, gelo e tramontana.Viene viene la Befana.

Ha le mani al petto in croce,e la neve è il suo mantelloed il gelo il suo pannelloed il vento la sua voce.

Ha le mani al petto in croce.

E s’accosta piano pianoalla villa, al casolare,

a guardare, ad ascoltareor più presso or più lontano.Piano piano, piano piano.

Che c’è dentro questa villa?Uno stropiccìo leggero.

Tutto è cheto, tutto è nero.Un lumino passa e brilla.Che c’è dentro questa villa?

Guarda e guarda...tre lettinicon tre bimbi a nanna, buoni.guarda e guarda...ai capitonic’è tre calze lunghe e fini.Oh! tre calze e tre lettini.

Il lumino brilla e scende,

e ne scricchiolan le scale;il lumino brilla e sale,e ne palpitan le tende.

Chi mai sale? Chi mai scende?

Co’ suoi doni mamma è scesa,sale con il suo sorriso.Il lumino le arde in viso

come lampada di chiesa.Co’ suoi doni mamma è scesa.

La Befana alla finestrasente e vede, e s’allontana.Passa con la tramontana,passa per la via maestra,

trema ogni uscio, ogni finestra.

E che c’è nel casolare?Un sospiro lungo e fioco.Qualche lucciola di fuocobrilla ancor nel focolare.Ma che c’è nel casolare?

Guarda e guarda... tre strapunticon tre bimbi a nanna, buoni.Tra la cenere e i carbonic’è tre zoccoli consunti.

Oh! tre scarpe e tre strapunti...

E la mamma veglia e filasospirando e singhiozzando,e rimira a quando a quandooh! quei tre zoccoli in fila...Veglia e piange, piange e fila.

La Befana vede e sente;fugge al monte, ch’è l’aurora.Quella mamma piange ancorasu quei bimbi senza niente.La Befana vede e sente.

La Befana sta sul monte.Ciò che vede è ciò che vide:c’è chi piange e c’è chi ride;essa ha nuvoli alla fronte,mentre sta sull’aspro monte.

– Giovanni Pascoli (1855-1912)

Carnevale 2016Preparate le maschere. Andate

in cerca per un costume. Segnate iltuo calendario. A Sabato, Febbraio6, si festeggia il Carnevale di 2016. Buttate via I tuoi carichi per unanotte e fai finto che sei un altro- unpersonaggio di film, di letteratura odi fantascienza.

Sará una sera di pranzo, ballo,dolci e di esibizione. Dopo una cenaa due-piatti(Pollo Roma e Filetto diCarne con vino a ogni tavola), cisará la coronazione tradizionale deireali seguito dalla loro sfilata conquegli in costume e maschere e poisaranno celebrati con fuochid’artificio dopo la scelta deimigliori travestiti in parecchicategori. Il tema della sera sará:Viva il Carnevale- salutando letradizioni del passato e la speranzadel futuro. I co-presidenti delCarnevale sono Joanne Czubek eRosemary DeRubertis.

Il divertimento comincia alle

5:11 con cocktails e antipasti nellaGalleria e alle 6:11 inizia ilprogramma e cena nella grandeSala Pompeii. I ballerini dellaTradizione Vivente e I Bei Bambiniforniranno balli folcloristichi.

I reali quest’anno saranno:• Re Regina: Sal e Maria

Purpora.• Nonno e Nonna: Ray e Carol

Martinez.• Principe e Principessa:

Thomas Blaubach e Claire Elliott.• Piccolo Principe e Piccola

Principessa: Charlie Bartolone eIsabella Vella.

• Il Grande Maresciallo: JohnAlioto.

• Il Vescovo: Frank D’Amato.

La musica sará fornita da BillSargent’s Big Band. La notteconcluderá con una riffa per premiin denaro(si puó partecipare nellariffa senza esserci). L’affare é

aperto a tutti. I biglietti costeranno$60 per il pubblico e $55 per Imembri dell‘ICC. Prenotazioni sononecessario e devono essere statifatti prima del 31 di Gennaio e sipossono fare in persona, per posta o

per telefono a 414-223-2180.Allora, spezzate la monotonia

del freddo, neve e malinconiadell’inverno col nostro grandeCarnevale. Buon appetito edivertimento a tutti!

Proverbi Italiani1. (Dialect) Nun c’e femmena senza amore, nun c’e viecchio senza dulore. One isn’t a woman without (experiencing) love, one isn’t an old person without (experiencing) pain.

