Società Santa Fara di Cinisi – Fra Noi

Cinisensi host overseas guests

Fra Noi — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 18:16:55 +0000

Società Santa Fara di Cinisi attracted more than 300 guests to its annual dinner dance on Dec. 3 at Allegra Banquets in Schiller Park. The theme of the event was “Building Bridges to Cinisi,” the town in Sicily to which many of the members trace their roots. The gathering was attended by Cinisi Vice Mayor Aldo Ruffino; town Assessor Marina Maltese; and Padre Antonio Ortoleva, pastor of Santa Fara Church in Cinisi. Vice Consul General Marina Balestra also attended, presenting the society with a congratulatory letter. “Since there are very few Italian immigrants nowadays, it’s important that the younger generation visit Italy, and dignitaries from Italy visit our community,” says society President Carlo Vaniglia.

Santa Fara Society shares sign with hometown

Fra Noi — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:19:26 +0000

Last year, Società Santa Fara di Cinisi successfully lobbied the city of Chicago to name the stretch of road outside of their clubhouse on Addison Street Honorary Via Santa Fara di Cinisi. The society was presented with an extra sign at the time, which it shipped to the mayor of Cinisi, Sicily, to display outside their town hall. The sign was installed in Sicily on July 10 during the Feast of Santa Fara. “This was done to keep the lines of communication open between the town of our birth and the Cinisensi of Chicago,” says society President Carlo Vaniglia. “It was a proud moment for everybody.”

Santa Fara Society garners street name

Fra Noi — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 16:59:38 +0000

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 [36^th 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.