Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Società Santa Fara di Cinisi has been a beacon of italianità at Addison Street and Oleander Avenue in Chicago since the organization opened the doors to its social hall and chapel on the northeast corner of the intersection in 1985.
The society’s light shines a little brighter now that the city has named Oleander from Addison to Waveland Avenue Honorary Via Santa Fara di Cinisi.
“We approached [36th Ward] Alderman [Nicholas] Sposato with the idea, and he was more than happy to help,” says society President Carlo Vaniglia. “We need to be proud of our heritage and show that pride in a visible way.”
The distinctive brown signs that mark honorary ways in the city were installed at a May 16 dedication ceremony that was covered by a news outlet in Palermo, according to Vaniglia.
“They also interviewed the mayor and city council members in Cinisi, and they said how proud they were that we were maintaining our ties to our hometown,” he says. “They promised to make an official visit to Chicago soon.”
The society is donating an extra honorary street sign for display in front of the Cinisi City Hall.