2. (Dialect) La vecchia chiu steva e chiu se ‘imparava. The old woman: the more she stuck around, the more she learned.(Meaning) The more you live, the more you learn.

3. (Dialect): A paser j ani, pasa al morben. With the passage of years, the madness passes.(Meaning) With age comes wisdom.

4. (Dialect): Mari vecch e’ mei che gnient.An old husband is better than nothing. (Meaning) Being married to an old man is better than being single.

5. (Dialect): Lu ven e’ la tatta di vecch. Wine is the milk of the old.(Meaning) Wine is to the old as milk is to the young.

6. (Dialect) Dopo i quaranta, nun se fischia e nun se canta. After one hits forty, one doesn’t whistle or sing. (Meaning) Enjoy your youth.

* * *Courtesy of italyrevisited.org

La Befana

La leggenda di La Befana

1. Qual è l’ultima cosa che togli quando vai a letto?

2. Quale segno aritmetico devi mettere tra 4, 5 e 6 affinché il risultatodell’operazione sia 27?

3. Se durante una corsa superi il secondo, in che posizione arrivi?

4. Sapresti dire perché la notte di Natale la polizia ha arrestato BabboNatale?

5. Ho sposato molte persone, ma nessuna ha mai sposato me. Chi sono?

6. Ho la lingua ma sono senza bocca. Chi sono?

7. In un acquario ci sono 5 pesci, se 3 di loro annegano, quanti nerestano?

Risposte – pagina 17

Indovinelli

Italianidioms andexpressions

1. Affare fatto!It’s a deal!

2. Fare un buon affare.To get a good deal.

3. Come no!An emphatic way of saying

yes, of course, definitely andwhy not.

4. Farla finita!Cut it out. Put an end to it.

5. Tutto a posto!Everything is A.O.K.!

6. Sfogarsi.To get something off one’s

chest.

7. Ma guarda un po’!Well, would you look at that!

8. Dare un’occhiata.To have a look at.

9. Darsi da fare.To get busy.

10. In verità.As a matter of fact.

di Donato Di PronioSan Biagio (nome derivato dal

latino Blasius) per sfuggire allapersecuzione in Oriente del 314scatenata dall’imperatore Licinio,si era rifugiato in una grotta, doveveniva visitato da fedeli e dadevoti, attratti dalla sua fama disantità ed anche da una folla dianimali selvatici, compresi degliuccelli, che gli portavano del cibo.Un giorno fu scovato da cacciatoriche andavano alla ricerca di fiereoccorrenti per le manifestazioni chesi dovevano tenere nell’anfiteatroper festeggiare il quinto anno diregno dell’imperatore.

Questi cacciatori assistettero aduno spettacolo inconsueto: quellebestie invece di azzuffarsi stavanopacificamente insieme e se neandarono dopo essere statebenedette dal Santo. Raccontaronol’episodio al prefetto Agricolao e glidissero che Biase era Cristiano. Ilprefetto ordinò ai pretoriani diandare al prelevarlo: cosa chefecero il giorno seguente e locondussero a Sebaste, Armenia,dove era nato. Strada facendo siavvicinò al Santo una donna che glimostrò un proprio figlioletto chestava morendo soffocato da unalisca conficcata in gola: il Santostese le mani sul bimbo che sicalmò e tornò a sorridere. Quandoil corteo passò davanti al Foro,Biase, viste le statue degli idoli, lefulminò con lo sguardo facendolecrollare. Poiché seguitava a rifiutarsi disacrificare alle divinità pagane, ilprefetto ordinò che fosse gettato inuno stagno con un sasso legato alcollo ma il Santo tornò a rivacamminando sull’acqua gridando aipresenti: “Se volete dimostrarmi

che i vostri dèi sono potenti,entrate in questo stagno ecamminate pure voi come me soprale onde.” Ottanta uominiaccettarono la prova ordalica eannegarono, ma Biagio fudecapitato il giorno seguente, 3febbraio 316.

Questo Santo, ritenutoparticolare protettore dallemalattie della gola, è consideratoanche patrono dei contadini: ilpatronato, che non ha alcunrapporto con la sua storia, derivaprobabilmente da riti precristianiconnessi al periodo del passaggiotra l’inverno e la primavera (eranocerimonie di lustrazione dei campi

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 17

CommitmentMembership

Payment OptionsPresently, there are two payment options available to you should you

choose a 2-year membership or a 3-year membership.1. You may pay each January for the duration of your 3-year or 2-

year membership. As an show of good faith, you must sign the statementat the bottom of the new application (that appears on the next page).

