Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
“This and That” is an appropriate way to label this column, as it will cover a number of topics. Coming up with a single topic for each of the past 18 columns I’ve written is always my starting point. After all, there is only so much space for a monthly column. I’ve decided to make this middle of summer my “This and That” column, so be prepared and pay attention.
I begin with the end: Mario Avignone says hello to everyone. I visited with him at the Manteno Veteran’s Home where he is very content. He enjoys telling jokes to the staff and helps out by giving visitors tours of the facility. The Veterans Home is straight up I-57, and if you’re looking for something to do, Mario is not the only veteran that could use some visitors.
I also went out to dinner with Angelo Piolotto, who lives in Manteno near his son Augie and daughter-in-law Cathy. Angelo is now 94 and plays a weekly game with a golf league. Angelo mentioned that the residents of the Veteran’s Home willingly take used men’s and women’s clothing. Contact me and I’ll come by to pick up what you want to donate.
We seem to have hit a snag on setting even a tentative date for us to begin working on the Roseland Rooms at the Hotel Florence. However, we’re hopeful that we will firm up those plans in early summer. We have received numerous photos and brochures from Louise Panozzo, and Orlando Benetti has given us many items, including a 1973 Roseland phone book. Marlene Cook has presented us with numerous items from past years at Fenger. Joe Frugger had some Operetta Club newsletters and lent us the 1972 St. Anthony’s Ladies Auxiliary Cookbook to copy and return.
The Spaghetti-Os are looking for Sunday bowlers to join them once a month at Oak Forest Bowl from July to October followed by dinner. The Spaghetti-Os meet on the last Tuesday of the month at Carlo Lorenzetti’s on US 30 next door to Panozzo Brothers Funeral Home. If you’re interested, contact me with any questions and I’ll pass them on to Bonnie Sandona.
Danny Bovino is doing an outstanding job keeping the RoselandRoundtable Facebook site current, and is always adding new photos. As I write this column, there are more than 400 photos available for viewing at the Facebook site. As a matter of fact, any photos or objects the Roseland Roundtable receives or can view will be photographed and that photo will appear on the Facebook site for public viewing.
The Veneti Nel Mondo had a very good turnout for their annual dinner dance at Villa Brunetti, and their next meeting will take place at 2 p.m. July 11 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oak Forest. Anna Galvan is president and would be more than willing to discuss the group with anyone that is interested. Simply contact me and I will pass along the information to her.
The passing of two former Roseland residents occurred recently: Alice H. Perazzolo nee Kessler, age 82, wife of the late Aldo and frequent attendee at St. Anthony’s 10:30 a.m. Mass; and Frank Calzavara, age 85. Frank was a longtime Homewood resident formerly of Chicago’s Historic Pullman.
As always, the ciopette story continues to build. I recently spoke with Billy Dodaro whose grandfather Dominic was a founding partner, with his brother Luigi, of the Piemonte Bakery on Kensington. It was Dominic who took over the bakery when Luigi moved to Rockford. There’s quite a bit more to the story and I will be writing a more complete version of the Piemonte Bakery history in a future column.
Speaking of future columns, one of the topics I will be writing about is Old Roselanders who still live in Roseland. If any of you attend St. Anthony’s 8:30 a.m. Mass you will immediately think of Jack Rossi, who serves the Mass, and who still lives on 116th Street. There are a few others who come to mind, one of them being my old friend Gilbert Munoz’ mother, Julia, who also lives on 116th Street. If you know of anyone else, please drop me a line or call me and give me their information so I don’t miss anyone still living in Kensington or Bumtown or Roseland as we know the area.
Contact CJ Martello at 1501 W. Belmont Ave. #708, Chicago, IL 60657; 773-525-7823; or cjfranoi@yahoo.com; Online: Roseland Roundtable on Facebook
