Community News

  The Grand Lodge of Illinois/Wisconsin, Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Celebrating its 94th Annual Columbus Banquet on Oct. 6 at the White Eagle Banquets in Niles. Margurite Rowley, Columbus Banquet Chair, welcomes the guests and introduced the Master of Ceremony for the evening, the Honorable Anthony Calderone, Mayor of Forest Park. The MC introduced the Grand Lodge Officers, the Deputy Consul of Italy, the Columbus Day Queen, and the award recipients as they entered the hall. Highlighting the evening were the presentations of the 2018 Columbus Patriot Award and the 2018 Humanitarian Award. In addition, the …

On Dec. 1, 1958, a fire tore through the Our Lady of Angels School on Chicago’s West Side. Ninety-two of the school’s 1,600 students perished in the conflagration along with three nuns, and many more suffered from burns and smoke inhalation or were injured when they jumped from windows to escape. The worst school fire in American history, it devastated the largely Italian-American community and left lasting physical and emotional scars on survivors and family members of the victims. It also created bonds of friendship and support that endure to this day. “I remember who I went to grade school …

The Italian American Executives of Transportation honored Mario Giuseppe Weber, Dr. Samuel Cascio and Dr. Joseph Discipio on Nov. 17 at Alta Villa Banquets in Addison. (708-212-1051) The organization submitted the following profiles: Mario Weber — Man of the Year Mario Weber was born in Park Ridge, Illinois, in 1978 to Alberto and Josette Mentesana Weber, who trace their roots back to Sicily. His father’s family is from Termini Imerese and his mother’s is from Campofelice di Fitalia. Mario has a sister, Adriana, who is married to Stephen Metcalf, who originally hails from Fort Worth, Texas. An immense influence and …

The Mazzini Verdi Club honored Paul Ciminello as Man of the Year and Maria Banducci as Woman of the Year at its President’s Ball on Dec. 1. The event took place at the club’s facilities in Franklin Park. (708-366-8435) The organization submitted the following profiles: Maria Banducci Maria Banducci is loved and admired by all those who come into contact with her. Charming and kind, she is devoted to her family and always takes care of husband, Luigi, and their son and daughter-in law, Simone and Grisell. As a wife and mother, she is the best any woman can be. …

The Italian Catholic Federation Branch 392 presented its 2018 Mother Cabrini Award to Rocco and Rosanna DeFrenza on Nov. 11. The award is bestowed each year upon a couple who represents the Italian values of community, family and faith. The organization submitted the following profiles: Rocco and Rosanna DeFrenza Rocco was born in Valenzano, Bari. He is the co-owner with business partners Savino and Laura D’Argento of four RoccoVino’s Italian Restaurants located in Harwood Heights, Elk Grove Village, Carol Stream and Orland Park. Rocco’s business has long supported Easter Seals in honor of his godson, Enzo D’Argento, who was diagnosed …

The Comboni Missionaries honored Frank Salerno at its annual dinner dance on Nov. 24 at Alta Villa Banquets. (708-354-1999) Proceeds from the event will benefit Water With Blessings. The organization submitted the following articles: Frank Salerno On July 4, 1940, twin boys were born in Marano Principato, Calabria, to Raffaele and Annunziata Salerno. One of those twins was Francesco Salerno. When he was 13, he traveled to America with his father in the hopes of making a better life for their family. His mother and two brothers stayed behind in Italy. After the pair arrived in Chicago, Francesco lived for …

Hairstyling legend Mario Tricoci rolled up his sleeves and snipped away on Sept. 17 at the grand opening of his new salon at Misericordia Home in Chicago. The salon is available at no charge to the 600-plus children and adults who live at Misericordia, a residential treatment center that serves people with mild to profound developmental disabilities. “Many of Misericordia’s residents are physically challenged, and a trip to a salon can be difficult,” Tricoci explained. The salon will be staffed by volunteer stylists and assistants from the Tricoci University of Beauty Culture.

  The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame has a stellar crop of inductees and honorees on tap for its 41st annual gala on Nov. 3 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. (312-226-5566) The NIASHF Class of 2018 includes Gina Carano, Rocco B. Commisso, Joe Girardi and Gene Pingatore. Perry Mandera will be honored as the Sportsman of the Year. The program will be emceed by 2016 Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and New York Mets Radio Announcer Wayne Randazzo. Carano is mixed martial arts competitor who compiled a dominating record of 12–1–1 in Muay Thai and a 7–1 …

  The Festa Italiana at Villa Cesare in Schererville grew by leaps and bounds in its second year, adding an additional day to the event and nearly doubling its attendence. Roughly 7,000 festival-goers were serenaded by traditional and non-traditional music as they sampled from an expanded array of food, craft and beer and wine vendors. They also enjoyed non-stop live entertainment, played bocce at their leisure and in tournaments, watched pasta-making demonstrations, participated in spaghetti-eating and grape-stomping competitions, and learned from the experts at a wine-and-food pairing. For more information about Villa Cesare, click here.  

Gemma B. Allen of the family law firm Allen & Glassman received Loyola University Chicago’s 2018 Felice Award from the school’s John Felice Rome Center at Loyola’s annual Founders’ Dinner. Named after the Rome Center’s founding director, the award is among the highest honors given by the university. Allen received her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in 1966 from Loyola and was a student at the Rome Center. Allen’s “commitment to the field of family law and her active participation on multiple councils and boards” were among the reasons noted by University President Jo Ann Rooney in her letter informing …