2. You may pay for your full 3-year or 2-year membership by theend of the first year – in 4 quarterly payments.**

** If a member pre-pays for a 2-year or 3-year membership, and pass-es away or moves out of state, the remainder of their membership dueswill be donated to the Italian Community Center in the member’s name.Pro Rated Amount

You may have received a bill for a smaller amount of money. Thisdues payment doesn’t relate to the new dues program, but rather, is atransitional amount that is intended to return everyone to a Jan. 1through Dec. 31 Membership. You are not being charged an additionalamount.

Risposte1. I piedi dal pavimento!

2. La x della moltiplicazioneperché 4, 5x6=27.

3. Secondo.

4. Perché lo ha preso conle mani nel sacco!

5. Il prete.

6. La scarpa.

7.Sempre 5, perché i pesci nonpossono annegare!

Barzellette1. La pera alla mela:“Vai a

prendere le pesche”.“No, manda..rino”.

2. Sapete qual’è il ballo dellascimmia? L’orango tango.

3. Pietro porta in passeggio unalumaca al guinzaglio. “CiaoPietro!” - lo saluto un amico -“Hai una bellissima lumaca.”“Avevo una ancora più bellama mi è scappata.”

4. “Zia, perche’ non hai figli?”.“Perche’ la cicogna non meli ha portati”.“E perche’ non hai cambiatouccello?”.

5. La miglior soluzione per nonperdere i capelli?Raccoglierli quando cadono!

6. Cosa fa uno schiavo iniscoteca? Si scatena...

7. Ho preso tante medicine cheogni volta che tossiscoguarisco qualcuno.

Febbraio 3: Festivitàdi San Biagio

Continua a pagina 18

THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 18 – JANUARY 2016

Report from Milwaukee’s Victory K8Italian Immersion for December 2015Students in Ms. Annette

Robertson’s K4 class are learningsimple vocabulary words andphrases in Italian such as, “Come tichiami?”, “Mi chiamo…….”, “Comestai?”, “Sto bene, grazie”, “Chetempo fa oggi?”, “Fa freddo”.Students put on puppet plays anddialogue the new words and phras-es that they have learned. Moststudents know the Italian alphabetand can count to 20 in Italian. Wehad a wonderful “Festa diHalloween” at the end of October.

Students in first grade did aclose read on Minutka, a storyabout a dog who is proud of beingbilingual in English and Italian.Students are beginning touse strategies like: using contextclues, illustrations, and gestures.

These strategies will continue tohelp them be successful in animmersion setting. In addition tolearning Italian, the firstgraders at Victory were exposed toSpanish when they learnedabout “El dia de los Muertos”

The class read the story TheDead Family Diaz by P.J.Bracegirdle. A local artist, RobinDickson, delivered some hand-crafted calaveras so students couldsee the decorative skulls first hand.Mrs. Janine Graber, principal,brought in some “pan de los muer-tos” for the students to snack on. AtVictory we strive to create a multi-cultural and multilingual learningenviornment.

Mr. Steven Falsetti’s fourth andfifth graders have been teaming upwith Ms. Elizabeth Zizzo and Ms.Rita Szopinski’s first grade stu-dents. The “Reading Buddies” pairup to read both English and Italianbooks to one another.

The fourth and fifth graders areable to guide the younger studentsand model fluent reading strate-gies.

Fourth and fifth grade classhave also been working on acrylicart projects and written fiction and

nonfiction pieces related to theGreat Lakes.

Mrs. Sylvia Peine, an art educa-tor, visited Victory many times towork on the project with the stu-dents. She explored contemporaryand classic artwork that has a con-nection to water and taught thestudents acrylic painting tech-niques. The project culminated ina trip to the Haggerty Museum ofArt on the Marquette Universitycampus, where the students wereable to view prints from Kevin J.Miyzaki’s “Perimeter” project, fea-turing portraits of people who live

around and are connected to LakeMichigan. It was a phenomenal andengaging project.

The Italian Team at Victorywish the Italian Community Centerand all the members “Buon Natalee Felice Anno, 2016”. Thank you for

all of your support over the years.We look forward to your continuedsupport and collaboration togetherin the new year.

