lvi jan feb 2015 final.pdf

ItalianCultural&CommunityCenterofHoustonwww.iccchouston.comLaVoceItalianaWinterEdition2014P a g e |1

Follow ICCC on The Voice of All Things Italian ICCCCelebrateswithMembersandFamilies!

The Italian Cultural & Community Center celebrated theChristmasseasonwithaspectacularannualopenhouseeventforICCC members on December 11. As guests arrived to thebeautifully decorated Milford House, home of the ICCC, theywere greeted with the aromas of traditional Italian holidaydelicaciessuchasarancini,cassatasiciliana,cannoli,meatballs,tiramis, prosciutto, ravioli, baked rigatoni, stuffed artichokes,panettone,cheesesandavarietyofwine.

BabboNatale(SantaClaus)waspresenttogreetmembers

andtakeupnamecards foragiftbasketdoorprize fullof fineItalianwines. Theannualeventbrings together families, longtimemembersandnewmembers tohearaboutplans for theupcomingyearattheICCCandtoenjoyeachotherscompany.ThisyearseventalsoincludedthepresentationoftheOrderofthe Star of Italy award to two distinguished members ofHoustonsItaliancommunity(seeinpiazzafordetails).

WrapuptheHolidayswithLaBefana!La Befana is on herway toHouston! Bring the kids and

grandkidstotheICCCat5:00p.m.onJanuary11,2015,forgifts,panettone,hotchocolateandfunwithLaBefana.TheICCChasmany familyfriendlyeventsplanned in2015,so thateveryonecan enjoy celebrating and learning about Italian culture andheritage together. Bookmark the ICCC webpagewww.iccchouston.comforinformationon:

LaPiccolaCucina,theItaliancookingseriesforchildren, Special language classes for children, including pre

kindergartenandkindergartenstudents, Childrensfilmseries, Scholarshipopportunitiesforhighschoolstudents, Youthsoccercamp, Familypizzanight, Italianlanguagesummercamp, Carnevale(ItalianMardiGras) SundayMassforthewholefamily,andsomuchmore!

SavetheDatefortheFestadiCarnevale2015! ComecelebrateMardiGraswiththekidsattheICCCFestadiCarnevaleannualmasqueradepartywithgames,foodandfuninthespiritofthegreatVenetiantradition.Theeventtakesplaceat4:30p.m.onSunday,February15.Just$2forchildren,$5adults.Call7135244222,ext4,fordetails.

A publication of the Italian Cultural & Community

Center of Houston

Volume XXIII, Number 1

Winter Edition 2014

ICCCEvents page1ascuola~school page2atavola~food page3dimoda~fashion page5inchiesa~faith page6inteatro~theater page8inpiazza~public page9inItalia~Italy page10acasa~ICCC page13famiglia~family page15Clubs&Organizations page15Paparazzi page18


ESLforItaliansOfferedatICCCByClaudiaGentileSims

We started our firstever English as a SecondLanguage(ESL)classinDecemberatICCC,andourfirsteverESL student is Judge Celestina Bulleri. Judge Bulleri, agraduate of Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II,studiedFrenchforfiveyears,butsheneverstudiedEnglish.SheneverusedEnglishinherlonganddistinguishedcareerinNaplesandFlorencewhereshewasalawyer,ajusticeofthepeace(giudicedipace),andlaterasanhonoraryjudge(GiudiceOnorarioAggregato{G.O.A.}TribunalediPrato)in Tuscany. She didnt object to studying English; shesimplyneverneededit.

ShesstudyingEnglishnow.JudgeBulleriisnearly

80 years old and her only child, Tommaso, is living inHouston with his Puerto Rican/American wife. JudgeBulleri found thatabasicknowledgeofEnglishwouldbehelpfultoherwhenshevisitsTommasohere.Independentandeducated, she isused topresidingand iscapableofcommandingmost situations, yetwhile in Houston, sheneeds help from others to go shopping or order in arestaurant.Shedliketobeabletointeractwithneighborsand understand her surroundings. Just as she taughtherselftousethecomputerandtoSkypeaboutthreeyearsago, rather than fret, she asked her daughterinlaw,Maurizta, to seek out English classes for her. MauriztacalledICCC.

Judge Bulleri attends a private ESL class at ICCCtwice a week. Her main objective is to acquire usefulphrases for the necessities of daily life while she is in

Houston:Excuseme,doyouunderstandItalian?,MayIplease have a glass of water?, My name is CelestinaBulleri. I liveat1234AmericanStreet,andWhats fordinner? Her English vocabularyhas grown to includewords forkitchenappliances,words for familymembers,numbers,daysof theweek,directions,and time. Thesephrasesandotherslikethemarehelpingheracclimate,andmoreimportantly,interactwiththosearoundher.Sheisgaining independence and a better understanding ofUScultureas sheacquiresmoreandmoreEnglish languageskills.

Unlike English courses taken elsewhere, ESLcoursesarespecificallyintendedforpeoplewhoarelivinginEnglish speaking countrieswhohavemore immediateEnglish needs than someone who studies English in aclassroomsomewhere inanonEnglishspeakingcountry.The ESL student doesnt need toworry about grammarrightaway,butneedstolearnbasicsurvivalskillsasquicklyaspossible.ThisweekwhileIwaswaitingforJudgeBulleritoarrive forherclass,another ItalianmothervisitinghersoninHoustoncamebyICCCtoinquireaboutESLclasses.HerobjectivesarethesameasJudgeBulleris:toachieveadegree of independence and the ability to interactwithothers made possible through the acquisition of basiclanguageskills.

ContactICCCforinformationaboutESLforItalianspeakers, Italian languageclasses forchildrenandadults,or PLIDA exam: 7135244222, extension 2 orwww.iccchouston.com.

I tal ianLanguageMeetUp Wednesday, January7 8:30p.m.Wednesday, February4 8:30p.m.Fel l in i Caf, 5211Kelv inDr.

Doyouwanttospeak Italianas Italiansdo? Areyou learning Italian? Wouldyou liketopracticeyourItalianandimproveyourconversationalskills?Doyouwant to enjoy an authentic Italian coffee shopatmosphere?Wouldyouliketomeetotherstudents,teachersandmakenewfriends?

Afreeappetizerwillbeofferedwiththepurchaseofadrink.


