Community News

Hardcore Italians is doing its part to help Emilia-Romagna recover from historic flooding. The creators and distributors of Italian pride products have produced limited-edition T-shirts, selling them for $35 and donating $5 from each sale to italianamericanrelief.org, which will channel the funds to the stricken region. Available in two styles, the shirts read “Praying for Emilia Romagna.” “We made the decision to create this shirt not only to raise awareness of the issue, but to extend direct support to Emilia-Romagna,” says Hardcore Italian CEO Mike Carioscia. To order a T-shirt, click here.  

Vince Cirone has been named Man of the Year by the Americans of Italian Descent of DuPage County for the second year running. The president of VC Plumbing has been a member of AID for 10 years, chairing a highly successful 2022 golf outing and gearing up for more of the same this year. “Vince is one of those guys who says he’s going to do it and gets the job done,” says AID Secretary Gino Dattilo. Pictured are (from left) Cirone, AID President Joe Cassata, Dattilo and AID Treasurer Peter DiBartolo.  

Vanessa Spilotro and Tyler Cahanin tied the knot on June 3 at Drury Lane Oak Brook, jetting off afterward for a honeymoon in Paris and the French Riviera. Among family and friends in attendance were proud parents Michael and Jeanne Spilotro and Patty Cahanin. The couple had been going out for four years, after a first date at fire + wine, an Italian restaurant in Glen Ellyn. Vanessa is a counselor for foreign exchange students coming to the U.S. from Europe and Asia, and Tyler is a project manager for a construction company.  

The Sons and Daughters of Italy in America presented Aidan Orlando and Giuliana Vasilevich with Nancy Cometa-Darrell Marchioretto scholarships at a ceremony on June 3 at Casa Italia. These scholarships were made possible by donations from the Casa Italia board of directors and Journey to Wellness & Balance. SADIA is gearing up for Schaumburg’s SeptemberFest over the Labor Day weekend. Revenue from their beer and wine tent, located near the Ferris wheel at the festival, funds the donations that the organization will make throughout the year.  

Members of Associazione Regionale Campania in Chicago were overjoyed when Napoli won the coveted Serie A title, clinching the Scudetto with a 1-1 draw against Udinese. It was the first time in 33 years and the second time in history that Naples rose to the top of Serie A. The organization watched the game at Fenice Banquets at Casa Italia, enjoying a sumptuous meal prepared by Chef Mark Triggiano. ARC President Filippo Aliperta later created a painting celebrating Diego Maradona and Victor Osimhen, stars of the 1987 and 2023 championship teams, respectively.

When Leonard Amari traveled with family members to his paternal grandfather’s hometown in Calamonaci, Sicilia, he came home with far more than he expected. Town Mayor Pino Spinelli rolled out the red carpet for the Chicago attorney, presenting him with a ceramic plate and a photo history of the town. “Paesi in bianco e nero — Come eravamo.” Amari and Spinelli discussed administrative and cultural exchanges between Calamonaci and west suburban Bloomingdale, where Amari has a law office.  

Com.It.Es (Comitato per gli italiani all’estero) and Associazione Campania in America teamed up on June 4 for a celebration that ranged across the Windy City. The day began with the annual Festa della Repubblica celebration at Our Lady of Pompeii on Taylor Street, then relocated to Piazza Italia on Harlem Avenue, where they held a victory rally for the Naples soccer team that had won the Serie A title the day before. Cake and champagne were provided by ARC President Filippo Aliperta. “We’d like to thank Gino and Tony Bartucci of Piazza Italia for their hospitality,” Com.It.Es President Carlo Vaniglia …

Friends and family of Tito Renghini are asking the community to consider donating bone marrow to help him in his battle to overcome Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a form of cancer that attacks immature blood cells. The son of Italian immigrants, Tito is married and has three children. “My faith keeps me strong and guides me,” he says as he awaits word of a perfect match. Potential donors should be of Italian descent, between the ages of 18 and 55, and in general good health. Compatibility is determined by sending a cheek swab to a national registry.  For details, click here.

A new statue of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was unveiled on Oct. 15, 2022, in the courtyard of Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral in celebration of the 75th anniversary of her canonization. Born in Italy, Mother Cabrini was the first American citizen to be canonized, and her statue in Chicago has a great Italian backstory. The sculpture was created by Lou Cella and Jessica LoPresti, both of whom are of Italian descent. While Cella’s name isn’t well known, his works are. They include sculptures of baseball legends Harry Caray, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo at Wrigley Field, as well …

At a recent meeting with the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, State Rep. Anthony DeLuca reiterated his push to include greater funding for the Local Government Distributive Fund in this year’s budget. The LGDF is a designated portion of state income tax revenues that cities and counties receive from the state in lieu of local taxes. The percentage of the state tax has been steadily reduced over the last decade. DeLuca underscored the fact that an increase in LGDF funding would reduce the burden on local taxes and fees.