– Submitted byAnnette Robertson

K4 Teacher

Febbraio 3: Festivitàdi San Biagio

e del bestiame) quando, ormai, ilsole si è già leggermente alzatosull’orizzonte e le giornate si sonoallungate allentando la morsa delgelo: pe’ la festa de’ sande Biase, lusole pe’ ogne buše (buco) trase.

Nella ricorrenza della festa diSan Biagio in molti paesi si usaportare in Chiesa dei tipici dolci, itarallucci e i piccillate (buccellati,sorta di ciambelle) per farlibenedire durante la Messacelebrata in suo onore (un tempo ilcompito era affidato ai ragazzini, iquali più che seguire il sacro rito,vegliavano attentamente il propriopacchetto poggiato davantiall’altare). Al termine delle funzioni

religiose il sacerdote unge la goladei fedeli con una piuma bagnatanell’olio benedetto il giorno primadue febbraio, festività dellaCandelora o vi poggia leggermentedue candele incrociate.

La Candelora è il nome dato allafestività della Purificazione diMaria Vergine, ma che propria-mente spetta alla benedizione dellecandele. Il noto proverbio sullaprevisione del tempo tra l’invernoe la primavera che si usa fare inquesta ricorrenza, suona così: “ildue febbraio, la Candelora e il trela Blasiòla (San Biagio) se nevica ose c’è un solarello, stiamo a mezzoinvernarello. Ma se c’è un bel sole,dall’inverno stiamo fuori.”

continua da pagina 17

Give us this dayour panettone

Martini & Rossi. They go so welltogether that a lot of imbibers actu-ally dip the bread in the winebefore eating it. Now that’s a treat.Who can dispute a supper of bread

and wine, right? So let’s all startthe year right. Forget the soon tobe broken resolutions and promisesand start the year in the only way,the Italian way, the sweet life way.Buon Capodanno 2016!

from page 7

German is spokenin this part of

ItalyWhile Italian is the official lan-

guage of Italy, there is one provinceof northern Italy where the majori-ty of people speak German andassociate themselves with Austro-Bavarian customs. The province isSouth Tyrol (which is also knownby its alternative Italian name AltoAdige).

It is one of the two autonomousprovinces that make up theautonomous region of Trentino-AltoAdige (a.k.a Südtirol).

It is estimated that 64% of theSouth Tyrolean population isAustro-Bavarian or Tyrolean andspeaks German. Around 25% speakItalian as their first language andlive primarily in and around thetwo largest cities, Bolzano andMerano. Another 4-5% speakLadin, a Romance language con-sisting of regional dialects. If you’readding up the percentages, it comesto about 95% of the total populationof South Tyrol, which, in a 2011census, was 511,750. The remain-ing 5% cannot be identified as tofirst language preference since theyare likely recent immigrants.

Italy allows South Tyrol a con-siderable level of self-government,consisting of a large range of exclu-sive legislative and executive pow-ers and a fiscal regime that allowsthe province to retain a large partof the most levied taxes.Nevertheless, South Tyrol remains

a net contributor to the Italiannational budget. It is also amongthe wealthiest provinces in Italyand the European Union.

South Tyrol as an administra-tive entity originated during WorldWar I. The Allies promised thearea to Italy in the Treaty ofLondon of 1915 as an incentive toenter the war on their side. Until1918, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian County of Tyrol, butthis German-speaking territorywas occupied by Italy at the end ofthe war in November 1918 and wasannexed to the Kingdom of Italy in1919.

The province, as it exists today,was created in 1926 after anadministrative reorganization ofthe Kingdom of Italy and wasincorporated together with theprovince of Trento into a newly cre-ated region of Venezia Tridentina.At one point, the speaking ofGerman was prohibited by law.

Upon the rise of Fascismthrough World War II, the provincebecame a territory of Germany.After the war, the Allies decidedthat the province would remain apart of Italy, under the conditionthat the German-speaking popula-tion be granted a significant levelof self-government.

Italy and Austria negotiated anagreement in 1946, recognizing the

Please turn to page 20

THE ITALIAN TIMES JANUARY 2016 – PAGE 19

L’Angolo del PoetaPrepared by Barbara Collignon and Roberto Ciampi

If you are of Italian heritage, you probablygrew up looking forward to a visit from LaBefana. She was the inspiration for this poemby Giovanni Pascoli featured this Epiphany.