Parlaitaliano?DoyouknowthesewordsandphrasesrelatedtocelebratingNewYearinItalian?Findthewordsinboldinthepuzzlebelow.Risoluzione (resolution)Lenticchie (Lentils)Cotechino (largespicedsausage)Zampone (stuffedpigstrotter)Fuochi dartificio(Fireworks)Tombola (agamelikebingo)Spumante sparklingwineProsecco typicalgrapevarietyforspumanteBiancheria intimadicolorerosso (redunderwearsaidtobeluckyonNewYearsEve!)Capo danno (NewYearsEve)FestadiSan Si lvestro (St.SylvestersFeastDec.31)

F C M L N B B K Y E R V W E A O R T S E V L I S N A S X I S F C J J P N A T U S P U R H P F L A W G N O T L R J E U C U E N O P M A Z I O I H Z O C M W A S R O P L S Z C O S Y I A W T I C Q D E O N U S F T T N K H H U R C A A B O L C V N T L B C V C F I N R M V O Q E E L Q O O X B M S N R O O S L M B V U U Y R J M L O V T E I J A N F E I N F U Q H Y R W A R C O T E C H I N O R V S Y V S F E E X H I V U I M S N G G X N Q G T S E R S K K E W K R B

LaPiccolaCucinaatMDAndersonChildrensCancerHospital:makingadifferencewithfoodandculture

The Italian Cultural & Community Center is very

pleasedtoannouncethatLaPiccolaCucinascollaborationwithM.D.AndersonChildrensCancerHospitalwillbeheldonceamonth,startinginJanuary.ThelittlechefsatM.D.AndersonwillenjoyaprivatesessionwithICCCvolunteersandstaff,ledbytheprogramcreator,ICCCsProgramsand

Marketing Director Tiziana Triolo. The children will bemaking Gli Agnolotti Freschi all Zucca (agnolotti pastawith fresh pumpkin stuffing), a delicious recipe that isperfectforthewintermonths.Alongwithlearninghowtomakethislovelydish,thechildrenwillbeexposedtoItalianculture,language,andeventhebasicsofthemetricsystem.

LaPiccolaCucinasteamisenthusiasticanddevotedto

thiscollaboration,whichbeganlastMay.RayMiller,ICCCExecutiveDirector,commentedthatworkingwiththelittlechefs at MD Anderson on that first occasion was aprofoundly rewarding experience. The rest of the teamsharesthesentiment:allofthemdonatetheirtimeforeachsessionand, in theprocess,createmeaningfulmemoriesforthechildren.The Italian Cultural& CommunityCenter provides allthe tools andmaterials necessary for the class,while a generousdonor at MDAnderson underwrites the cost oftheingredients.

When wereceived the emailfrom the PediatricEducation Coordinator I felt veryhonored tobeable

LA VOCE ITALIANA

PublishedsixtimesayearinJanuary,March,May,July,SeptemberandNovember

bytheItalianCultural&

CommunityCenter(ICCC)ofHoustonlocatedat1101

MilfordSt,HoustonTX77006.

LaVoceItalianaisabenefittoICCCmembersandisalsoavailablebysubscriptionfor$15peryear.Pleasecall

[email protected]


tocontributetotheeducationaldevelopmentoftheseveryspecial students, said Tiziana. MD Anderson providesmanysupportactivitiestotheirpatientsandfamilies,suchas the Arts in Medicine program and the Childrens ArtProject. LaPiccolaCucina,however, is theonlyprogramthatisgearedtowardcooking,languagedevelopmentandcultural awareness. The ICCC Board of Directors wasextremely responsive to thisuniqueopportunity tobringthejoysofItaliancultureandcuisinetothechildrenatMDAndersonHospital.

The Italian Cultural & Community Center cametogetherasateamtohelpmakethishappen.IwanttothanktheICCCBoardofDirectorsforembracingthisnewcollaboration with great enthusiasm and give a specialthankstotherestoftheICCCstaffandvolunteerswhohelpinsharingtheItalianculturewithalltheyoungpatientsofMDAnderson,commentedTiziana.

LaPiccolaCucinabegan inMarch2012,atTheItalianCultural&CommunityCenter.Theclassescatertochildrenages three to twelve and is founded on the principle ofmangiare sano, or eating healthy, which is such animportantdimensionoftheItalianculinarytradition.Thestudentslearntopreparethedishes,therichculturethatsurrounds them, and the Italian language. The formatworks! From its inception,LaPiccolaCucinawasagreatsuccessandhasreceivedpraisefromchildrenandparents,aswellastheattentionofthemedia.Fortwoconsecutiveyears,ithasbeenfeaturedonFOX26andthisyear,forthefirsttime,onRAIItalia,aswell.Wewouldliketobringtothesechildrenandtheirfamilies,furtherexplainsTizianaTriolo,aprogramwheretheywillhavetheopportunitytobe exposed to the authentic Italian culture, culinarytraditionsand the funandexcitementgeneratedateachandeveryLaPiccolaCucina.ICCCslittlechefsagree:LaPiccola Cucina has helped me to discover many Italiandishesandhastaughtmesomuchaboutmyculture,saysGiulia,whowasoneofthechildrenfeaturedonFOX.Ada,anotheryoungmemberofthecookingteam,adds,IlovetocookandtospeakandlearnItalian.ThelittlechefsatMD Anderson were just as pleased, spurring thecontinuationofthemonthlyclasses.Volunteersareliningup toparticipate, including someof theboardmembersandtheir families. Justaswithmostothereventsat theICCC this too, is a family affair. . Formore informationabouttheseandotherevents,pleasevisitourwebsiteatwww.iccchouston.com

LeStradedelVino,EducationalWineTastingFriday, January 16, 79 p.m. at ICCC LedbyFriedelLanda,ownerofSelectedFood&Beverage and a certified sommelier, alongwithNeilandClayDuarte,wineexpertsfromFlatCreekEstateWinery, six finewine selections from theItalianregionofMarchewillbefeatured.Registernowoneventbrite.comorcallusat7135244222,ext.4!$45ICCCMembers,$60NonMembers

SpecialEditionofLaPiccolaCucinaSaturday,January24,121:30p.m.FourSeasonsHotel1300LamarSt,HoustonTX77010AlongwithExecutiveChefMaurizioFerrareseofQuattroRestaurantFourSeasonsHotel,ourlittlechefs will make I Canestrelli del Canavese Italianshortbreadcookies.(Ages512)ContactICCCat7135244222,ext4,fordetails.Price:$30ICCCMembers,$50NonMembersLaSagradelCioccolatoThursday,February5,8p.m.FourSeasonsHotel1300LamarSt,HoustonTX77010ExecutiveChefMaurizioFerraresewillguideattendeesthroughacelebrationofItalianchocolatedelicacies.ContactICCCat7135244222,ext4,fordetails.Price:$40ICCCMembers,$55NonMembersFamilyPizzaNightFriday,February13,6p.m.ComeandenjoyourhomemadepizzaatagreatfamilynightattheICCC!LaPiccolaCucinaSaturday,February28,11:30a.m.1p.m.atICCCThelittlechefswillprepareLaTortaSbrisolana,atypicalcakeofMantua..(Ages512)ContactICCCat7135244222,ext4,fordetails.Price:$30ICCCMembers,$50NonMembers


AllintheTiming

ByRossiAllen Timing iscrucial inallareasof life,butespeciallyinfashionandwelovefashion!Theintroductionofashoe,bagordressatpreciselytherightmomentcanspellsuccessordisasterforacollection.Awellknownfashioniconhasverystrongfeelingsonthesubject.

