February 2014 - The Little Italy Lodge

February 2014 Issue
President’s Message
Dear Brother and Sisters:
January came in with a huge
cold front, but it did not keep
members away. We welcomed
our newly inducted members!
Our lodge was honored to have
the Grand Lodge President,
Frances Cipriotti, Former Grand
Lodge President Vince Zaccaria and Grand Lodge
Recording Secretary Rosalie Ranieri attend to induct
Recording Secretary Patricia Greco and new
members to our Lodge. The evening was a
wonderful time followed by a great dinner served by
our State Trustee, Charles Ferraro.
New Membership
Notice to Membership
The Lodge will no longer allow unapproved
advertising (flyers, pamphlets, etc.) for non-lodgerelated events to be displayed. If you have an event
that you wish to promote to the membership, you
must submit it to the Council for prior approval.
We appreciate your cooperation.
Thank You,
President Sal Spinnato
February’s General Membership Meeting
Come and join us for the General
Membership Meeting on February 11th.
Have a free lite dinner, drinks with your
friends, and join in the camaraderie. There
is a guaranteed $50 attendance prize and
50/50 raffle at every meeting. The Council
Meeting is February 4th.
General Membership Meeting 1/14/14 Winners
50/50: Nancy Barbieri Wolfe
Attendance prize: New Member
Kathy Z. Mangione
Friday Night Dinner 50/50 winner:
1/10/14 Rudy Dantoni
Cosa C’è Per Cena Venerdì Sera?
What’s for Dinner Friday Night?
I thank all who attended to show your support to our
new members. We welcome you and hope you will
be a intricate part of the Lodge’s success in 2014. As
our Financial Secretary, Nancy Barbieri Wolfe, stated
we have many new members and we ask all to think
hard about how you can contribute to our Lodge.
There are many ways to support and help events to
be a success. Please contact any one of our current
members to see how you can play a role in Your
Lodge!
Please come join us for a Friday Night Dinner in
February! It may be cold out, but the Lodge is
always a friendly environment to keep warm!
Fraternally,
Sal Spinnato, President
February Specials
7
Linguini with red/white clam sauce
14
Chicken Marsala
21
Shrimp Scampi
28
Tortellini Bolognese
$11.00 tax included
Along with our delicious specials we offer the
following Italian favorites every Friday night:
Pasta with two meatballs $10.00
Pasta Marinara $8.00
Pasta with Garlic & Oil $8.00
Meatballs on a Heel $6.00
Small Pasta Marinara or Garlic & Oil $3.00
Whole Pizza - Pepperoni $9.00/Plain $8.00
Salad – Large $2.00/Small $1.00
Extra Meatball $1.25
Cannoli $3.00
Cake/Pie $2.00 (regular/no sugar added)
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP NOW!
2014 DUES were due before January 1, 2014
Please remember, your 2014 membership dues
were due before the beginning of the 2014
calendar year.
If you have not already done so, payment should
be sent, as soon as possible, to:
The Little Italy Lodge (#2286)
905 E. Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
Attn: Nancy Barbieri Wolfe
$40 for renewals
$65 for new members – along with a completed
application
(Checks should be made payable to “The Little
Italy Lodge (OSIA #2286)”)
(Please note: According to The Lodge By-Laws,
“If dues are not paid by April 1st, the member
shall be stricken from the rolls of membership.”)
Also, would you please be so kind as to enclose a
self addressed stamped envelope in with your
membership dues and also include your date of
birth. The envelope helps to defer the cost of
stamps and your birth date is to update our
records.
In addition, please remember that being added to
our E-Mail Notification List – (for La Notizia
delivery, event announcements and changes,
member death notices, etc.) saves our Lodge
significant printing and mailing expenses. To be
added, just contact Nancy Barbieri Wolfe,
Financial Secretary at [email protected]
La Festa Di San Giuseppe
Come and join us for La Festa Di San Giuseppe (St
Joseph’s festival) Saturday March 22nd, 2014,
sponsored by the Sons of Italy in Ocean City MD.
Enjoy tasty Italian specialties such as Zeppole and
Cannoli while listening to the Mario Minaldi band.
Bus transportation cost $40. Free admission to the
festival. We will be leaving the Lodge by bus at
8:30am and will return approximately at 9:30pm.
Please contact Sue Spinnato Walmsley at 443-6913046 or John Kutz at 410-952-2794 for more
information.
Ti Senti Fortunato? Are you feeling lucky?
Please come and try your luck at Bingo on February
16th . Doors open at 12 noon, the full game package
is $10. Please join us for a day of fun. Food will also
be available for purchase. Cake donations are
appreciated.
The Vice Presidents Corner
CIAO TUTTI………..Hmmmmmm, I was
undecided what to write about for this issue
of LaNotizia, when I thought of all the great
things happening in (The Neighborhood)
Little Italy. It’s really gratifying having
Community Organizations working for a
common goal of promoting the heritage of
our Little Italy. There is Giovanna AquiaBlatterman and her brother-in-law Frank
Blatterman chairing the Tuesday and
Wednesday Bocce Ball leagues, Jerry Elliot,
managing the Sons of Little Italy Lodge
Scholarship Program, also the Little Italy
Knights of Columbus promoting social
events. Mary Ann Cricchio from DaMimmo’s
promoting the Friday Night Movies. Who can
do without all the volunteers supporting St.
Leo’s Church two festivals, Rev. Oreste
Pandola Learning Center and Ravioli Dinners.
