Casa Italia’s Person of the Year Gala brought together hundreds of well-wishers from the legal, labor and Italian-American communities to raise crucial funds for the Casa and pay tribute to attorney Louis C. Cairo. Casa Chairman Dan Corrado, Dinner Dance Chairman Giuseppe Zerillo and longtime friend Mario Manfredini set the stage for Cairo, who spoke glowingly of his firm, his family, his heritage and the Casa. A cash raffle and a rousing live auction called by Steve Corbo brought in additional funds.   http://casaitaliachicago.net                          

  The Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization one-upped itself at this year’s Honor & Hope Gala, bestowing 20 scholarships at $2,500 each, plus an additional $35,000 in grants to two military veterans and three families with medical hardships, for a grand total of $85,000. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, who was made an honorary CIACO member at the event, introduced Dominic Saverino Humanitarian of the Year Award recipient Joe Calafiore. Bridget Fretz received a CIACO grant to assist with the care of her son, Austin, a veteran who was critically injured in a car accident after completion of his …

  State Rep. John D’Amico joined his constituents in support of childhood epilepsy research at a “Toast to Danny” fundraiser for the Danny Did Foundation at the Gale Street Inn. The Danny Did Foundation was founded by Mike and Mariann Stanton after the unexpected death of their 4-year-old child, Danny. The foundation raises awareness about Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy and raises funds to help families with children suffering from epilepsy. “I’m privileged to have been a part of this event, and I commend Danny Did for their efforts in going above and beyond to help children with epilepsy,” D’Amico …

  To help area women learn how to better protect themselves, State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, hosted a women’s self-defense seminar in late March. Attendees were taught basic self-defense techniques by martial arts instructor Master Daniel Kocsis. “Knowing what to do in an emergency is important,” DeLuca said. “Having the ability to practice self-defense techniques provides women with peace of mind that they know what to do if the situation arises. I look forward to continuing these workshops and being able to go more in-depth with this training.”  

Terlato Wines has added several new labels to its luxury wine portfolio in recent months. Late last year, the Lake Bluff, Ill.-based wine producer and distributor began importing Epsilon, a new Italian sparkling rosé wine from the Veneto region. And effective Jan. 1, Terlato took over the U.S. sales and marketing of Cecchi, a leading producer of Chianti Classico and other Tuscan wines. Most recently, the company became the exclusive U.S. importer for the Burgundy Domaines of Château de Meursault and Château de Marsannay. The long-term agreement marks the addition of some of the most respected wines of the Côte …

  Alert Fra Noi reader Walter Santi unearthed some pretty remarkable statistics on the internet that portray pizza making as a powerhouse industry that’s on the rise. According to PMQ Pizza Magazine’s 2013 State of the Industry Report, the U.S. pizza industry rang up a staggering $36 billion in sales for the year ending 2012, with more than 60 percent of pizzeria operators reporting increasing sales over the previous year. The total pizzeria store count for September 2012 was an equally mind-boggling 71,856 nationwide, with nearly 40 percent of the stores owned and operated independently of national and regional chains. …

The Kalo Foundation/Iannelli Studios Heritage Center of Park Ridge welcomed the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in March to view the studio’s 11-foot statue of the Madonna. The visit was facilitated by alumnae of Chicago’s former Immaculata High School, which the statue once graced. The Madonna was designed in 1922 by sculptor Alphonso Iannelli and commissioned by architect Barry Byrne, who was hired by the BVM nuns to design Immaculata. After the sisters closed the school and sold the building in 1981, the sculpture was removed by the purchasers and donated to the Smart Museum at the …

The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans presented its Dante and Mazzei awards on May 29 at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W. Erie St., Chicago. Chicago Tribune Editorial Page Editor R. Bruce Dold received the Dante Award. The honor is bestowed each year on a member of the media who lives up to Dante Alighieri’s call to be no timid friend to truth. U.S. Senator Mark Kirk received the Mazzei Award. Named after the Revolutionary War patriot who inspired the phrase “all men are created equal,” the award is presented to a person who shows extraordinary skills in the world of public …

The National Italian American Foundation Board of Directors has voted to create a special one-time NIAF Emanuele and Emilia Inglese Memorial Grant of $100,000 to support the “Save the Saint” restoration project by the International Patrons of Duomo di Milano. The funds will go toward the restoration of the spire dedicated to St. Frances Cabrini, America’s first saint. The Cabrini spire is one of 135 available for restoration through the “Save the Saint” project. International Patrons of Duomo di Milano is a New York-based charitable organization established in 2014 to support the conservation, restoration and protection of the cathedral. www.duomopatrons.org. …

Anthony B. Ferraro has been elected president of the Illinois Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Ferraro is the founder and managing member at the Law Offices of Anthony B. Ferraro. He received his bachelor of commerce in accountancy from DePaul University and his master of science in taxation. After receiving his CPA designation in 1978, he enrolled in law school, earning his juris doctor in 1983 from De Paul University. A VA accredited attorney, Ferraro is a past president of the Justinian Society of Lawyers and a past member of the AARP panel of participating attorneys. He is …