Last February, Armani(thats Giorgio Armani)was the lastdesigner toshow for Milan FashionWeek. Armanis showsareamong the few thatalways end withapplause and standingovations. Needless tosay,an invitation tooneisnottobetaken lightlyor ignored. Or at least,onewouldthinkso.Onefashion power player

chosetodojustthatandArmanihadafewwordstosayabout it. According to WWD.com, Armani gave her averballashingatthepressconferencefollowingtheshow.Thereare somewhoprefer to snub theGiorgioArmanishowandgotoParis,theItaliandesignersaid,Shetookanairplane,dumpedArmaniandwenttoParis.Armanineverdirectlyidentifiedtheoffender,butfashioninsiderssayitwasVogueEditorinChief,AnnaWintour.Confirmingthese speculations, Wintours spokeswoman issued astatementproclaimingherutmostrespectforArmani.Shewent on to proclaim, There are some shows Anna isunabletoattend.Inherdefense,WintourwasspottedinattendanceattheArmaniPriveshowinParis.ArmaniPriveisamadetoordercollectionakintocouture. Armani also pointed a finger at aMilan FashionWeekorganizerfromCameraNazionaledellaModaItaliana(Italian National Chamber of Fashion). He cited ascheduling flaw that left him the only major designershowingonthelastdayofMilanFashionWeek.Hefeltthatthis influencedWintoursdecisiontodepartearly. ItalianFashion Chamber President Mario Roselli told Womens

WearDaily that all ruffled feathers had been smoothedover and that efforts would be made in the future toschedulemorebignamedesignerson the lastday, thusavoidingearlydeparturesbyfashionbigwigs.

Fast forward toNovember2014, the Fall/Winter2015showseasonisfastapproachingandfashioninsidersarewaitingwithbatedbreathforthescheduletobepostedand confirmed. There were rumors of a shortenedscheduleforMilan,asitwasshortenedtofivedaysfortheSeptembershows.GiorgioArmanididinfactconfirmthathewould indeed showhisReadyToWearcollection. Infact,hewillshowonthesixthandfinalday,ashedidlastFebruary.ChamberPresidentRosellisaidinastatementtoWomensWearDaily,IwanttothankGiorgioArmaniwhogaveproofofgreatsensitivityandgenerositytowardstheItalianfashionsystem.Doesthismeanallisforgiven?IllletArmanispartingstatementspeakonthat. TherearesomewhoprefertosnubtheGiorgioArmanishowandgotoParis.Whenwedecidedtoshowthelastday,otherbigbrandswereinvolved.Butcurrently,thisisanemptyday...Irejoined it,butIcanalwaysexitagain. Ican justput inaphonecall.

Sowhilethefashiontitansbattleovershowtimesandattendance,therestofusfashionmortalswaitontheside lines. Whats in fashion fornext fall,Mr.Armani?Showuswhatsnext!


NewLuxuryDevelopmentinHoustonFeaturesFineItalianDesigners

NancySarnoffoftheHoustonChroniclereportedthat

the developer of one of Houstons mega mixeduseprojects, RiverOaks District, has signed two dozen newtenantsfortheupscalecomplexunderconstructionalongWestheimerjustinsidethe610Loop.

Thenewcropofretailers,whichinclude internationalfashion brands, restaurants and a spa, represent asignificant portion of the 650,000squarefootdevelopment and years of work pursuing the retailers,manyofwhicharenewtoHouston.

Each one involved unique twists and turns, DeneOliver, CEO of OliverMcMillan, the San DiegobaseddeveloperoftheHoustonprojectsaidSundaynightataneventhiscompanywashostingontheeveoftheICSCretailconferenceinNewYorkCity.

ArenderingofRiverOaksDistrict.(OliverMcMillan)

ThenewItalianstoresandrestaurantsinclude:Brioni ItalianfashionhouseBrunello Cucinel l i CashmeredesignsandmensandwomenssportswearCanal i ItaliantailormadesuitsformenDolce & Gabbana ItalianfashionhouseEtro Italianfashionhouseincludingmensandwomensreadytowearclothing,shoes,jewelryandhomedecorGiuseppe Zanotti ItalianshoemakerRoberto Caval l i ItalianfashiondesignerTaverna Italiancuisine

MassandPastaLunchatICCC

Bringthefamilytojoinusfor10:30a.m.MassonthesecondSundayofeachmonthattheICCC.TheMassissaidinbothItalianandEnglish.FollowingtheMassisadelicioushomecookedpasta lunchthat isserved for$5aplateat11:30 a.m. All are welcome to this great experience!UpcomingMassesarescheduledfor:

Sunday,January11,10:30a.m.

and

Sunday,February8,10:30a.m.

UpcomingFeastsDaysforMajorItalianSaints:

January12,St.BernardofCorleoneJanuary16,St.BerardofCarbioJanuary27,St.AngelaMerici

January28,St.ThomasAquinas(seequotesbelow)January30,St.HyacinthaofMariscotti

February4,St.JosephofLeonessaFebruary8,St.JeromeEmilianiFebruary10,St.ScholasticaFebruary14,St.Valentine

February19,St.ConradofPiacenza

TheItalianSpiritQuotesfrom

St.ThomasAquinas12251274A.D.

Howisittheyliveinsuchharmonythebillionsof

starswhenmostmencanbarelygoaminutewithoutdeclaringwarintheirmindsaboutsomeonetheyknow?

Sorrowcanbealleviatedbygoodsleep,abathandaglassofwine.

Ifthehighestaimofacaptainweretopreservehisship,hewouldforeverkeepitinport.


HistoryandcuriositiesoftheFlorenceDuomoComplex

ByFrancescoPlainoAnyonewhohastraveledtoItalyorseenpictures

recognizes itasanopenairartgallery.ManyoftheseartpiecesaresymbolsofItaly,liketheColiseuminRomeortheLeaningTowerinPisa.Itwouldtaketoolongtolistallofthem. One of the monuments that can summarize theartisticgreatnessandtheheritageof Italy istheDomeofFlorenceanditscomplex.

FourastonishingmonumentscomposetheDuomo

complex:theCathedralofSantaMariaDelFiore,theGiottoBell Tower, the Baptistery and the Brunelleschi Dome.LocatedinPiazzaSanGiovanni,intheheartofFlorence,thecomplex istheresultofcenturiesofworkrealizedbythegreatestItalianarchitects,sculptorsandpainters.

