Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Le Marche is a region in eastern Italy between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. In 1907, emigrants from the region who had settled in Chicago Heights after leaving their homeland for a chance at a better life in America founded an ethnic mutual aid society then called the Società di Mutuo Sorcorso Unione Marchegiana. While the group has evolved over the ensuing 118 years —including incorporating as a non-profit under the name of Marchegiana Society of Chicago Heights — it continues to thrive today.
Ron Lucarini, who has served as the group’s president for the past 16 years, says he believes they are the only Marchegiana society in America and are the oldest among all the others across the globe.
“We’re even older than the one in Italy that has the same name,” Lucarini says.
The group has just over 100 members and is always seeking to grow.
“Before 1981, members could only be Marchegiana,” Lucarini says. “But now as long as you’re Italian American you’re welcome in. Could be Calabrese, Sicilian, anything as long as you’re Italian American.”
This year, the group had a float in the Columbus Day Parade for the first time in its history. Lucarini proposed the idea to the board after attending the parade last year. The cost of the float was underwritten by Italian American businesses in Chicago Heights with each sponsor being acknowledge on the float’s banner
The group’s regular events include a membership dinner each May, which always features a guest speaker. Past speakers have included paralympic champion Linda Mastandrea, State Rep. Anthony DeLuca and Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans President Ron Onesti. There is a golf outing each summer at the Glenwoodie Golf Club, and since 2007, the group has hosted an annual Sausagefest each July at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Glenwood. A fundraising dinner in December that benefits needy families rounds out the society’s regularly schedule annual events.
The society has bestowed around a half a million dollars in college scholarships since the program began in 1984, according to Lucarini. And while the group used to drop off application forms for Italian American students at nearby high schools, scholarships are now available only to students whose parents or grandparents have an affiliation with the Marchegiana Society, he says.
“How could you say no to young people whose family members have been part of the organizations for so long?” Lucarini explains.
The society also donates money annually to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Lucarini says.
Lucarini says it is a lot of work to be the group’s president but says he keeps doing it because of how hard his fellow board members work as well. The other officiers are Vice President Jason Nardi, Treasurer and Membership Director Randall Doggett, Welfare Director Joseph Gliottoni, Recording Secretary Patrick Doggett as well as seven directors: Enrico Doggett, Guido Falaschetti, Gary Felicetti, Giorgio Pellati, Sally Pellati, Robert Rossi and Kevin Welsh.
Lucarini first joined the board or directors around 25 years ago. Maybe “joined” isn’t the correct term based on how he remembers it going. In those days, the board usually had its monthly meetings at Lucarini’s mother’s restaurant, Mama Mary’s in Chicago Heights.
“One night I came out of the kitchen and the board members said ‘Congrats!’ and I said ‘Why, what happened?’ and they said ‘You’re on the board!’” Lucarini recalls.
He served as vice president in 2007 and 2008 before accepting the top spot in 2009.
Lucarini served just over 40 years with the Chicago Heights Fire Department Paid On-Call Division, which included 15 years as Battalion Chief.
He was recently honored by the American Catholic Press organization in September with the Gratiam Dei Award, which is bestowed on people who have demonstrated significant service to the Catholic Church’s liturgy or the common good.
One of the people who spoke at the ceremony was firefighter Mike Vitori, who told the crowd that if it hadn’t been for Lucarini he’d never have been a fireman.
“It was heartwarming, I felt humbled,” Lucarini says.
For more information about the group, including upcoming events, visit marchegianasocietychicagoheights.com
