March/April 2012 - Antonio Meucci Lodge Home

A Message From YourPRESIDENTAntonio Meucci Lodge #213279 Maple Avenueat Antonio Meucci PlaceWhite Plains, New York 10606(914) 761-9073www.antoniomeuccilodge.comOFFICERS 2011-2013Teresa Riverso, President(914) 997-7388 ▪ triverso@yahoo.comRose Tassone, 1st Vice Pres.Flavia DiNota, 2nd Vice Pres.Mario Cermele, Immediate Past PresidentLenny Mignini, OratorRita Cestone, Recording Sec.Annamaria Forte, Corresp. Sec.Luigi DiNota, Financial Sec.Anna Binasco, TreasurerVito Cirioni, Principal TrusteeTrusteesUmberto Amato • Concetta BevilacquaRita Carolini • Pamela DanzaSandy Farduchi • Charles GuastellaJean Borrelli-Ilardi • Carmela MerensteinCatherine Mignini • Mary MorraPaola Pesaturo • Domenico RiversoJohn Rubillo • Benedetta VaccarelliCeremonial OfficersTina Amato • Cathy GrisantiSentinelsTony Cestone • Alan MerensteinArbitration CommitteeMary Borrelli • Angela D’AmbrosioDomenico D’Ambrosio • Ann GiordanoPatricia Moore • Maria PippoGiuseppe Tanzi • Frank TassoneJoseph Tassone • Lucy TocciNick VaccarelliChaplainCarmen ScaglioneState DeputyJoe ZingoneThe Avanti is the official newsletter of the AntonioMeucci Lodge #213. Published bi-monthly, theAvanti accepts news releases, reviews, commentariesand other information significant to theItalian-American community. Please contactEditor Maria Riverso at (914) 997-7388.2Teresa RiversoDear Brothers and Sisters,I think you all know that I’m in Florida atthe present moment but I have beenkeeping in touch with everything that hasbeen going on up north. Everything isgoing so well that perhaps I can stay herefor a little longer than I originally planned!Seriously, I want to thank everyone for theirphone calls to keep me informed. All theofficers are doing a fantastic job keepingthe Lodge going at its fullest capabilities. Iwant to especially thank Sis. RoseTassone and Sis. Flavia DiNota, who filledin for me by presiding over the meetings inmy absence, and also to all who attendedfor keeping the meetings productive.One of the first things I’m going to dowhen I return at the end of March is go totake a look at the new tile floor in the barroom. I hear that it is just beautiful andmakes the room look totally different. I amso grateful to Bro. Luigi DiNota, Bro.Umberto Amato and Bro. Vito Cirioni fortaking the time to involve themselves in thisproject. Thanks so much for caring aboutour lodge building and helping it look nicer.I must say I’m sorry that I had to missthe wonderful events that took place inFebruary. I got phone call after phone callabout how much fun the SweetheartsDance was from the food to the music tothe decorations. My warmest thanks toBro. Tony and Sis. Tina Amato for doing agreat job with this event. I also understandthat the Carnevale di Venezia perBambini was also very successful andeverything went very well. Thank you toBro. Vito and Sis. Santina Tassone andBro. Joe Amato for chairing this event andalso to Bro. Joe’s lovely wife Toni Marie forall working so hard for the benefit of thechildren. It’s so critical to our futurelongevity that our kids grow up to know theirculture and heritage and events like thesedefinitely help. It was so nice to have Bro.Geoffrey Claroni, who played Arlecchino,back with us for this event. Thanks, Bro.Geoffrey, for once again donning yourcostume for a new generation of Meuccichildren. I heard that the Journal News hadsome great photos and a nice article aboutthis event. Congratulations to everyoneinvolved in this effort; I know it was worth it!April is a milestone month for two ofour long-standing members: Sis. PattyMoore, who is being inducted into our ownHall of Fame, and Prof. Carlo Sclafani,who is retiring after 40 years of service toWestchester Community College, where heheads the WCC Italian Club. I am veryproud to have them as members of theLodge and also to call them my friends.I’ve known Sis. Patty for many years andshe has one of the biggest hearts of anyperson I know, with a special place in it forthe less fortunate. She is so deserving ofthis award with all she’s done to helppeople while raising two beautiful childrenand taking care of her mom. Kudos, Sis.Patty on receiving the recognition you’veearned so much! I’ve also known Prof.Sclafani for a long time and have had thepleasure of witnessing his tremendouscontributions to the Italian AmericanCommunity, including our own Lodge,many times. I know if anyone deserves toretire it’s the Professor but it will be muchharder knowing that he won’t be as visiblein our community as before. Best wishes toyou, Professor, and we will miss yourofficial leadership but hopefully we will stillget to see you at the Lodge.Finally, I would be remiss if I did notgive my special thanks to Bro. TonyCapicotto for his special help recently withthe heating plant. As soon as Bro. Tonyheard something was amiss he jumpedright in to fix it. It’s only when he can’t fixsomething himself that he calls in someoneelse, as he’s always trying to help usconserve financially, and that’s alwaysappreciated. Thank you Bro. Tony, for yourhelp and concern for our Lodge! Andfinally, thank you to Bro. Leonardo andSis. Catherine Mignini for always takingcare of the lodge as though it is yoursecond home! SEMPRE AVANTI!Fraternally yours,AVANTI March/April 2012