The History of the Duomo starts on the 8th ofSeptember1296,withtheplacementofthefirststoneofthecathedral.TheCathedralofSantaMariadelFiorewascommissioned by the commune of Florence to replaceSantaReparata, thepreviousbasilicaof Florence.Giottostarted constructionof thebell tower in1334,after thebodyofBishopStZenobiuswasfoundinSantaReparata,.WhenGiottodied(hisbodywasburied inthecathedral),many eminent architects continued his vision andcompleted the bell tower in 1359. At the same time,constructionofthecathedralcontinuedwithgreateffortsof resources and talents: sculptors and artists such asDonatello orNanni ilBartolo (known as the Red) addedtheircreations to thecathedraland to thebell tower; in1420,FilippoBrunelleschiopenedtheconstructionsiteofthe Dome. The cathedral, instead, was solemnlyinaugurated in1439.Michelangelowascommissioned tocarvethetwelvestatuesoftheApostlesforthechapel in

1503andGiorgioVasari,from1572totheyearofhisdeathin1579,startedthedepictionoftheLastJudgmentintheDome.Aftercenturiesofimprovementsandretouches,thisnever endingmasterpiece came to uswith a lot of theoriginalworkspreservedinthemuseumoftheOperaoftheDuomo,whichcontainsmostoftheoriginalpartsthemajormonumentsofthecomplex.

Suchalonghistoryusuallybringsmanystoriesandlegends.One of the curiositiesworth mentioning is thebad relation of the complex with lightning storms. In1492, lightning seriously damaged the Dome and theFlorentines immediately considered this as a bad signthatpresagedthedeathofLorenzotheMagnificentthreedayslater.Anotherthunderepisodehappenedonenightin1601,whenthecopperballandthecrossonthehighestpoint of the Dome realized by Verrocchio was hit bylightningandtornoff.Thelegendsaysthattheballhittheground sohard thatallofFlorencewaswokenupandahugecrowdgatheredinthepointwheretheballfelldown.Thatpoint isrememberednowadayswithawhitemarbleplateplaceddirectlyonthegroundofSanGiovannisquare.

LaPortaDelParadiso(Heavensdoor),oneofthemonumental doors of the Baptistery and so called byMichelangelo for itsbeauty,givesus another interestingstory. Realized by the sculptor and goldsmith LorenzoGhiberti,thisdoorrepresentsthemainstoriesoftheBible.Despite the importance and the solemnity of thismasterpiece,Ghibertidecidedtocarvehisselfportrait inthedoorasasignature.HeaddedalsotheportraitofhismasterandfosterfatherBartoluccio.

Every8thofSeptember,theOperaofSantaMaria

delFiore, the institution thathasbeen takingcareof themaintenanceandprojectsrelatedtotheDuomofromthebeginning,celebratetheplacingofthefirststone,opening


partofthemuseumsforfreetoallvisitorsandtheentirecomplexforfreeforalltheFlorentines.

InsidetheGiottoBellTowertherearesevenbells.Thepeculiarityofthesesevenbellsisthateachofthemhasgotitsownname:CampanoneorS.Reparata,Misericordia,Apostolica, Assunta, Mater Dei, Annunziata andImmacolata.Thefirstthreearetheoldestandhaveneverbeenreplaced.Theotherfourarethereplacementoffourprevious bells, substituted in 1956. Each of the bellsproduces a different musical note, covering the entirepentagramexceptforthenoteF.

Duomocomes from theLatinworddomuswhichmeanshouse.TheFlorenceDuomocomplex isnotonlythehouseoftheLordbutalsoahouseofRenaissanceartinallofitsshapesandexpressions. Startthenewyearoffbyaddingthesewebsitestoyourfavorites fornewsandprograms related to Italyand theItalianAmericancommunity:

ITALICS Formonthly programming for the ItalianAmerican community, tune in to Italics, the ItalianAmericanTVmagazine,producedbyTheJohnD.CalandraItalianAmerican InstituteatQueensCollege inNewYorkandhostedbyAnthonyJ.Tamburri,deanofTheCalandraInstitute. Find it on demand on the YouTube channelwww.youtube.com/italicstv.

BELPAESE Listen toBel Paese Internet Radio!Aprogram for Italian American communities across theUnitedStatesandCanada, itrunsfrom8a.m.to11p.m.daily and features Italian music, sports and communitynews. Visit www.tuneintoitaly.com/ on your computer,mobiledevice,iPadorinternetradio.Asalways,LIKEtheItalianCultural&CommunityCenteronFacebookat:

https://www.facebook.com/iccchoustonandfollowtheICCContwitterat:

https://twitter.com/ICCCHouston

ContemporaryItalianFilmSeriesAllaciatelecinture(FastenyourSeatbelts) FerzanOzpetek,2014Thursday, January 15, 6:309 p.m. at ICCC Opposites attract in this dramatic comedy onrelationships starring Kasia Smutniak, andFrancescoArca.ItalianwithEnglishsubtitles.CallICCCat7135244222ext.4fordetails.$5ICCCMembers&Students$10NonMembers

Lamafiauccidesolodestate(TheMafiaOnlyKillsinSummer)PierfrancescoDiliberto,2013Wednesday,February18,6:309 p.m. AtICCC

A dark comedy based on real events in Sicilystretching from the 1970s to the 1990s. TheyoungArturo,growingupinPalermotriestowinthe heart of Florawhile going up againstmafiamembers and supporting the antimafiamovement.ItalianwithEnglishsubtitles.StarringCristiana Capotondi and Pif (PierfrancescoDiliberto). .Call ICCCat 7135244222ext.4fordetails.$5ICCCMembers&Students$10NonMembers


BecomingaStar!InDecember,theICCCChristmasOpenHousewasthe

setting for a very special event: twoofHoustonsmostoutstandingItalians,Dr.FrancescaDAlessandroBehrandWalterViali,wereawardedknighthoodsintheOrderoftheStarofItaly(OrdinedellaStelladItalia).ThehonorswerebestowedbythePresidentofthe ItalianRepublicGiorgioNapolitano and presented at the ICCC by Elena Sgarbi,ConsulGeneralofItalyinHouston.

Dr.FrancescaDAlessandroBehrandWalterVialiTheOrdinedellaStellad'Italiawasoriginallyinstituted

in1947as theStarof ItalianSolidarity, in recognitionofthoseexpatriateswhomadeanoutstandingcontributiontothereconstructionofItalyafterWorldWarII.In2011,thisprestigious award was reformed and the emphasis wasshifted toward recognizing those Italian expatriates orforeignerswhohadcontributedtothepreservationandpromotionofnationalprestigeabroad,promotedfriendlyrelations and cooperationwith other countries and tieswithItaly,accordingtothePresidenzadellaRepublica.

The two recipientsof theawardareno strangers toaccolades and public recognition. Dr. FrancescaDAlessandroBehrisanAssociateProfessorofClassicsandItalian Studies at the University of Houston, where shereceived the 2010 Ross M. Lence Humanities TeachingExcellence Award. Her research interests cover a widerange of subjects, including gender studies, satire,

narratologyandcomparative literature. Dr.DAlessandroBehr has written many articles, including ArchetypalEncounters: Circe and Odysseus in the Imagination of aRenaissanceWomanArtist,andthebookFeelingHistory:Lucan,StoicismandtheAestheticsofPassion.