However, one native of “The Neighborhood”
Ray Alcaraz (MaryAnn Boggio’s son) came
forward on December 3rd 2013 edition of
the Sun papers and cleared up a lot of
negative reporting on Little Italy with
commentary titled “Little Italy: perfect
Baltimore” Here is an excerpt, “Little Italy is
often described as a close-knit, ethnic
enclave, usually by writers and reporters
whose experience in Little Italy has been the
walk from their car to a restaurant. I invite
them and others to join me at a corner
bench in the afternoon. In between the
gossip, general conversation and arguing
over who is the better bocce roller, you will
find welcoming nods and hellos to neighbors
and visitors alike. Close-knit is a wonderful
term, but "welcoming" better describes
Little Italy. Just ask some of the young
couples and others who have bought homes
and have moved to the neighborhood. Their
involvement in the community has been
thoroughly welcomed.” After reading that
commentary I wanted to give Ray a huge
High-Five. You see having grown up in Little
Italy and reading negative publicity
concerning L.I, I was proud to read that Ray
and the L.I. Promotion Center had our back.
So please, when you see Ray remember to
give him a High-Five. Ray Alcaraz is Board
President for the Promotion Center for Little
Italy-Baltimore founded by Suzanne MolinoSingleton, C.E.O.
February Birthdays, Buon Compleanno!!!
LA FAMIGLIA SCHOLARSHIP NEWS
2014 Scholarship Competition
The competition for the $12,000 of financial aid
to four students is underway. The La Famiglia
Scholarship applications are available by
accessing the Lodge website www.littleitalylodge-osia.org and click on
"Scholarship Information" and then download
the application. Printed copies of the app will
be placed on the Lodge Information table by the
front door entrance. If you need more
information about the scholarships, contact
Jerry Elliott at 410-561-0199.
I would like to thank the lodge for the
privilege as serving as the Friday Night
Dinner Chairman. It has been so enjoyable
and I have been blessed to have worked with
such wonderful people. The volunteers are so
valuable and have given so freely of their
time for the success of Friday Night Dinner.
I hope to see everyone in the future and
cherish the friendships I have made over the
years. Wishing everyone the very best.
Always,
Ali Sliwka
Grazie! Grazie! Grazie!
The Little Italy Lodge wishes to thank the
following restaurants for their support in
making the events at the lodge such as
success. Please thank them for their
continued support when you visit their
establishments.
Amicci's
Cafe Gia'
Ciao Bella Resturant
Chiapparelli's Restaurant
DaMimmo’s
DeLesio's of Little Italy
Gianni's Italian Bistro
La Scala
Osteria Da Amedeo
Sabatino's
Towson Bakery
Vinny's Café
2nd Timothy J. Rupo
5th Josephine Calcagno
6th Kathy Bianco Smith
7th Shirley Marziale
8th Father Salvatore Funari
9th Wayne Penczek, Charles Walsh
10th Sarah W. Gicale, William L. Mahan
12th Francesca Hahn
14th Alyssa Summers
16th Arturo Aversa
15th Gino Polsinelli, Lisa Ferraro, Michael Naver
19th Harry Bortner
20th J Michael Arminger, Jean Kelly
21st Kim D’Andrea, Christopher Pisano,
Lisa Licata Elizabeth Saraullo,
Bonnie Summers
nd
22 M.Roland Britt, Rose Marie Shockey
23rd Giovanni V. Alberotanzo
25th Stephen Perro
28th Michael Darago
If we missed your birthday, we apologize. This
list is compiled from the information submitted
on you initial application. Please contact Sue
Spinnato-Walmsley to be added to the birthday
list…[email protected]
Please pray for the return of good
health to:
Angie Kurek
Lucy Pompa
Pete Ranieri
Albert Blattermann
Jenny Scaffidi
Friendly Reminder
Next year, 2015, there will be a
General Election for Officers. If you are
interested in holding office in 2015, you
must attend at least 8 meeting in 2014
to be eligible for the 2015 Elections.
The Election Committee
Rent the Lodge for all your special occasions…
Birthdays, bereavements, anniversaries, family
reunions or any special event.
We also offer catering.
Please contact Gina and Jeff @ 410-242-2485
Happy Valentine’s Day!
“There is nothing on this earth more to be
prized than true friendship”
~St. Thomas Aquinas
Reminiscing about the NY Trip!
On December 3 and 4, 2013, The
Little Italy Lodge went to New York City for an
overnight trip. We boarded the bus at St. Leo’s
Catholic Church in Little Italy and then proceeded
on our jorney. While we traveled to NYC we
played bingo and had different raffles for gift
baskets. We also enjoyed plenty of snacks on our
way to the Big Apple.
We stayed at the Milford Plaza Hotel,
which was right in Time’s Square and in walking
distance of everything. The hotel rooms, where
small, but clean, and that’s what counts. That
night we had tickets to see “Motown”, which was
the story of Barry Gordy’s life, it was sold out!!!
The next morning, we met the bus
for a tour of NY. The guide that we had was great,
and he told us so much about the city. It was a
very interesting tour. On the tour we saw where
Jackie O lived and where John Lennon was killed.
After the tour the bus driver took us to the largest
Italian Market on the east coast, called the Eatally.
They had everything you could think of from soup
to nuts.
I guess you could say the highlight of
the trip was going down to Little Italy to have
dinner. We ate at Puglia’s Italian Restaurant. Let
me tell you, Vinnie and Joe did everything for us
except roll out the red carpet. They brought out
large platters of garlic bread, a beautiful antipasto
tray, followed by our main meal. Beside the great
desserts we were served, we were entertained by
an italian singer, who had us all singing along with
him. A good time was had by all.
We boarded the bus for the last time;
our trip home. If you weren’t on this trip, the only
thing I can say you missed a great time.
Constance M. Collins
Little Italy Lodge Member
Little Italy Lodge
905 East Pratt St
Baltimore, Md 21202