Columbus lived. Suffice it to say that all recorded history of the western hemisphere started with Columbus's successful voyages, and he founded the first permanent European settlement in the new world. We certainly are not against a day set aside to honor Indigenous people but why take away Columbus Day to do so? I will keep you appraised of this issue. On another matter the Italian and Italian American Heritage Calendars for 2015 (2015!) have arrived and are ready for distribution. As always to get a calendar you will have to show up at one of our meetings or events. We cannot send them to our members because of the cost. They will be available at our Christmas Party and all our meetings for the foreseeable future. I look forward to seeing you all at Junipers on Tuesday November 25.

Yours in UNICO,

Frank Travisano

Let me first thank Lou Gelada for doing an excellent job in presiding over the Dinner Meeting in my absence. I heard everything went smoothly and surely. Thank you Louis. I would like to call your attention to something that some of you already might know about. The cities of Minneapolis and Seattle have just done away with Columbus Day. That is, the citys' leaders voted to change the name of the day from Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day. This was the direct result of political pressure placed on the city Fathers by American Indian Activists. Now there is a serious movement afoot to have Congress and the President remove Columbus Day as a national holiday, again lead by American Indian Activists. This attempt is being taken very seriously by various national Italian organizations including UNICO, the Order Sons of Italy in America, and the National Italian American

Foundation. There is even a national petition drive underway to change the holiday. Some of this is political correctness taken to the extreme, and some of it is spurred by revisionist history. Whatever, a repeal would be slap in the face to all Italian Americans, the fifth largest ethnic group in America. A celebration of Columbus has been held at in one location or another in this country since the late 1700's, soon after our nation was founded. It has always been a patriotic celebration tied to the founding of our nation in the new world. Indeed the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was written in 1892 specifically for the 400th anniversary celebration of Columbus in New York City. Many of the charges brought against Columbus these days are without factual proof and some issues have to be taken in the context of the times when

Waterbury UNICO PO Box 933, Waterbury, CT 06721 http://www.WaterburyUNICO.com WaterburyUNICO@yahoo.com

November 2014

WATERBURY CHAPTER UNICO NATIONAL MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Information for newsletter can be sent

to waterburyunico@yahoo.com!

If you haven’t done so already, please

send in your Chapter Dues!!

Like us on Facebook…..check us out at

facebook.com/waterburyunico!!!

Inside this issue: Torrington 90th/Meet the President/New Member 2 National President /Chapter Leadership 3 Coming Up... 4 Upcoming Events 5 Christmas Party Flyer 6 Our Sponsors 7-8

Note From the President

New Member Welcome to new Waterbury Chapter member Rosanne Martino! Rosanne was inducted into the

Waterbury Chapter at the October 28 meeting by Vice President Louis C. Gelada Jr and Past

President Dr. Joanne D'Angelo.

Page 2

Torrington 90th/Meet the President The 90th anniversary of the Torrington Chapter was held Sunday November 16th at the Torrington Elks Club. It was also a Meet the President event for National President Richard D’Arminio. Pictured: Standing: Fran Durante, Waterbury Chapter President Frank Travisano, National President Richard D’Arminio, Treasurer Lia Ursini, National Secretary Francine Nido, and Jim Petrauskas. Seated: Al Durante, Bob and Dorene Rinaldi, and Past President Dr. Joanne D’Angelo.

National President Presents Award to Stango On Thursday October 23, UNICO National President Richard D’Arminio was on hand at the Dora’s Hope Celebrate Families reception at Aria Banquet facility in Prospect. He presented the Phillip Mazzei Americanism Award– Grand Patriot to Joseph Stango, Founder of Dora’s Hope. Stango was sponsored for this award the Waterbury Chapter of UNICO. For more information on Dora’s Hope,

visit http://www.dorashope.org Pictured: Richard D’Arminio, speaking and Joseph Stango, background.