ElenaSgarbi,ConsulGeneralofItaly

WalterViali isaprojectmanagement instructorandProjectManagementOffice(PMO)consultant,apastPMOManager at Texaco Inc., former President of the TexasPlatinum Application Lifecycle Society (TexPals), formerPresidentof theSociety forSoftwareQualityand formerPresident of the Project Management Institute (PMI)HoustonChapter,justtonameafew.HeisalsoanAdjunctProfessor of Project Management for the University ofHouston College of Technology, and has coauthored abook "Accelerating Change with Organizational ProjectManagement:TheNewParadigm forChange. VialiwasrecentlyelectedtotheICCCBoardofDirectors.

TheItalianCultural&CommunityCentercongratulatesthese outstanding Italians and wishes them continuedsuccess!

HoustonHoststhe10thConferenceof

ItalianResearchersintheWorld

The10thConferenceofItalianResearchersintheWorldwasheldonDecember6inHouston.IncollaborationwiththeConsulateGeneralof Italy inHouston, theeventwasorganized by the Committee for Italians Abroad(COM.IT.ES) which serves the Italian expatriatecommunitiesinTexas,Arkansas,Louisiana,andOklahoma,alongwiththeTricolorCommitteeforItaliansintheWorld(CTIM).


Distinguished Italian specialists in the fields ofmedicine, biomedical science, physics, engineering,aerospace,geology,energyandhumanitiesparticipatedintheevent.

BrandoBallerini(TreviDrillmecInc.),PresidentofItalyAmerica

ChamberofCommercediscussedtheraisingoftheCostaConcordia

VicenzoArcobelli,PresidentCOM.IT.ES;LucaParmitano,Italian

astronautontheInternationalSpaceStation;ElenaSgarbi,ConsulGeneralofItaly

TizianaTriolo,DirectorofMarketingICCC;JoannaPalasota,

PresidentICCC;LucaParmitano;RayMiller,ExecutiveDirectorICCC.

TheWrightBrothers,ItalianStyleByShannonSims

Wewerentsurewhattodo,sowethought,Whynotbuildanairplane?

One fall afternoon in 2009 over coffee in Paris, 20somethinghometown friendsLucianoBelvisoandAngeloPetrosillocameupwithabrightidea.Theirplanhadbeento create an engineering company dealing withaeronautics.Butthenwethought,whynotmaketheplaneourselves?recallsBelviso.Thetwobuddiesheadedhometo southern Italy, and with the help of angel investors,founded the company Blackshape Aircraft. Soon, theydproducedtheirfirstplane,theBS100,whichlastyearwonthetitleofthebestultralightaircraftintheworld,thankstoengineeringthathasbeencalledanabsolutenovelty.

Whatsthetrick?Theyounglawyer(Petrosillo)andtheengineer (Belviso) developed the worlds first ultralightsportaircraftmadeentirelyfromcarbonfiber.

Belviso, a 31yearold aeronautics engineer with atechie pallor and a slender nose, looks like he could beNapoleonBonaparteslittlebro.WhatbeganasachildhoodloveofLegosledthedoctorssonintoengineering,whichhepursuedateliteschoolsthroughoutEurope.Despitehispedigree, he speaks with the sweet, hopeful tone of asouthernfarmingtownhero,afoilforhisboomingsuccess.WhenOZYcaughtupwithhimbyphone,hewassittinginaloungeatLosAngelesInternationalAirportwaitingforhisflightbacktoRome.HedbeenvisitingCaliforniatomeetwith potential buyers and suppliers; he says mostcomponentsuppliersare intheU.S.,thesameconsumermarketheandPetrosillohavehadtheireyesonfromthestart.

Sowhowantstotakethatfirstflight?Belvisosnofool.Isentoutoursuperexperiencedtestpilotfirst,hesayswith a snicker. Then I did the second one. The twopassenger plane has an emergency parachute, but thatdidnt providemuch solace on flightNo. 2. Before theflight I was trying to mentally prepare myself, recallsBelviso.Butthenwithin3seconds,thetimeittakesfortheaircraft to get in the air, all those thoughts justdisappeared. Instead, itwas justthethrillofsoaring inamachinehehelpeddesignandbuild.Hewasflying,literally


and figuratively. ImnotsurewhatyouretalkingaboutwiththisBlackshapewhatisthat,aUFO?

With government contracts signed they wontdisclosethevalueand internationaldistributorsattheready,Blackshapestillneedsabitofnamerecognition.ItsCanadiandistributortoldOZYthatpotentialbuyerschoosebetween the Blackshape and the Diamond DA20 or theCirrusSR20(afourseater),madeby larger,betterknowncompanies. When asked, a top representative of Cirrussaid, Im not sure what youre talking about with thisBlackshapewhatisthat,aUFO?

While the competitionuses carbon fiber forpartsoftheiraircraft,Blackshapeuniquelybuildsafullcarbonfiberframe. Carbon fiber is one of the strongest, lightestmaterialsaround,andeven jumbojetmanufacturersarelookingtogetitwovenintomoreparts.Thelighteraplane,the less fuel itneeds.And that spells lower comparativeoperational costs for Blackshape plane owners. Still,manipulating carbon fiber is a difficult and expensivetechnology.

Blackshapesays itsbasemodel, theBS100,beginsat$250,000,considerablymorethantheDiamondDA20,atunder $200,000. Over the next four years,wewant toincreasevalue,andwewanttotripleproduction,Belvisosays.Sofarthecompanyhassoldmorethan70BS100s.

Ofcourse,themarketwillalwaysbeahighendluxuryniche.Typically,potentialbuyersareflowntosouthernItalyto take theplanes fora spinandmeet the founders,hesays.Weknowourcustomersbusinesses,weknowtheirfamilies. Were not typical engineers. We work hard tocreateanemotionalconnectionwiththeclient.

We give our customers the feeling like they areinfantry pilots in the Second World War. Its a kind offantasyformany.

AndaspinintheBS100whichcanlastuptofiveanda half hours and cover a little more than 1,000kilometerscanbeemotional.WegiveourcustomersthefeelingliketheyareinfantrypilotsintheSecondWorldWar,Belvisosays.Itsakindoffantasyformany.

Back at fantasy factory,Blackshapes100 employeesproducethreeadvancedultralightaircraft: itsbestsellingBS100; the BS115, a heavier and more expensive planeunderdevelopment;andtheBS300,amodeldesignedfortheItalianmilitaryfortrainingpurposesandoptimizedforaircraft carriers. The BS100 is distributed in Canada by

AircitAviation,thoughthecompanyhasplanstomarkettheBS115asalightsportaircraftintheU.S.by2016.

Blackshape is remarkable not just for the product itmakes,butalsofortheunusuallocation.ThefounderssetupthecompanyintheirhometownofMonopoli,a60,000populationancientAdriaticport,intheverysouthofItalyinthestateofPuglia,wherethespurofthebootmightbe.

