Tag Archives: Mazzini-Verdi Club

Mazzini Verdi Club Ladies Club President Giovanna Carlino has made many deep friendships thanks to the club, and she encourages others to join and experience the same gift. “It’s an enjoyment,” she says. “All of us when we go, we are happy people, we greet each other like we haven’t seen each other for years but we saw each other yesterday.” A native of Palermo, Carlino moved to Chicago at age 19, following in the footsteps of her sister, and eventually got married and had one child. She and her first husband started a beauty business selling wigs and doing …

Bernard Ghilarducci and Luigi Banducci are close friends who have been at the helm of the Chicago-area Mazzini Verdi Club since about 2007, when they started alternating two-year presidency terms. Ghilarducci’s current term as president started Jan. 1. A retired engineer, he has been a member of the club since 1980, when he and his wife, Fidalma, joined following the example of friends. “We joined to be part of the Italian community,” he says. The social and cultural club derives its name from Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian politician whose activism helped unify the country in 1861, and Giuseppe Verdi, the …

The Mazzini-Verdi Club started December off with a bang, honoring Steve Menconi and Catherine Di Venere Ciminello as Man and Woman of the Year at its Dec. 3 President’s Ball. On the menu were an outstanding dinner and dancing that went well into the evening. Then came the Ladies Club’s Dec. 17 Christmas party, featuring a decorated tree and other traditional décor, carols in English and Italian, delicious home-baked treats and elegant baskets created by members to be raffled off. Two weeks later, more than 160 revelers partied until well after midnight at the club’s New Year’s Eve bash. (847-671-0055) …

The Mazzini Verdi Ladies Club presented Festa D’Autunno on Oct. 22. The clubhouse in Franklin Park was decorated in fall colors, and Chef Giorgio Mei was in rare form, serving up a feast that included risotto, chicken limone and pork chops, plus a classic tiramisù for dessert. After dinner, guests danced the night away to live music and a DJ. Anthony (Frank) Cassano performed on his eye-catchingly red trumpet, and John Truncali sang and played the guitar. Kudos to Ladies Club President Lydia Arnstein for putting together a memorable evening.  

The Mazzini-Verdi Club honored Steve Menconi as Man of the Year and Cathy Ciminello as Woman of the Year at the President’s Ball on Dec. 3 at its clubhouse in Franklin Park. The following profiles were provided by the organization. CATHERINE CIMINELLO Catherine Ciminello has long been involved with the Mazzini-Verdi Club alongside her husband, Paul, and has served as a member of the Mazzini-Verdi Ladies Club for the last seven years. Active with the club’s St. Joseph Table and Festa Fuori, she joined the Ladies’ Club board in 2020 as financial secretary. In the midst of the pandemic, she …

The Mazzini Verdi Club was done up with Las Vegas pizzazz for this year’s Festa Fuori. More than 250 members and guests turned out to enjoy the evening’s festivities. Emcee Paul Ciminello sang the American and Italian national anthems, and Diamanti provided music for dining and dancing. Chef Giorgio Mei’s menu included risotto Bolognese con funghi and beef tenderloin. Ladies Club President Lydia Arnstein thanked the many volunteers who pitched in to artfully decorate the tables and fence in the club’s expansive outdoor seating area.  

After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, the bocce courts at the Mazzini Verdi Club opened for business last July. The women’s bocce league at the club took full advantage, launching a weekly tournament that lasted through November. Out of a field of 25 players, six finalists competed for top honors. The victors were Roberta Tofanelli, first place; Pina Lepri, second place; and Lilia Leonardi Juarez, third place. The league will embark on its spring season in April.

The Mazzini-Verdi Club will ease back into gear on June 7, reopening its doors for the first time since the pandemic struck last spring. The club will start out slowly by reinstating its Monday bocce matches and cenetta. Occupancy is limited, and reservations for the cenetta are a must. Large-scale events will return as state restrictions permit, club President Bernard Ghilarducci says, noting that officers are exploring the possibility of bringing back Festa Fuori in August. For details, call 847-671-0055.  

It’s been a long, eerily quiet year at the Mazzini-Verdi Club in Franklin Park. The once-bustling facility at 9230 W. Belmont Ave. has been shuttered since March 2020 because of the pandemic, and club leaders and members are looking forward to returning to business as usual. “The club is like a second home to us, and we deeply miss gathering there, but the safety of our members comes first,” says Mazzini-Verdi President Bernard Ghilarducci. “We’ll be reopening as soon as the state of Illinois gives us the green light, and we’ll, of course, be following all guidelines and restrictions.” Founded …

The Mazzini Verdi Club honored Paul Ciminello as Man of the Year and Maria Banducci as Woman of the Year at its President’s Ball on Dec. 1. The event took place at the club’s facilities in Franklin Park. (708-366-8435) The organization submitted the following profiles: Maria Banducci Maria Banducci is loved and admired by all those who come into contact with her. Charming and kind, she is devoted to her family and always takes care of husband, Luigi, and their son and daughter-in law, Simone and Grisell. As a wife and mother, she is the best any woman can be. …