Community

Nancy Brunetti-Blomquist was born and raised in Mola di Bari, Italy, and has dedicated her professional career to teaching the language of her ancestors to American students of all ages. It should come as no surprise then that her passion for her ancestry has rubbed off on her children. The former Chicago-area resident now lives with her family in Ventura, California, and her 13-year-old son, Alexander, recently launched a podcast called “Cultural Capture,” on which he celebrates America’s ethnic diversity. His first three shows focus on Italy, of course! (capsmedia.org/podcasts/cultural-capture/)    

Chicago attorney Jim Morici knows the importance of a safe workplace and community. A founding partner in the law firm Morici, Longo & Associates, he has been fighting for the rights of injured workers and accident victims for more than three decades. The firm’s attorneys took swift action to put office safety protocols in place during the pandemic, but they saw an opportunity to do more. They’ve kicked into high gear on several charitable fronts, donating thousands of dollars to the Illinois Food Bank, Greater Chicago Food Depository and Maine Township Food Pantry, in addition to $10,000 to the American …

This year’s IA Literati seminar was held as a virtual gathering on June 13. The event was different from any of the previous 16 instalments, according to Professor Dominic Candeloro, curator of the Florence Roselli library in the Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia. “Authors could not gather in person due to COVID-19 so we were presented with the challenge of meeting electronically over Zoom. I must say that we all missed gathering together but we were able to expand the scope of the event beyond the Chicago area to across the country and to Italy, with more than 100 …

Ever since the pandemic set in, professionals around the world have given their time and talents to the ongoing battle against the coronavirus. For Peter Argondizzo, president of Argo Translations Inc., words are the weapon of choice. “We’ve translated a series of COVID-19-related safety posters, and we’ve made them available for free on the internet,” Argondizzo explains. “We’ve posted the CDC guidelines and related information on our website in 14 languages. Just choose a language, and we’ll ship you a PDF. Italian is one of the languages, of course!” (argotrans.com/covid-19)  

During a typical summer, Carlo Vaniglia attends patron saint celebrations almost every weekend. With most of them cancelled due to the coronavirus, Vaniglia has hatched a groundbreaking way to spend his newfound free time. “I thought, ‘Why not gather in front of the Columbus statue in Arrigo Park to show our support for our monuments and answer questions people might have?’” Vaniglia explains. And so, Coffee With Columbus was born. Vaniglia has attracted groups of between 20 and 60 people each Sunday morning simply through word of mouth, and the feedback from passersby has been largely positive. “We’re not there …

When COVID-19 hit Italy hard in the early spring, Hardcore Italians founder Mike Carioscia Sr. knew he had to do something. “Having deep roots in Italy, our first thought was to help our people,” Carioscia says. The Italian pride products manufacturer sprang into action, rallying his staff to create the Italy Strong Charity Tee. “Warehouse manager Santo Munizzi recruited his sister BriElle to join our design team and bring our Italy Strong T-shirt alive,” Carioscia says. “Our event coordinator, Clare Bongiovanni, reached out to hospitals in Milan, Italian-American organizations and our business affiliates” in search of worthy beneficiaries. The company …

When a group of 20 Italian immigrants formed the Alpine Gun Club at English Lake, Indiana, in 1892, they had no way of knowing the legacy they were creating. Five generations later, the Alpine Country Club is celebrating its 92nd year as a peaceful, family friendly getaway in Round Lake, Illinois. “In our fast-paced society, we offer a place for families that is unparalleled: a special lakeside retreat with dining services, sleeping accommodations, and tremendous recreational and social opportunities in a secure, supportive environment,” club President Michael Auriemma says. The private, member-owned nonprofit boasts a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse and five cottages …

Carla Simonini, the Paul and Ann Rubino endowed associate professor of the Italian American Studies Program at Loyola University Chicago, has announced that three classes will be offered in the fall semester. Simonini will lead a comparative literature class titled “Italian and Italian-American Women Writers,” Pietro Lorenzini will offer a history class titled “Italian Americans in Popular Culture,” and Robert Lombardo will teach an online criminal justice course titled “Organized Crime.” (simonini@LUC.edu.)  

Frank Conforti of Frankie’s Deli in Oakbrook Terrace and Dr. Tim Fendon of Good Advocate Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove have been friends since childhood. When coronavirus patients began pouring into the hospital’s emergency room, Conforti didn’t hesitate to lend a hand. “The day it started, Tim called me and said, ‘Hey, we’re all working 16-hour shifts, and we can’t leave. Can you drop off 20 lunches?’” Conforti says. “He offered to pay, but I said, ‘No way. With everything you’re doing for us, it’s the least I can do for you.’” The individually bagged lunches magically appeared, complete with …

Like every other local restaurant, BarTucci’s on Harlem Avenue has been hit hard by the pandemic. With business slowed to a crawl and inventory sitting in coolers, owner Gino Bartucci stepped out onto the street in mid-March with bagged lunches that he distributed for free to Chicago Streets and Sanitation workers. Bartucci has stayed afloat since then by selling meals to curbside customers. Meanwhile, he has broadened his generosity to embrace first responders and health care workers, as well as veterans and the homeless, bestowing more than 5,000 meals to date. “Our most important priority right now is taking care …