There’s a lot of speculation on the origins ofLa Befana, including older origins related to peo-ple from the north like the Celts. La Befana isclosely related to a rural world and, thus, sheappears in winter, in moments of greatest diffi-culty for the farmers. The gifts, varied in ourday, have been for a long time the fruits of theseasons: oranges, mandarin oranges and nuts.And the same story is valid for the coal.

Pascoli’s poem is particularly poignantbecause it emphasizes the difficult and tiringjourney La Befana makes on her way down themountain in snow and cold wind. From themountain top, she envisions the poor cottage andits inhabitants. Pascoli takes us inside thecottage where three poor little children areasleep while their mother stays up late andcontinues to labor at her spinning wheel,weeping because she doesn’t have much for herchildren. There’s no mention of her broomalthough her apron is made of frost. La Befanaquietly steals through the cottage to completeher gift-giving mission and, in the end, themother’s tears change to cries of joy andlaughter. In my effort to preserve form, Icouldn’t do justice to the original where Pascoli’swords emphasize poverty: for example, strapuntiare old, worn-out mattresses and zoccoli areworn-out clogs; capitoni are the andirons of thehearth.

In this poem, La Befana truly seems to be an almost supernaturalgoddess-like character, an invisible, mysterious,benevolent spirit who leaves her perch on themountain to bestow gifts on the poor and thenreturn to her observation point on high. It’sdifficult to distinguish her from the snow andwind blowing around her.

La BefanaTranslation by Barbara Collignon and RobertoCiampiShe comes, she comes, la Befana, she comes from the mountains late at night.How tired she is! Snow, frost andthe north wind blow around her.

She’s coming, she’s coming, la Befana.

Her hands are folded on her chest and her cloak is snowand her apron is frostand her voice the wind.

Her hands are folded on her chest.

And she comes quietly, quietlyto the villa, to the cottages to watch, to listennow closer or further away.

Quietly, quietly, quietly.

What is there inside this house?A light shuffling.Everything is quiet; everything is dark.A light passes and shines.

What’s inside this house?

Look and look…three little bedswith three good little children tucked in.Look and look…at the fireplace.There are three fine long stockings.

Oh! Three stockings and three little beds.

The light shines and lowers,and the stairs creak;the light shines and goes away,and curtains flutter.

Who’s that going up? Who’s that comingdown?

With her gifts, mama came down, goes up with her smile.The light shines in her facelike a church lamp.

With her gifts, mama came down.

La Befana at the windowhears and sees, and goes far away. She passes with the north wind,passes through the main street,

Every door, every window shakes.

And what’s there in the cottage?A long faint sigh.Some little glow of the fireshines still in the hearth.

And what’s there in the cottage?

Look and look…three poor little bedswith three good little children in bed.Among the ashes and embers there are three worn out shoes.

Oh! Three worn shoes and three poor littlebeds.

And the mama stays up awake and spins sighing and sobbing,and looks up from time to time,Oh! Those three worn shoes in a row…

She stays awake and cries, cries and spins.

La Befana sees and hears; fleas to the mountain, that is dawn.That mama still cries over those children without anything.

La Befana sees and hears.

La Befana stays on the mountain.What she sees is what she saw; That the one who cries is the one who is laugh-ing;The other one has clouds on her forehead while she stays on the rugged mountain.

La Befana di Giovanni Pascoli

Viene viene la Befana, viene dai monti a notte fonda. Come è stanca! La circonda neve, gelo e tramontana. Viene viene la Befana.

Ha le mani al petto in croce, e la neve è il suo mantello ed il gelo il suo pannello ed il vento la sua voce. Ha le mani al petto in croce.

E s’accosta piano piano alla villa, al casolare, a guardare, ad ascoltare o più presso o più lontano. Piano piano, piano piano.

Che c’è dentro questa villa? Uno stropiccìo leggero. Tutto è cheto, tutto è nero. Un lumino passa e brilla. Che c’è dentro questa villa?

Guarda e guarda...tre lettini con tre bimbi a nanna, buoni. guarda e guarda...ai capitoni c’è tre calze lunghe e fini. Oh! tre calze e tre lettini.

Il lumino brilla e scende, e ne scricchiolan le scale; il lumino brilla e sale, e ne palpitan le tende. Chi mai sale? Chi mai scende?

