Community News

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 …

  The Chandelier Room at Casa Italia was transformed into a Milan runway for this year’s Columbus Day Queen Pageant, and event organizers couldn’t be more pleased. “It was like a Versace fashion show!” enthuses Jo Ann Serpico, executive director of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. “We had 22 contestants, the room looked absolutely beautiful and the event went off without a hitch!” Serpico is equally proud of the fact that no admission was charged, paving the way for a capacity crowd of nearly 200 family members and friends. Elizabeth Cavalieri Konopacki walked away with the crown, and …

  Celebrating the 11th Annual Tommy Lasorda Golf Open, the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame hosted a sell-out tournament on June 4 at the prestigious Royal Fox Country Club in St. Charles. The tournament’s namesake, Dodgers legend Tommy Lasorda, was in attendance as well as many other celebrities and athletes, most of whom are inductees of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame. Guests included former MLB Player and Manager Bobby Valentine; WBA Lightweight Champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini; former boxer and current commentator Paulie Malignaggi; Blackhawks legend Denis Savard; former NFL stars Vince Ferragamo, Dan Pastorini, …

  Eleven distinguished Italian Americans were honored with Leonardo da Vinci Awards of Excellence at the 17th annual reception and ceremony on May 6, 2018, at the Roma Lodge in Racine, Wisconsin. The event is hosted annually by the Grand Lodge of Illinois and Wisconsin, Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America. The Master of Ceremony and event Chairman was Frank Schiro, Grand Lodge First Vice President. Schiro introduced Richard R. Della Croce, national Fifth Vice President, who sang both the American and Italian national anthems. Grand Lodge President Marie Marsalli was introduced and welcomed the honorees and guests. …

The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii in Chicago was filled to capacity on June 3 for the ninth annual Festa della Repubblica hosted by Comitato Tricolore Italiani nel Mondo. After the Mass, a parade featuring the flags of Italy’s regions and the banners of local organizations made its way through the Taylor Street neighborhood to the Christopher Columbus Monument in Arrigo Park, where speeches were made, and a petition was signed to preserve the names of Balbo Street and the Balbo Monument. Participants returned to the shrine for a street festival featuring Italian music, sandwiches for purchase and a …