December 2011 News

DECEMBER MEETINGS

There will be NO Auxiliary meetings in December, but the men WILL have their meetings on December 18th  (trustees at 1:30, membership at 2:00 PM).  As the hall will be in use for a member’s Christmas party, members should enter though the WEST entrance to the meeting room.

A WORK DAY for Lodge members will be held Sunday, December 4^th, starting at 12:00 noon.  There is a lot work to get completed and help is needed from all members.

OUR CHRISTMAS PARTY/POTLUCK will be Sunday, December 11^th.  Our potluck will begin at 12:00 noon followed by a visit from Santa Claus.  This event is open to all Lodge, Auxiliary members, widows, and their families.  Bring a covered dish, salad, or dessert large enough to share with all.  Even if you have no children for the visit from Santa Claus, come join us for the potluck and visiting with friends.  It’s fun to watch the kids visit with Santa. 

We will be having a cakewalk and other activities.  Please bring items for the cakewalk – cookies, cupcakes, treats, etc.  We will also be collecting items for the local food pantry.  Any can goods, boxed items; etc that you can spare would be greatly appreciated!!!

TEXAS-HOLD’EM GAMES need a volunteer to run them if they are to continue.  As of now, there are NO games scheduled pending a volunteer.  If you are interested, contact Jim or AJ Forneris.

ANNUAL CAVATELLI DINNER will be March 11, 2012.  Volunteers will be needed.  Contact AJ Forneris (515.971.6711).

Six (6) tickets to the cavatelli dinner will be sent to each member to sell.  Unsold tickets need not be returned.

The Auxiliary will hold a craft and bake sale during the cavatelli dinner.  Volunteers will be needed to help staff the craft & bake sale table and also helpers with the cavatelli dinner.  President Julie Jennings will be at the hall Friday and Saturday so you can drop off your items and sign up to help (times will be relayed in future newsletters).

VOLUNTEERS are needed for the committee to rewrite the Lodge Charter.  Please contact Jim Forneris.

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 January 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.

POINSETTIAS will again be sent by the Lodge to shut-ins for the Christmas holiday.

WORK ON THE SHELTER will continue as permitted.

OUR APOLOGIES to Rena Vanni whom we had omitted in last month’s newsletter’s thank yous for helping with the Memorial Mass.

OUR SINCERE SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES of Floyd Biondi and Dora Romitti

HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS TO Betty Bimbi (Dec 1 ^th), Lisa Smith (Dec 1 ^th), Norma Fousek (Dec 4 ^th), Fran Steffani (Dec 4 ^th), Tiffany Casey (Dec 11 ^th), Lupe Babcock (Dec 12 ^th), Anita Schroeder (Dec 16 ^th), Cassandra Haller (Dec 19 ^th), Julie Seamands (Dec 20^th), Sarah Magnani (Dec 23 ^th), Tina Battani (Dec 28 ^th), Ronda Gentosi (Dec 31 ^th), Tina Johnson (Dec 31 ^th), Jessica Forneris, Peggy Rossi

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

December 11^th – Noon – potluck with Christmas party & Santa Claus

NO Auxiliary meetings

December 11^th – Santa Lucia celebration 3 PM at the Cultural Center

December 18^th – LODGE meetings  – NO Auxiliary meetings

January 15^th – January meetings

January – Auxiliary 2012 dues ($15) are due

March 11^th – Cavatelli dinner & Bake Sale

March 18^th – March meetings

April 15^th – April meetings

May 20^th – May meetings

November 2011 News

NOVEMBER MEETINGS
Our next meetings will be November 20^th.  NOTE: the Lodge trustees meeting will be held at 1:00 PM.  The Auxiliary Trustees will be at their regular time of 1:30 PM.  Also the regular meetings will be at their usual time of 2:00 PM. 

MEMORIAL MASS

Thank yous to Father Beeson, Fran Steffani, Tina Battani, and Julie Jennings for their help to make this event a succcess.

CHRISTMAS PARTY/POTLUCK

Mark your calendars for December 11^th.  Our potluck will begin at noon followed by a visit from Santa Claus.  This event is open to all Lodge, Auxiliary members, widows, and their families.  Bring a covered dish, salad, or dessert large enough to share with all.  Even if you have no children for the visit from Santa Claus, come join us for the potluck and visiting with friends.  It’s fun to watch the kids visit with Santa.

We will be having a cakewalk and other activities.  Please bring items for the cakewalk – cookies, cupcakes, treats, etc…  We will also be collecting items for the local food pantry.  Any can goods, boxed items; etc that you can spare would be greatly appreciated!!!

DO YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS DEPLOYED?

If you have a family member(s) that is deployed and will be through February please contact Mary Ladurini at 515.986.3061.  The auxiliary is working on a project to send out care packages.

ANNUAL CAVATELLI DINNER will be March 11, 2012

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST LODGE MEMBERS Mark H. Campbell, Kenneth Todd Cruchelow, Dan L. DeCarlo, Robert Lee DeCarlo, Chad H. Johnson, Bobby R. Mason, Brian C. Van Houton, David J. Van Houton, Mark G. Van Houton, and Mike G. Van Houton 

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST AUXILIARY MEMBERS Lisa Blasco, Ashley Dickey, and Deb Fleishman

The Lodge would like to remind all members that their children, who are 18 years of age, are eligible to join the Lodge or Auxiliary.  We encourage parents to approach their children and suggest the benefits of membership.

GET WELL WISHES to Delores Gioffredi and Rick Hutcheson.

OUR SINCERE SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES of Fay Lenzini and Pete Fontana.

CONGRATULATIONS to Alyssa Denny who won 1^st place at the National Dance Competition in Wisconsin. Her grandparents are Mary and John Ladurini and her parents are Rose and Marvin Denny.

HAPPY NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS TO Mary Ann Bellville (Nov 5 ^th), Amy Copley (Nov 6 ^th), Diana Houge (Nov 8 ^th), Chris Sledge (Nov 12 ^th), Julie Willemsen (Nov 15 ^th), Delores Gioffredi (Nov 16 ^th), Jennie Stefani (Nov 17 ^th), Valeria Mason (Nov 19 ^th), Lori Vivone (Nov 25 ^th), Julie Jennings (Nov 28 ^th), Jeanne Tazzioli (Nov 29 ^th)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

November 20^th – November meetings NOTE:  Lodge Trustees meet at 1:00 PM
December 11^th – Noon – potluck with Christmas party & Santa Claus
December 11^th – Santa Lucia celebration 3 PM at the Cultural Center
January 15^th – January meetings
January – Auxiliary 2012 dues ($15) are due
March 11^th – Cavatelli dinner
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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