Co’ suoi doni mamma è scesa, sale con il suo sorriso. Il lumino le arde in viso come lampada di chiesa. Co’ suoi doni mamma è scesa.

La Befana alla finestra sente e vede, e s’allontana. Passa con la tramontana, passa per la via maestra, trema ogni uscio, ogni finestra.

E che c’è nel casolare? Un sospiro lungo e fioco. Qualche lucciola di fuoco brilla ancor nel focolare. Ma che c’è nel casolare?

Guarda e guarda... tre strapunti con tre bimbi a nanna, buoni. Tra la cenere e i carboni c’è tre zoccoli consunti. Oh! tre scarpe e tre strapunti...

E la mamma veglia e fila sospirando e singhiozzando, e rimira a quando a quando oh! quei tre zoccoli in fila... Veglia e piange, piange e fila.

La Befana vede e sente; fugge al monte, ch’è l’aurora. Quella mamma piange ancora su quei bimbi senza niente. La Befana vede e sente.

La Befana sta sul monte. Ciò che vede è ciò che vide:

c’è chi piange e c’è chi ride; essa ha nuvoli alla fronte, mentre sta sull’aspro monte.

Request from ICC for cellphone numbers and e-mail

addressesBy Susie Christiansen

Social networking websites, such as Facebook and Twitter,as well as e-mail and cell phone texting, are currently the mostcommon methods of communicating for people. Using thoseavenues, we want to develop a way to reach out to our member-ship to inform you about upcoming events organized by theItalian Community Center, such as Il Grande Carnevale, ATaste of Italy and Festa Italiana.

We can even email you a copy of The Italian Times.When the ICC hosts wine tastings, musical events and cook-

ing classes, it would be helpful to everyone involved to be ableto send an e-mail blast or a cell phone text blast to ICC mem-bers and as many non-members as possible. Right now, com-mittee chairs and event planners here don’t always know whatadvertising options are available to them and how to reach outto you. Without spending a ton of money, we just aren’t surehow to let the people out there know about upcoming events atthe ICC.

ICC members can be placed on an e-mail list and a cellphone list when they sign up for or renew their membership.Our application includes a place for your e-mail address andcell phone number.

Our membership contact list is extremely private, and wewill continue to keep it that way. We do not distribute ouraddress, phone or e-mail lists to anyone. Rest assured yourcontact information will be retained by the ICC and only theICC, and you will only be sent messages on a limited basis.

We simply want to inform you. We want to tell you aboutthe fantastic events, activities and ethnic experiences that theItalian Community Center has to offer.

These are the other options available for submitting yourcell phone number and e-mail address:

1. Our website: www.iccmilwaukee.com – use the ContactUs Form (the last tab on the site).

2. By e-mail: susie@iccmilwaukee.com. 3. Call Constance Jones at the ICC – 414-223-2808.

THE ITALIAN TIMESPAGE 20 – JANUARY 2016

Andrea Bargnani begins 10th NBAseason with Brooklyn Nets

By Thomas HemmanTimes Editor

Italian-born Andrea Bargnani ishoping to rebound his NationalBasketball Association career witha new team, the Brooklyn Nets.After two injury-riddled seasonswith the New York Knicks, the 7-foot power forward/center signed afree agent contract with Brooklynin July.

The top pick in the 2006 NBAdraft, Bargnani began hisAmerican pro career with theToronto Raptors. He became thefirst European player, sixth non-American player, and second playerwith no U.S. college or high schoolexperience to be drafted first over-all, after Yao Ming, the Chineseplayer.

Bargnani had several successfulseasons with the Raptors, includingmoving into the team’s startinglineup during his rookie season,being named to the NBA All-RookieFirst Team (2007), leading theteam in rebounds and blocked shotsin 2009-10 and in scoring in 2010-

2011. He averaged 15.4 points pergame (ppg) in 2008-09, 17.2 ppg in2009-10 and a career high of 21.4ppg in 2010-11 and helped lead theRaptors to the NBA playoffs ineach of those seasons.

Injuries began to take their tollon Bargnani during the 2011-12season with Toronto when heplayed in just 31 of the 81-regularseason games, but averaged 19.5points per game. After the season,he was traded to the Knicks, inexchange for former MarquetteUniversity star Steve Novak,Marcus Camby and QuentinRichardson along with a futurefirst round draft pick (2016) andtwo future second round draft picks(2014 and 2017). During his sevenseasons with Toronto, Bargnaniplayed in 433 games, started 316,averaged 15.2 points and nearly 5rebounds per game.

