Community News

The 20-year-old entity, the Sicilian American Cultural Association (SACA), announces its 2015-2016 officers, elected at its regular meeting of its Board of Directors on August 14, 2014. Succeeding the wonderful year prominent family law attorney Samuel Cannizzaro had as president, beginning in January 2015, is long time member and director, Katherine (Amari) O’Dell. Other officers include Ro Pagano, 1st V.P. and retired Circuit Court judge, Gloria Coco, 2nd V.P. Continuing on as treasurer is Dino Porto, founding member, and as secretary, Martha Monastero. All were elected by unanimous vote. O’Dell, the new president, will assume her responsibilities after the first …

The Italian Catholic Federation, Branch 392, will present Giovanni and Antonia Favuzzi with their 2014 Mother Cabrini Award. The award will be presented at a dinner dance on Nov. 9 at Porretta’s Banquets in Chicago. For details, call 773-763-0507. Giovanni and Antonia are being recognized for their apostolic and charitable works in the community, dedication to family and unyielding faith. The couple has been part of Chicago’s Italian community for many years. They regularly partake in the many feste, religious functions, benefits and cultural events. They come from southern Italy’s Puglia region, a region filled with fun-loving people, where old …

The Italian American Police Association will honor John Carpino at their 51st Annual Dinner Dance. The event will take place on Nov. 8 at Alta Villa Banquets in Addison. For details, call 708-268-1495. As police chief of Westchester, John comes from successful stints helming law enforcement departments in Oakbrook Terrace, Worth and Willow Springs. Yet he’s by no means a stereotypical law enforcement officer. How many officers can claim they foiled a robbery while off duty? Or started a successful website long before high-tech was in vogue? Chief Carpino has done both, and much more. He also teaches in the …

The Italian American Executives of Transportation will honor Terrence J. Hancock as Man of the Year and LeeAnn Cali as Humanitarian of the Year at their 43rd Annual Dinner Dance. The event will take place on Nov. 22 at Alta Villa Banquets in Addison. For details, call 708-212-1051. Terrence J. Hancock Terrence J. Hancock joined the ranks of Teamsters Local Union No. 731 in 1979 as a rank-and-file semi-dump tractor-trailer chauffeur. In 1989, he was appointed as a Business Representative of Teamsters Local 731 and was later appointed Recording Secretary. In 1997 Terry rose to the position of Secretary-Treasurer. International …

On Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014, The Comboni Missionaries will honor Dominic DiFrisco at their 48th annual dinner dance. The event will take place on Nov. 22 at Via Bella in Countryside. For details, call 708-354-1999. Dominic DiFrisco has emerged over the decades as the voice of the Chicago-area Italian-American community, lending his considerable oratorical talents to major events throughout the year while sounding the alarm whenever our good name has been besmirched. Born to Leoluca and Antonina, immigrants from Corleone, Sicily, Dominic began his career in public relations with Alitalia, eventually transferring to the city of Chicago as a public …

The Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization is proud to be able to support a wounded veteran each year at its Honor and Hope Gala. This year, CIACO donate $10,000 to retired Army Captain Raymond A. Fleig and his family. In July 2007, Captain Raymond A. Fleig U.S. Army (Retired) was a Platoon Leader in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. While he was on a Forward Operating Base (FOB Hammer) they received incoming mortar rounds. After the initial barrage, his Platoon Sergeant, the next in the chain of command, and he went to check accountability of the 63 …

Dr. Joseph Favia was recently installed as president of the Arcolian Dental Arts Society. A 1993 graduate of Loyola University School of Dentistry, where he served as Student Congress president, Dr. Favia has pursued advanced education from some of dentistry’s best institutions, including the Peter Dawson Academy for Advanced Dental Education and the Pankey Institute. He currently teaches implant surgical procedures internationally to general dentists for Henry Schein’s Camlog Implant system. In 1997, Dr. Favia founded the Windy City Classic Celebrity Golf Tourney, which has raised more than $1 million toward cancer research in memory of Jim Valvano and Walter …

Richard Belmonte was recently installed as president of the Calabresi in America Organization. A veteran of the U.S. Army who served overseas in Korea after the war, Belmonte was a career firefighter, starting with the Westchester Fire Department in 1978 and working his way up from lieutenant in 1982 and captain in 1989 to chief in 2006, a position he held until his retirement in 2011. Belmonte joined CIAO in 2000, “to enjoy the camaraderie and celebrate the shared heritage.” He has held leadership positions since 2002, serving on the advisory board and board of directors and holding the positions …

Casa Italia’s Festival Center was transformed into an elegant banquet hall on June 30 for the wedding reception of Renee Sarno and Joe Gagliardo. Janet Sarno, a wedding planner and the mother of the bride, was the magician behind the transformation, bringing in a crew that labored for three days to install the lighting, decorations, table dressings and dance floor that transformed down-to-earth venue into a wedding wonderland. “I’ve planned many weddings, mostly in downtown venues that were all fabulous. For my daughter’s wedding, I wanted something equally beautiful and elegant but I also wanted to bring back the spirit …

by Joanne Spata Even the record-breaking low temperatures on Oct. 6 and 7 couldn’t cool the spirit of Casa Italia’s sixth annual Fall Festival. People flocked to Stone Park to share in the celebration, as the grapes were crushed and the aroma of a freshly roasted pig on a spit, grilled sausage and freshly baked brick oven pizza wafted across the beautiful grounds, to name just a few of the delightful sights and sounds. And if the scent of Italian delicacies weren’t enough to lure folks to the fest, the sound of Italian musical favorites floating on the crisp autumn …