BS100LShighperformanceaircraftSOURCEblackshapeaircraft.com

Forcenturies,thesouthernregionof Italy,calledtheMezzogiorno, has lagged economically. While the postcrisisemploymentrateinnorthernItalyisjust64percent,in southern Italy its a shocking 42 percent. More than600,000jobshavebeenlostintheregion,sparkingawaveofemigrationtothenorth.Since2008,regionalindustrialinvestment has plummeted 53 percent, according toSvimez, the Southern Italy Industrial DevelopmentAssociation.Estimates say that southern Italynowneeds$80billionof investmenttocatchupwiththerestofthecountryorriskindustrialandsocialdesertification.

Blackshapemighthelp. Over thepast10 years, theregionhascompletelychanged,Belvisosays.Itusedtobeveryprovincial,butnowthereareconditionstomakeanindustrial revolution down there.He cites awelcomingcultureandahighqualityoflife.

Belviso says thatwhen he strolls through his balmy,faded hometown between meetings with militarycaptainsandtheItalianprimeministerthingsseemtobechanging: I suppose people might be beginning torecognizeme.Readmore:www.ozy.com,reprintedwithpermission.


Romemafiascandalbroadensto'NdranghetainsouthernItaly

ByNickSquires,RomeTheTelegraph

Twoallegedmembersofthe'NdranghetamafiaarrestedunderinvestigationintolinksbetweencriminalsandItalianpoliticiansA massive investigation into collusion between

underworld criminals and corrupt politicians in Romewidened on Thursdaywhen police arrested two allegedmembersofthe'Ndranghetamafia.

Officers from the paramilitary Carabinieri policeaccused Rocco Rotolo and Salvatore Ruggiero of beinglynchpins in relations between the criminal network inRome, ledbyaoneeyed former fascistnicknamed "ThePirate", and the 'Ndrangheta, which is based in thesouthernregionofCalabria.Bothwerechargedwithmafiaassociation.

Criminals in Rome, working in collaboration withcorruptcitycouncilors,aresuspectedofgivinga lucrativecontract for the cleaning of an openair market on theEsquilineHill,oneofRome'ssevenhills, to theCalabrianmob. In return the Calabrians consented to allowbusinesseswithconnectionstotheRomecriminalnetworktoruncentersformigrantsandrefugeesontheirhometurfinthefarsouthofItaly.

Police said therewere "common interests" betweenthe'NdranghetaandthenetworkinRome,ledbyMassimoCarminati,a fascist convictedofdomestic terrorismwholostaneyeinashootoutwithpolicein1981.Hewasoneof 37 people arrested and 100 others placed underinvestigation,whenthecorruptionscandalfirstemerged.

The latest arrests showed for the first time that theRomebasedcriminalsyndicatehadlinkswithatleastone

ofItaly'sestablishedmafiagroups,whichalso includetheCamorraofNaplesandCosaNostrainSicily.

"Outsidemafia groups have operated in Rome for along time.Therehavealwaysbeen representativesofallthe clans," said Raffaele Cantone, the president of theNationalAntiCorruptionAuthority.

In a separate investigation, a member of America'snotoriousGambinomafiafamilywasarrestedintheUnitedStates on the request of Italian authorities. FrancescoPalmeriwasarrested inNewYorkCityontheordersofacourt in the city of Potenza, in the southern region ofBasilicata. The61yearold issuspectedalongwithsevenothersof trying toextort amillioneuros from an Italianbusinessman.

Palmeri,whowasborn inSicilyandbelieved tobealeadingmemberoftheGambinomob,allegedtravelledtoItalyunderafalseidentitylastyeartoputpressureontheownerofacompany thatbuildselectricalsystems foroilplatforms. The businessman received a series of lettersfrom"friendsinBrooklyn"demandingthatherepaymoneythathehadborrowedmorethan30yearsago.

Another suspect, Giovanni "Johnny" Grillo, wasarrestedatMilan'sMalpensaairportashewasabout toboard a flight to the US. The arrests showed that "atraditional and consolidated criminal axis" continues toexist between organized crime on both sides of theAtlantic,investigatorssaid.

LetterfromthePresident

LectureSeriesFratell i disangue(BloodBrothers)PietroMessinaFriday, February 20, 69 p.m. at ICCC Italian journalist and author Pietro Messinaretraces the history of mafia massacres,corruption,drug traffickingandconspiracy.Visitwww.iccchouston.comformoredetails.Registernowoneventbrite.comorcallusat7135244222ext.4!SuggestedDonation$10ICCCMembers,$15 NonMembers


LetterfromthePresidentDearFriends:

Myname is JoannaPalasotaand it ismyprivilege toagainserveyouasthePresidentoftheBoardoftheItalianCultural&CommunityCenter(ICCC).

Already,Icanseethat2015promisestobeanexcitingyearaswewelcomefivenewBoardmembers:SandraCelliHarris (reelected), Bernard Marino, Stefano SdringolaMaranga,SandraTimteandWalterViali.Atthesametimewe also say goodbye to John Marion Carrabba whocompleted his threeyear term on the Board in 2014. Ithank John for his contributions and especially hisChairmanshipoftheItalianFestivalforthepastthreeyears.

Thisyear,theBoardwillcontinuethegreatworkofthe2014BoardbyfocusingonachievingthegoalssetforthbytheICCCsstrategicplan.Thefollowingisjustaglimpseofwhat the Board isworking on for 2015. TheMarketingCommitteeisdevelopingpolicesthatspecificallydealwiththe changing technologies of marketing, and they arepreparinganoverallorganizationalmarketingplan.TheLaVoce Italiana Committee isworking on reformatting thenewsmagazine to make it more appealing, as well asworking on adding new columns for the readersenjoyment. The Education Committee will be workingdiligentlythisyearonexpandingtheofferingsoftheICCCsScuoladItalianoto includeEnglishasaSecondLanguageclasses, and investigating the possibly of offeringpreparatoryclassesfortheAdvancedPlacement(AP)examin Italian Language and Culture. TheGift Committee iskickingofftheICCCsfirsteverAnnualFundCampaign.TheGalaCommitteeislookingforwardtoasuccessfuleventinJune2015,atwhichtimewewillbecelebratingtheItalianInfluenceonLaw.TheFestivalCommitteeiswellunderwayplanningthelargestfundraisingeventoftheyearthatwilltakeplace inOctober2015. And,ofcourse, theCulturalCommitteehasagreatcalendarplannedthisyearforyourenjoymentandeducationalbenefit.

Asyoucansee,theBoardhasalotofworktodothisyearand,eventhoughtheyhaveagreatstaffattheICCCto helpwith planning and execution,we still need yourhelp. We know people have busy lives and sometimescannotcommit tovolunteerona regularbasisbut thatsokay. Westillcanuseyourhelpdoyou liketodecorate

forevents,maybeyouliketocook,orservefoodorwine,maybeyoucanonlyvolunteerduringthedayormaybeyouareonlyavailableatnight.Whateverthecasemaybe,youcan help us continue to promote Italian culture andheritage to theHoustoncommunity. Iencourageyou tocalltheICCCofficetodayandaddyournametoourlistofvolunteers.