After missing nearly half of theregular season games during thelast two seasons with the Knicksdue to injuries, Bargnani still man-aged to average 13.9 points and 4.9

rebounds per game.Bargnani was born in Rome,

Italy, on October 26, 1985. His par-

ents, Roberto, a former art insur-ance agent in Milan, and his moth-er, Louisella Balducci, a retiredEnglish teacher in a secondaryschool in Rome, divorced whenAndrea was a young child. Andrea’sfirst mentor was his uncle,Massimo Balducci, who also playedprofessionally in Italy.

Bergnani’s basketball prowesswas discovered at the age of 13 byMaurizio Gherardini, a famousplayer, coach and general managerin Italian basketball. At the age of16, Bergnani left home to play pro-fessionally for Benetton Treviso. In2006, he led Benetton to an Italianleague championship. The sameyear, he was named the EuroleagueRising Star and the Italian LeagueBest Player under 22.

During his year playing profes-sionally in Italy, Bargnani, a lanky,fluid athlete, obtained the nick-name “Il Mago,” the magician, forhis sleight of hand on the court.

With the Brooklyn Nets,Bargnani is the top backup toBrook Lopez at center.

Andrea Bargnani

German is spokenin this part ofnorthern Italy

rights of the German minority.Disputes, sometimes violent innature, remained for the next 25years.

A new autonomous status wasgranted in 1972, which resulted ina considerable level of self-govern-ment. In 1992, Italy and Austriaofficially ended their dispute overthe autonomy issues based on the1972 agreement.

South Tyrol is located at the

northernmost point in Italy. Theprovince is bordered by Austria tothe east and north, specifically bythe Austrian federal states Tyroland Salzburg; by the Swiss cantonof Graubünden to the west; and theItalian provinces of Belluno,Trentino and Sondrio to the south-east, south and southwest. SouthTyrol is situated entirely in theAlps.– Researched and written byTom Hemman, Times Editor

from page 18

South Tyrol (Alto-Adige) in red YourSpecialOccasionDeserves

OurSpecial

Attention.Whether you're planning significant family functions -- reunions, christenings,quinceañera, bridal or baby showers, or you're faced with organizing a last-minute event,such as a funeral luncheon . . .

Or you want the perfect setting for a wedding reception or engagement or weddingrehearsal dinner, or your company is looking for an ideal location for a business or socialgathering . . .

the Italian Conference Center is your answer.Our Catering Director will work closely with you to make sure that every detail that goesinto a successful event is planned. And the food at the ICC! Ah, the food. Your guests willshower you with compliments after they've eaten the delicious meals prepared by our out-standing chefs and served by our friendly and efficient wait staff.

Everything you need for a successful event is ready and waiting at the Italian ConferenceCenter. For assistance in scheduling and planning your event, call David or Kim Marie at

414-223-2800 or visit: www.ItalianConference.com

In the Italian Community Center631 E. Chicago St., MilwaukeeFree parking • Handicapped accessibleMinutes from downtown and freeway access

in the Historic Third Ward

Several towns across Italy cele-brate the Festa di Sant’AntonioAbate (Feast of Saint AnthonyAbbot) on Jan. 16 and 17. His feastday is highlighted by processions,music and bonfires.

Although San Antonio Abate isoften overshadowed by the similar-ly named Saint Anthony of Padua,this Egyptian saint is particularlyimportant throughout southernItaly and is the patron saint ofbutchers, domestic animals, basketweavers and gravediggers. Manybelieve he is the protector againstskin diseases, especially shingles,known in Italy as “Fuoco diSant’Antonio” (Fire of SaintAnthony).

San Antonio Abate was a hermit

who renounced his worldly posses-sions to follow Jesus and performedmiracles throughout his life. He isconsidered the first to live a trulymonastic lifestyle and was repeat-edly tempted by the devil, persever-ing through prayer.

In villages in the Abruzzo regionand Sardinia, there are festivitiesthat include lighting of huge bon-fires that burn all night andinclude music and dancing.

In the Sicilian town of Nicolosinear Mount Etna, San AntonioAbate is celebrated on Jan. 17.Ceremonies begin before dawnwhen the monks repeat their vowsof dedication to God and to thesaint. The day is filled withparades and solemn ceremonies.

San Antonio Abate celebrations in Italy