Chapter Leadership

Page 3 November 2014

Board of Directors**

National and Regional Leadership National President- Richard D'Arminio National Membership/Retention Director- Francine Nido Eastern Regional District Governor-. Elyse Buonamo CT-I District Governor- Anthony Lancia

Toni Beccia PDG Peter Ciullo Dr. Martin DeSomma

PDG Francine Nido Dr. Carmine Paolino Frank DePaola- Member Emeritus

*=Not an Elected Position

** = Also Includes All Elected Officers,

Delegates & Alternate Delegates

President- Frank Travisano Vice President- Louis Gelada Jr. Secretary- Bianca Daniels Treasurer- Lia Ursini Financial Secretary- Dianne Minardo

Chaplain*- Rev. Ronald Ferraro Historian*– Tom Buzzelli Sargeant At Arms- Tim Clark Newsletter Editor– Dr. Sherry LaCoursiere

Delegates Tom Buzzelli PDG Joanne D’Angelo| Lou Gelada Bob Gerace Lia Ursini

Alternate Delegates Angela Buzzelli Fran Donnarumma Don Mancuso Joan Pesce-Veneziano Bob Rinaldi

Coming Up...

~WARC Christmas Party Every Christmas we sponsor this party for the clients of

WARC. We serve them pizza and soda and ice cream. This

year’s party will be held Sunday, December 7. The time is noon to 3:00pm at the Waterbury Elks. There is

also a DJ there for dancing. Anyone in our chapter who has volunteered at this event calls this one of best things

we do all year. There will be a sign up sheet at the Dinner Meeting for those who would like to volunteer. If you

cannot make it to the meeting would like to volunteer, just email Frank at: travfrj@sbcglobal.net

~Chapter Christmas Party The Chapter Christmas Party is Tuesday December 9 at Juniper’s Restaurant in Middlebury, starting at 6:30

pm. The cost is $30.00 per person and guests are welcome. You should bring an unwrapped toy which will be

collected and given to the Salvation Army. The meal will be buffet style.

Please fill out the enclosed form in this newsletter, and send with your checks to: Toni Beccia, 150 Acme Drive

Middlebury, CT 06762. Checks should be made out to: UNICO OF WATERBURY.

~Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive Every Christmas we man a Salvation Army Kettle and "ring the bells" for donations. This year it will take place

Saturday December 13 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Town Plot IGA on Fairfield Avenue. We need 2 people

to volunteer one hour each during that day, for a total of 12 volunteers. A sign up sheet to volunteer for coverage

will be passed around at our dinner meeting next week

Page 4

Service Above Self

Waterbury UNICO PO Box 933 Waterbury, CT 06721

Dinner Meetings: 4th Tuesday of the Month at 6:30pm Juniper’s Restaurant, Middlebury- $25

Tuesday November 25, 6:30pm

Tuesday January 27, 6:30 pm *District Meeting

WARC Christmas Party: Waterbury Elks Club

Sunday December 7, 12-3 pm

Chapter Christmas Party: Juniper’s Restaurant, Middlebury- $30 (not $25 as previously reported)

Tuesday December 9, 6:30 pm Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive: Town Plot IGA

Saturday December 13, 10 am– 4pm

Board Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of the Month— 6:45pm Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall—Waterbury

Tuesday January 13, 6:45 pm

Upcoming Events

T

Waterbury UNICO

Chapter Christmas Party

Tuesday, December 9th

6:30 pm

Junipers Restaurant 1383 Whittemore Road

Middlebury, CT

$30.00 per Person

RSVP by 12/2/14

$30 per Person ~ Make check payable to “UNICO ofWaterbury"

Return with payment by December 2th to: Toni Beccia, 150 Acme Drive, Middlebury, CT 06762

# Attending

Names of Attendee(s):

Email/Phone: # Attending: Amount Enclosed:

JOHN A. SALERNO, M.D.

INTERNAL MEDICINE

573-0300

60 WESTWOOD AVE

WATERBURY,CT 06708

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

Tim Clark, Realtor Cell-203-592-5201

timmclark@optimum.net

Proud to be a member of Waterbury UNICO

93 Years of “ Service Above Self ”

The Largest Italian-American Service Organization

Founded in Waterbury, CT 1922

www.unico.org

Waterbury Chapter of UNICO National Check out our website

http://www.waterburyunico.com

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WaterburyUnico/

Monthly Meeting Schedule (Sept-June) Board of Directors – 2nd Tuesday 6:45 pm - Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall

Regular Dinner Meeting– 4th Tuesday - 6:30pm - Junipers Restaurant

To receive the newsle er electronically, or include news and informa on in the next newsle er,

please contact waterburyunico@yahoo.com

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