February 2012 News

Next Meeting:  February 19, 2012
NO TRUSTEES meeting
REGULAR MEETING 1:30

AUXILIARY MEETING
Our next meeting will be February 19^th, with the regular meeting at 1:30.  There will be NO trustees meeting.  We will have a short meeting followed by hands on demonstration of how to make tortellini.  Bring your knife-sharpening steele.  We will learn how to fold the tortellini using it.

We will the cook up and enjoy the final product along with a few other tasty treats.  We invite members from the SIAA to attend.

Reminder that the AUXILIARY 2011 DUES of $15.00 is now due.  Make the checks out to the Vitttoria Lodge Auxiliary.  They may be paid at our February meeting or mailed to our Treasurer Kim Magnani,618 Onyx St,Ames IA 50010-8400.  Please include any change of address, your E-Mail address, and your full birthdate, including the month, day, AND YEAR.  Members over 85 may be eligible for lifetime membership and would not pay any more dues.  If you have just turned 85 this year, let us know.

CAVATELLI DINNER

Volunteers will be needed to help with the cavatelli dinner and bake sale, Sunday, March 11^th.  Please contact Julie Jennings (515.270.6526 or jenningstre@gmail.com) if you would like to donate to the bake sale.  We will also be accepting donations for any craft items you would to contribute.

HAPPY FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS TO  Mary Ladurini (Feb 3^th), Marian Tazzioli (Feb 5^th), Charlene Lamberti (Feb 6^th) Rose Medici (Feb 12^th), Rosie Gibson (Feb 12^th), Gloria Stefani (Feb 14^th), Kelley Dickey (Feb 15^th), Wendy Farrell (Feb 22^th), Melissa Criswell (Feb 28^th), Nancy Grimm

GET WELL WISHES TO Pat Civitate.  May she have a speedy recovery!

SINCERE SYMPATHY TO the family of Charles Talerico (Fran Stefani’s brother).

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

February 19^th – February meeting at 1:30  –  tortellini session

March 11^th - cavatelli dinner & bake sale

March 18^th and 19^th –St. Joseph Altar at the IACCI

March 18^th – March meetings

April 15^th – April meetings

May 20^th – May meetings

Vittoria Lodge and Auxiliary Members Participate in Annual Italian Festival

Vittoria Lodge Auxiliary members take time off from their busy booth to pose for a photo with the Five Gumbas musical group. (Click on image for larger view.)

Lodge and Auxiliary Members Make Noodles for Italian Festival

Several Vittoria Lodge and auxiliary members gathered on July 10, 2011 to create noodles to be sold at the second annual Italian American Heritage Festival of Iowa.

Here are some photos of the noodle-making:

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2011 Annual Dinner Photos

The Vittoria Lodge held its annual dinner on Sunday, June 12, 2011 at the lodge hall.  A delicious meal catered by The Radish in Grimes was served.  The meal was followed by a program which included a review of the successful year by lodge president Jim Forneris and auxiliary president Julie Jennings.

Photos of this year’s event can be viewed in the Vittoria Lodge Photo Albums.

Here is a slideshow preview:

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Auxiliary Gathers to Make Guanti for Annual Dinner

Several members of the Vittoria Lodge Auxiliary gathered to make guanti desserts for the annual dinner to be held on June 12, 2011.  Below is a slideshow of pictures from this fun-filled day.

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Giuseppe “Joe” Milani, Oldest Vittoria Lodge Member Passes Away

Giuseppe "Joe" Milani

Giuseppe “Joe ” Milani was born October 16, 1915, in Cargedolo, Italy. He was one of seven children born to Amerigo and Clotilde Milani. He married Domenica Balducchi on September 19, 1945. Eleven years later he left his homeland for America, to provide greater opportunities for his family. He settled in Madrid, Iowa.

Joe became a U. S. citizen on September 3, 1968. He was a faithful member of St. Malachys Catholic Church. He was a WW ll Veteran and the oldest member of the Societa Vittoria Italiana of Des Moines, Iowa.  He was a proud father, grandfather, and great grandfather and lived for his family. A bricklayer by trade he loved making and building things. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and telling stories. Even though he was physically in the United States, his mind, spirit, and soul were always revisiting his beloved Italian countryside of his homeland. Giuseppe “Nonno” died at The Sanctuary At The Shore in Grand Haven, Michigan on January 29, 2011.

He is survived by his children, Clotilde “Tilda” Thompson and husband Chuck of Ames, Ia. , Rico Milani and wife Julie of Commerce Township, Michigan, and Rose Perrier and husband Brent of Grand Haven, Michigan; 12 grandchildren, Rita, Rebecca, Michelle, Michael, Nic, Maggie, Tina, Elizabeth, Alexandra, Anthony, Anna Rose, and Olivia; 2 greatgrandchildren Ethan and Lucy. Two sisters Diva Cervetti of Italy, and Sophia Battani of Waukee, Ia. and many nieces and nephews.

Giuseppe was preceded into eternal life by his wife of 60 years Domenica, his parents, and daughter Rena Krug, his brothers Armando and Sivio, his sisters Oliva and Rosa.

Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Saturday , February 5, 2011, at 10:30 am at St. Malachys Catholic Church in Madrid, Iowa, with burial following at Mt. Hope Cemetery south of Madrid.

Vittoria Lodge Members Attend Dinner with Culture

On Sunday, November 7, 2010, several members of the Vittoria Lodge and auxiliary attended a “Dinner with Culture” event at the Italian American Cultural Center of Iowa.  A presentation on Christmas in Italy was presented by the cultural center, folowed by a  delicious dinner prepared by Tony Lemmo of Cafe di Scala.  Below are photos from the event.

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Vittoria Lodge Makes Large Donation to Italian American Cultural Center of Iowa

At the annual Columbus Day Dinner presented by the Italian American Cultural Center of Iowa, President Jim Forneris of the Vittoria Lodge presented a $7,500 donation to the Cultural Center to be used as a payment on the principal of the Cultural Center’s mortgage.

The donation came from the proceeds earned by the Vittoria Lodge’s efforts at this year’s Italian American Heritage Festival of Iowa.

In appreciation for their donation, the Cultural Center sent a cake and a letter of thanks to the Vittoria Lodge at their October meeting.

Vittoria Lodge Participates in Viva L’Italia Festival

Members of the Vittoria Lodge contributed many hours of volunteer work in the planning and execution of this year’s Italian American Heritage Festival of Iowa.  The women of the auxilliary also worked in the  Vittoria Lodge food booth selling biscotti, guanti, and Blue Bunny ice cream.  Proceeds from the festival food booth went towards the Vittoria Lodge Scholarship fund.  Below is a slideshow of photos from the food booth.  Thanks to all who volunteered! 

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Vittoria Lodge Auxiliary Bake Biscotti for Viva L’Italia Festival

The women of the Vittoria Lodge Auxiliary held a marathon biscotti baking session on Saturday, July 10  to bake biscotti to sell a the  Viva L’Italia festival.  They worked hard and accomplished a lot of biscotti.  Below is a slideshow of a lot of fun in the kitchen!

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