SEPTfranoi08 - Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans

JCCIA Journal
Officers
Queen pageant a
great start to our
Columbus festivities
President JO ANN SERPICO
First Vice President FLORIAN J. BARBI
Second Vice President JAMES GLIMCO
Third Vice President DINO PORTO
Treasurer RICHARD TUFANO
Secretary JACQUELYN MAZZA
Sergeant-at-Arms JAMES CERAMI
President Emeritus DOMINIC DIFRISCO
Past President JOANNE SPATA
Chaplain FR. CLAUDIO HOLZER
Legal Advisor JOSEPH M. GAGLIARDO
Divisions
Women’s Division
Rosemary Ranallo, President
West Suburban Women’s Division
Naomi Serpico, President
Young Professionals Division
John Galluzzi, President
Affiliated Organizations
AIDA • Alpine Country Club • Amici d’Italia
• Amici Naperville Area Italian American
Club • ARPA • Associazione Veneti nel
Mondo — USA • Calabresi in America
Organization • Casa Italia • Casa San Carlo
• CIACO • Columbian Club of Chicago • Elk
Grove Village Italian Sister Cities Inc. •
FIERI-Chicago • Flowers of Italy Club • Fra
Noi • IANU Foundation, ISDA Midwest
District • IANU, James E. Coli Chapter #15
• IANU, Club Calascibetta Chapter #75 •
IANU, St. Anthony Chapter #10 • IANU, St.
Joseph Chapter #319 • Italian American
Chamber of Commerce • Italian American
Civic Organization of Berwyn • I-A
Executives of Transportation • I-A Human
Relations Found. of Chicago • Italian
American Labor Council • Italian American
Police Association • Italian American
Political Coalition • Italian American Society
(Springfield) • Italian American Women’s
Club of Chicagoland • Italian American
Women’s Organization • Italian Catholic
Federation • Italian Catholic Federation
#392 • Italian Cultural Center • ItaloAmerican Soccer Club “Maroons” • ItaloAmerican “Maroons” Ladies Club • ITAM
Vets, Illinois • ITAM, Illinois Ladies Auxiliary
• ITAM, Filippo Mazzei Post #1 • ITAM,
Filippo Mazzei Post #1 Ladies • ITAM,
Joseph Gentile Post #2 • ITAM, Joseph
Gentile Post #2 Ladies • ITAM James
Cuzzone Post #5 Ladies • ITAM, Guido
Belmonte Post #4 Ladies • Justinian
Society of Lawyers • Marchegiana Society
of Chicago Heights • Maria SS Della Croce
Di Triggiano • Maria SS Lauretana Society •
Mazzini Verdi Club, Inc. • Mazzini Verdi Club,
Ladies Social Club • Old Neighborhood
Italian American Club • Panormus Club •
San Rocco di Modugno Society • Shrine of
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel • Shrine of Our Lady
of Pompeii • Sicilian American Cultural
Association • Società Beato Giovanni Liccio
• Società San Biagio Platani • Società San
Francesco di Paola • Società San Giovanni
Bosco di Ciminna • Società San Leoluca da
Corleone • Società SS Crociffisso di
Ciminna • Società SS Crocifisso di
Rutigliano, Bari • Society of Santa Fara di
Cinisi • UNICO, Chicago Amerital Chapter •
UNICO, Chicago West Suburban Chpt. •
UNICO, Greater Chicago Chapter • Veneti
del Nordamerica
by Jo Ann Serpico, President
Our day to shine is ever so close.
The official beginning of Columbus Day festivities was our fabulous
Queen Pageant. Each year, the crowning of our new queen generates
excitement and interest for our annual celebration. This year, the Queen
and her Court have been invited to all the summer Italian fests to enjoy
special recognition and to launch enthusiasm for the parade. The queen,
Christina Cotuno, and her court — Alaina Duca, Jeannette Luciano,
Ashley Pagano and Sara Sorrentino — will have a busy promotional
schedule.
We welcome all ethnic groups to join us and share their pride as we
parade down Columbus Drive on Oct. 13.
We commence our day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, the spiritual home of the Italian-American community. There is nothing more awe
inspiring than coming together at this very special Mass.
Fr. Fragomeni’s words resound throughout the Shrine that is filled
with elected officials; dignitaries; the parade chairman; the Italian
American War Veterans and its color guard, the Knights of Columbus in
ceremonial attire, the Order Sons of Italy wearing purple satin sashes; the
JCCIA officers, representatives of the affiliated organizations and associated members of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans; float personnel wearing authentic costumes; and, of course, Christopher
Columbus and Queen Isabella, and the Queen and her Court.
The Marist High School Band is spectacular to see and to hear
dressed in their bright red uniforms with white plumes on their headgear.
Their impressively sonorous “God Bless America” brings tears of pride to
your eyes as they march into the Shrine and as they lead us out to Arrigo
Park for the wreath-laying ceremony under the auspices of the Order Sons
of Italy, Grand Lodge, State of Illinois.
Then on to the parade …
We encourage all organizations to join us in the parade with the sponsorship of a float. Float prices are:
$2,500 (Special Sponsorship Package includes a position at the front
of the parade and a full-page purple advertisement, a $500 value in the
Columbus Day Parade Program Book), $2,000, $1,500, $1,000, $950,
$800 and $650.
Visit our website — www.jccia.com — for float and marching forms.
The parade will be aired live on Cable 217. The two-hour coverage
will be commercial free so that every float can be seen. We will also be
aired live on the internet on www.ABC7Chicago.com.
Delayed telecast of the parade will be aired on ABC 7 and CBS 2 at
times and dates to be announced.
Parade Chairman Don Mazzoni has announced that bus service from
Casa Italia is FREE. Don wants everyone to be an enthusiastic spectator
lining up on Columbus Drive with family and friends. More details in next
month’s column.
The Joint Civic Committee
of Italian Americans
3800 Division St. • Stone Park, IL 60165
708.450.9050
www.jccia.com
Newsletters OF FRA NOI - SEPTEMBER 2008
Paid for by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans.
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