Iappreciatetheopportunitytobeentrustedwiththeleadership of this thriving center, and I look forward toworkingwithyouthiscomingyear.

OnbehalfoftheBoardofDirectors,Iwishyoupeaceandjoyin2015.Buonanno!

JoannaPalasota,President

2015Board&OfficersInstallationTuesday, January 12, 79 p.m. ICCC Installationceremonyanddinnerforthe2015ICCCBoardofDirectorsandofficers.ICCCMembersonly.Businessattire.Call ICCCat7135244222ext.4 for reservationsandpricing.


SALUTIDaughtersofItalianHeritage!

ByDolores(Dee)AvioliThereisasayingthatisparticularlytruewhenspeaking

of theDaughtersof ItalianHeritage (DOIH), "Moltemanirendondo il lavoro leggero, translated to read "Manyhandsmake lightwork." One of several clubs currentlyactiveintheICCC,theDOIHareexpertsatnotonlymakingworkseema little lighter,butmakingworknotseem likeworkatall. TheDOIHhasa largemembership. Theclubhas64members todate,andeachhappily lendsahandwhenevercalledupon.FortheirenthusiasticsupportinallfacetsoftheICCC,thisisashoutouttotheDaughters.Butfirst,alittlehistory... TheDOIHbeganwhenasmallgroupofladiesgatheredin Margie DiPuma's home in late 1998 to discuss theformationofaladies'clubthatwouldbeproactiveintheFederation of ItalianAmerican Organizations of GreaterHouston (later named the Italian Cultural& CommunityCenter). One of the inaugural ladies, Susan DiPuma,suggestedthenamefortheclubandonFebruary18,1999,theDOIHwascharteredastheFederation's30thclub.TheDaughters'missionwasandstillistobringtogetherladiestoteach,foster,andshareItaliantraditions.BeingItalian,even though unnamed, camaraderie and fun are an ongoingpartofthatmission,asiscommunityoutreach.PatMilazzodesignedthelogofortheclubwhichshowsaladyinachef'shatholdingaplateofpastaandmeatballs!

Included in theDaughters'visionwas ensuring that therewouldbehomemademeatballsavailable for lunch after theFederation's monthly Masses.Their efforts met withenthusiasticappreciation.Soonafter, the DOIH took on thechallenge of establishing the

Meatball Sandwich Booth, which featured homemade,handmadeItalianmeatballsfortheItalianFestival.ItwasestimatedthatintheearlyyearstheDOIHprepared10,000homemademeatballsfortheItalianFestival.Sincethenaspopularity increased,thatnumberhasgrownsignificantlytomeettheFestaItalianashungrymeatballappetites.Forthe past ten years, DOIH members have managed and

manned the ItalianMarketandCannoliBooth,and fromthetimeitwasreintroduced,theArtichokeBooth. The Daughters' versatility has been evident in theirleadership and participation in the Festival ExecutiveCommittee,theGalaCommittee,theDebutantBallandtheLa Voce Italiana newspaper. Awards earned by DOIHmembers include the Christopher Columbus and theVolunteeroftheYearAwards.Overtheyears,oneormoremembershaveservedconsecutivelyontheICCCBoardofDirectorsandtwoDaughtershaveservedasPresidentoftheICCC.WithanodtothetraditionoffineItalianfood,theDaughterspublishedacookbook.Itisentitled,"TuttoItaliano," and it received an award from the TabascoCompany. Their contributions extend to the entire Houstoncommunity in charitable outreach programs. LocalorganizationswhichhavebenefittedincludeSanJoseClinic(officesupplies,aswellastoiletrybasketsfortheirseniors'group); Casa de Esperanza (baby items); ImmaculateConception Catholic Church (food pantry collection);Ronald McDonald House (snacks). The most recentadditiontothelistisTexasChildren'sHospitalwherebytheDaughterscollectandcontributeChristmasgiftcards fortheirpatients. Songbooks containing hymns selected by the DOIH,andprintedandassembledbytheclubhaveenhancedthesacredness of the ICCC's monthly Masses, and theDaughters annually sponsor the ICCC'sNovemberMass.EveryMarch,theSt.Joseph'sAltarislovinglycreated.Thesupplies, prep work, cooking, and serving are done bymemberswith all proceeds going to St. Joseph CatholicChurchandtheSt.VincentdePaulSociety. It must be remembered and emphasized here thatmanyoftheICCC'searlierclubshaveinfluencedtheDOIH.It was these alreadyestablished clubs that served asmodels of Italian generosity and good will. Their loyalsupportisfundamentaltothecommunity.InthewordsofConnieNagle,"TheDOIHwasabletotakeuptheworkthatwasstartedbytheseclubsandhascontinuedtohelpkeeptheiroriginaldreamalive."Millegrazie. For yourunselfish,untiring,unitedefforts,SALUTI ...DaughtersofItalianHeritage!(EditorialNote: In case it's not evident, this articlewaswrittenbyamemberandproudDaughter!)


Benvenuti...NewICCCMembers!

Mrs.TinaArkenbergandMr.GregRamseyMr.MichaelBortoniMrs.AngelaDanese

Mr.JimDiColaandMrs.TinaRoweMr.SalvadorGarciaMs.AngelineGoh

MsSilvanaGuedesdesaTinocoandRodricReeseMs.JessicaHartsteinandMr.ChipMcCann

Ms.MargaretLawlerMs.SylviaPacholder

Mr.andMrs.ClaudioR.RomanMs.LeighRubino

Mr.andMrs.VernonTyger

TakingBoccetotheBeach!Overtheholidays,partoftheVincentDiPumafamilyof

Houston, traveled to Puerto Aventuras Resort about anhouroutsideofCancunontheYucatanPeninsula.Thetriowas ledbyDavidDiPuma,assistedbyolderbrother,PaulDiPumaandPaulsson,Jason,allofwhomhavebeentheguiding light behind the Bocce Ball Tournaments at theHouston ItalianFestival for thepast10years. The threeweretreatedtoseveralgamesofbocceballatthebeach.While theyworked veryhard towin, itproved tobe analmostimpossiblesituation,butsomuchfun.Itwasjustsosadwhenmostoftheballsfellintothesameholesinthesand. However, they did win some of the games theyentered,whichmusthavebeenduetotheirexperienceandexpertise.

The courts of the Bocce Ball Tournament at theHoustonItalianFestivalarejustperfectforallplayerssobesureandsignupnextyear tomeet themenwhoplayedbocceballinthedeepandshiftingsandsofMexico!AmiketosPresident LouiseButeraMaidaReporter MinnettePassanteCarrabba

Bonnie Brelsford and Bonita Maglitto hosted theNovember Amiketos Club meeting at Christies SeafoodRestaurantinHouston.MariaChristiegraciouslywelcomedthelargegrouptothefamilyrestaurant.PollyMiller,theSpiritualDirector,ledthegroupinprayersbeforedinner.

