Tag Archives: Greater Rockford Italian American Association

OCTOBER 2/9/16/23/30 Who: Casa Italia What: Essential Italian-American film series Where: Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia (Stone Park) Time: 7 p.m. Cost: Free (donations appreciated) Contact: 708-345-593 Details: “Pane Amaro” on Oct. 2; “The Italian Americans, Part I” on Oct. 9; “The Italian Americans, Part II” on Oct. 16; “And They Came to Chicago: The Italian American Legacy” and “5,000 Miles From Home” on Oct. 23; “Prisoners Among Us” on Oct. 30. OCTOBER 3 Who: American Italian Cultural Society What: 97th Columbus Day Banquet Where: Holiday Inn & Suites (Joliet) Time: 6 p.m. Cost: $75 per person (cash bar) Contact: 815-585-5854 …

The Chicago-area Italian American community and its supporters pulled out all the stops in October, with celebrations taking place across the metropolitan area and throughout the month. As always, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans led the way, starting with an Oct. 10 flag-raising ceremony in Daley Plaza, followed by a reception at the office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. Next came a glittering Presidents’ Ball on Oct. 12 at the Chicago Cultural Center. Club presidents joined forces with elected officials from every level of government to officially welcome delegations from Sicily and Italy to the festivities, with …

The Greater Rockford Italian American Association (GRIAA) held its annual Italian Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Award Dinner on Oct. 14 at the Venetian Club in Rockford. Fr. James Ciamataro and Frank Valentine were inducted into the Hall of Fame, Bove’s Auto and Truck Repair received a Special Recognition Award for Business, and Dan Appino received a Special Recognition Award for Sports. The awardees were also recognized at the annual Columbus Day Mass on Oct. 15 at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Rockford. Ciamataro served as pastor of St. Anthony’s from 1988-2022. Realizing that the histories of the …

Frank Perrecone and Frank Fiorello were honored at the Greater Rockford Italian American Association’s annual Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Awards Banquet. A principal at the law firm of Ferolie and Perrecone, Hall of Fame inductee Perrecone is a former chairperson of GRIAA and a long-time volunteer at its events, including Festa Italiana. Special Recognition Award recipient Fiorello of Las Vegas established the Pumpkin Path in Caledonia, the main setting for the 10 children’s books he has written and illustrated. He also is the former newsroom artist and illustrator at the Rockford Register Star.