Tag Archives: SACA

The Sicilian American Cultural Association celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala Medal of Merit luncheon on Sept. 8 at Belvedere Banquets in Elk Grove Village. All past presidents and Medal of Merit recipients were honored at the event, along with this year’s honorees, Joseph and Martha Monastero and Katherine Amari O’Dell. For details, call 773-454-4710. The following profiles of this year’s Medal of Merit recipients were provided by the organization: Joseph Monastero Joseph Monastero was born in Philadelphia on Sept. 21, 1930, and returned to Caccamo, Italy, in 1932. He completed Liceo Classico in Palermo, returned to the United …

The Sicilian American Cultural Association held its annual Medal of Merit dinner on Sept. 16 Cucina Biagio in Harwood Heights. This year’s recipient was attorney Sam F. Cannizzaro. (773-454-4771) Sam F. Cannizzaro Cannizzaro is a Sicilian American who has lived on the Northwest Side of Chicago all his life. He is a family law attorney and partner of the downtown Chicago law firm of Birnbaum, Haddon, Gelfman & Arnoux, LLC. As an attorney, Cannizzaro has served multiple terms on the Illinois State Bar Association’s Assembly as well as a committee chairperson. He has been involved with the Chicago Bar Association, …

With the closing of Monastero’s in November, the Sicilian American Cultural Association needed to find a new home for its monthly meetings. After weighing its options, the venerable organization has settled on Cucina Biagio in Harwood Heights. Open to the public, the meetings often feature presentations on Sicilian and Italian arts, science, music, fashion, sports, cuisine and culture. Past meetings have included wine tastings and classical concerts. The next two meetings are March 14 and April 4. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for non-members. For reservations, call Cathy Ciminello at 847-673-4660.

The Sicilian American Cultural Association presented attorney Umberto S. Davi with its Medal of Merit on Sept. 24 at Monastero’s Banquets in Chicago. Umberto S. Davi The Sicilian American Cultural Association is proud to present attorney Umberto S. Davi with its coveted Medal of Merit. Davi is a founding member of the Sicilian American Cultural Association, a lifetime member of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and a past president (1995) of the Justinian Society of Lawyers. He is proud to have served as the first immigrant president (2015-2016) of the 33,000-plus-member Illinois State Bar Association. For the first …

The Sicilian American Cultural Association has elected the Hon. Gloria Coco Esq. as president. Judge Coco and her fellow SACA officers will be sworn in by the Hon. Frank Orlando Esq. at a dinner meeting on Feb. 22 at Monastero’s, 3935 W Devon Ave, Chicago. SACA Chaplain the Rev. Charles N. Faso, OFM, will present a program on the history of Carnevale at the meeting, which will start with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for non-members and guests. Joining Judge Coco as officers will be First Vice President Lauretta Berg, Second Vice President Joseph …

The Sicilian American Cultural Association will host a presentation by Prof. Gaetano Cipolla on Oct. 25 at Monastero’s Banquets in Chicago. (773-588–2515) America’s foremost authority on Sicilian language and culture, Cipolla will present his 2015 book “The Poetry of Giovanni Meli,” celebrating the 200th anniversary of the death of Sicily’s greatest poet. He will speak about Meli’s life and recite his greatest poems in both English and Sicilian. Dr. Cipolla is Professor Emeritus of Italian at St. John’s University where he taught for 31 years. He held the position of Chairman of the Department for six years. He taught courses …

The Sicilian American Cultural Association will present Gloria Coco with its Medal of merit on Sept. 27 at Monastero’s Banquets in Chicago. Tickets for the event are $40 for adults (cash bar) and $18 for children 2 to 12 years of age. Entertainment will be provided by past winners of the Bel Canto Foundation Opera Contest. (773-588–2515) The Sicilian American Cultural Association is proud to present jurist and thespian Gloria G. Coco with its coveted Medal of Merit. A retired Supervising Judge of the Domestic Violence Section of the First Municipal District of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Judge …