ThefollowingmemberswereelectedattheNovembermeetingtorepresenttheAmiketosClubin2015:PresidentMinnettePassanteCarrabba,VicePresidentLouiseButeraMaida, Recording Secretary Caroline Shaw Matranga,CorrespondingSecretarySandraChidoLaCorte,TreasurerAngie Turnini Adams, Parliamentarian and Gifts andHistorianMarylynPatronellaColonnetta

TheannualmembersChristmaspartywasheldatthePetroleum Club. Itwas a beautiful holiday settingwithtwinkling lights from all of downtown Houston in thebackground.CynthiaMarks,ChairmanandhercommitteeAngie Adams, Minnette Carrabba, Ginger Musachia,DorothyPiazza, JaneTabbathandDonnaVallonehostedtheparty. EachmemberstablesettingwasenhancedbyjeweledredboxescontainingimportedchocolatesandMDAndersonNotePads.TheChineseGiftExchangewasheldand wonderful gifts were traded. Everyone enjoyed thepartyandlefttrulyintheholidayspirit.

CamellaChiara, a lifetimemember, lost her belovedhusbandPeteinDecember.PeteandCamellawereactiveintheclubupuntiltheendofhis life. PeteandCamellahave truly taught all what constitutes true love anddevotion.Prayers are requested for TracyMaida, VickiMaida andSamValenti


DaughterofItalianHeritagePresidentMaryMcMillanSubmittedbyMargieDiPuma

Asusual,theDaughterssponsoredtheICCCNovemberMass and this year over 30members attended. At theNovembermeeting, theDaughterswelcomed threenewmembers:DorothyClark,CassieGonzalesandJudyVieno.IfyouattendedtheHoustonItalianFestivalthisyear,youmay have seen Dorothy and Judy who worked a shiftcheckinginvolunteersandCassiewhowasthemanagerofthepizzaboothfortheentire31/2dayfestival.

SeveralDOIHmembershelpedforthreedayswiththepreparation of the food for the December 11th ICCCChristmasOpenHouse. TheDOIHChristmaspartyfor itsmembers was held on December 14th, with the mealplannedandpreparedbythreemembers.Thecommitteeworked hard to make the evening, attended by 75membersandguests,alotoffun.

Jennifer Austin Corbett, daughter of DOIH member,VirginiaDeForke,and alsooneof theorganization's firstmembers in 1999, while still in college, was recentlyselectedby417MagazineinmidWestMissouri,asoneofits tenmostbeautifulwomen in thatarea. Jennifer,herhusband,andchildren,have lived inSpringfield,Missouriforthelasttenyears.

WearesaddenedbythepassingonOctober26th,ofourmemberCarmenLuciaDickerson.CarmenwasamemberoftheICCCandhadbeenamemberoftheDOIHforthelastcouple of years. Shewas a frequent volunteer atDOIHevents,whichincludedherhelpintheMeatballSandwichBoothduring thisyear'sHouston ItalianFestival.Prior toherretirementin2012,andhermembershipintheDOIH,Carmenspent33yearsasalicensedsocialworkerfortheMeyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics at TexasChildrensHospital. Shewas laudedbyherpeersaswasnotedbythenumerousassociateswhospokeatherwake.Carmenwilltrulybemissed.

Ifyou'reinterestedinmakingnewfriends,supportingcommunity needs, and having lots of fun, contact us atwww.ciaodiva.org. OurmeetingsareheldonthesecondWednesdayofmostmonthsat7:00pmattheICCC.

NeoDebsPresidentElizabethCuccerreSubmittedbyJohannaPetronellaOfficers for 2015 are President, Bess Spedale; VicePresident Elizabeth Cuccerre; Treasurer PaulineTamborello; Secretary Josie Cuilla; Historian JohannaPetronella. The November. meeting was hostedbyMaryannCarrabba.Shereallyoutdidherself.Thefoodwasbeautifulanddelicious,TheDecembermeetingwasaChristmasPartyatRosieCarrabba'shome.Thanks to thecommittee: Pauline Tamborello, Vita Palermo, Mary JoDimicelliandJohannaPetronella.CharityGuildofSt.JosephGerryBarone,PresidentMarylynColonnetta,Reporter

TheGuildheld its yearendChristmas Party atRosieCarrabba'sonVoss.PollyMillerdidanoutstandingjobofcoordinatingthisbeautifulevent.Itisalwayswithgratefulhearts that we gather to thank God for choosing us tofollow inhis footstepsofaiding the less fortunate inourcommunity.ThankyouRosieforyourgenerousdonationtowardthealtar.

Datestoremember:BakingbeginsonJanuary13that9:30a.m.attheICCC.

Thealtarisscheduledtofollowthe10:00a.m.MassonMarch1,2015atSt.Theresa'sCatholicChurch.

It is with sad hearts that we say goodbye to PeteChiara.WeextendourdeepestsympathytoCamellaandall the Chiara family. With so much on her plateCamellaalwaysfoundtimetodonateoneofherbeautifulcreations to our altar. May God wrap his loving armsaroundCamellaandguideherthroughthisdifficulttime.

Weareacharityanddependondonationstokeepthealtargoing. We look forward to seeingeveryoneatouraltar. If you cannot attend please consider adonation.DonationsmaybemailedtoMinnetteCarrabba,104GlenwoodDr.Houston,TX 77007. Alldonationsarepublished in the brochure. It is a wonderful way ofrememberingalovedone.MayGodBlessyouallin2015.


Allyson Thomas Patronella, M.D. Premier OB/GYN of

West Houston, L.L.P. Specializing in Womens Health Care

18300 Katy Freeway, Ste. 315


A very special thanks tothe ICCC staff and theladies of Daughters ofItalian Heritage listedbelowforalloftheirhardworkinarrangingtheICCCannual Christmas OpenHouse.

KathyAlbertMargaretBannonAntoniaComardoCindyEdwards

CarolJeanHebertLindaMarinoSusanMarinoAnnaMesserConnieNagleJuliaNicastro

JoAnnPinkertonJamieRusso

MaryAnnSamaniegoPatsySchillaciLanaSullivanJoannWilliams


2015BoardofDirectors

ItalianCultural&CommunityCenterofHouston

Officers

JoannaPalasota PresidentSandraCelliHarris FirstVicePresidentLiviaBornigia SecondVicePresidentMarkWhite SecretarySandra(Sandy)Timte AssistantSecretaryClaudiaSims PastPresident,Treasurer

BoardofDirectorsDolores(Dee)Avioli

GerryBaroneTommasoDePoiMargieDiPuma

CinziaDragoniHoltBernardMarinoJulieMastroianni

StefanoSdringolaMarangaWalterViali

NONPROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

HOUSTON TX PERMIT NO 2724

ItalianCultural&CommunityCenterofHouston1101MilfordStreetHouston,TX77006

lvi jan feb 2015 final.pdf

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