Just as they have for more than a century, members of the Columbus Day Association of Lackawanna County are gearing up for their annual tribute to their Italian forebears.
On Sunday, Oct. 9, the venerable Italian-American men's organization will host its 103rd banquet commemorating Christopher Columbus' 1492 arrival in the New World.
This year's event will be held at Fiorelli's in Peckville, beginning with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by a dinner of Italian specialties at 7.
The Rev. Joseph Sica will emcee the program, which will include announcement of the association's annual Man of the Year award, given to a distinguished Italian-American member of the community. That will be followed by dancing and live music from popular local band The Poets.
Tickets to the banquet are $40, with proceeds benefiting several local charities, including St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen.
The Columbus Day Association was founded at the dawn of the 20th century by a group of Italian immigrants who were looking to assimilate and pay respects to their adopted homeland, as well as honor their heritage.
"The whole purpose of the organization is to stage the dinner," said former Lackawanna County Commissioner Bob Pettinato, one of the group's longest-serving members. "In the beginning, it was all about ethnic pride. It was about establishing ourselves as a respectable presence in the community, as immigrants who came here to stake their claim."
Prominent names
At a recent group meeting at Fiorelli's, Mr. Pettinato leafed through an old banquet program, pointing out some of the more well-known names listed among the organization's past presidents.
They included priests and businessmen and politicians, including the late Neil Trama, a former Scranton City Councilman who is widely credited with initiating the campaign to have Columbus Day recognized as a national holiday. (On Monday, Oct. 10, the association will hold its annual Columbus Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Columbus statue on Lackawanna County Courthouse Square.)
Prospective members of the organization must have Italian blood, and you can't join unless someone from the group invites you.
Mr. Pettinato, whose father, James, was a member, was asked to join in the early 1970s.
At the time, the association was beginning to fade a little. But when Mr. Pettinato was elected county commissioner in 1972, he used his clout to get the banquet back to must-attend status. Today, it draws close to 600 people.
Perhaps Mr. Pettinato's favorite thing about the banquet is the annual prayer for members who have passed away since the previous dinner, its poignancy only enhanced by an Italian tenor's rendition of "Ave Maria."
"It's a very dramatic moment," Mr. Pettinato said.
For years, most of the dinner's arrangements were handled with aplomb by members Al Fazio and Nick Trunzo. The two, member Paul Ludovici said, were "the backbone of the organization."
Both of them passed away in 2009, so the many jobs they once carried out are now divvied up among more than a dozen members.
"It's not easy putting this banquet together every year, but everyone knows what they have to do," longtime member Ed Cammerota said.
Among those members is Mr. Fazio's son, Joe, the group's secretary. Before Mr. Fazio died, he made his son promise that he would help keep the association going.
Easy vow to keep
It wasn't a hard promise for Joe Fazio to keep. As he explained, "I like the camaraderie of the group. It's a good bunch of guys."
"It's just a great organization," added the organization's current president, Mike Iacavazzi.
The key to sustaining the association, Mr. Pettinato said, is to continue welcoming new members into the fold. Guys like Neil Trama's grandson, John, who said he joined "so the memory of my grandfather lives on."
"It's really special that this thing continues year after year," Mr. Pettinato said. "This is a grand old organization."
Contact the writer: jmcauliffe@timesshamrock.com
If you go
What: 103rd annual Columbus Day Association of Lackawanna County banquet
Where: Fiorelli's, 1501 Main St., Peckville
When: Sunday, Oct. 9, with cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7
Details: Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling 241-1691.
On Sunday, Oct. 9, the venerable Italian-American men's organization will host its 103rd banquet commemorating Christopher Columbus' 1492 arrival in the New World.
This year's event will be held at Fiorelli's in Peckville, beginning with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by a dinner of Italian specialties at 7.
The Rev. Joseph Sica will emcee the program, which will include announcement of the association's annual Man of the Year award, given to a distinguished Italian-American member of the community. That will be followed by dancing and live music from popular local band The Poets.
Tickets to the banquet are $40, with proceeds benefiting several local charities, including St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen.
The Columbus Day Association was founded at the dawn of the 20th century by a group of Italian immigrants who were looking to assimilate and pay respects to their adopted homeland, as well as honor their heritage.
"The whole purpose of the organization is to stage the dinner," said former Lackawanna County Commissioner Bob Pettinato, one of the group's longest-serving members. "In the beginning, it was all about ethnic pride. It was about establishing ourselves as a respectable presence in the community, as immigrants who came here to stake their claim."
Prominent names
At a recent group meeting at Fiorelli's, Mr. Pettinato leafed through an old banquet program, pointing out some of the more well-known names listed among the organization's past presidents.
They included priests and businessmen and politicians, including the late Neil Trama, a former Scranton City Councilman who is widely credited with initiating the campaign to have Columbus Day recognized as a national holiday. (On Monday, Oct. 10, the association will hold its annual Columbus Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Columbus statue on Lackawanna County Courthouse Square.)
Prospective members of the organization must have Italian blood, and you can't join unless someone from the group invites you.
Mr. Pettinato, whose father, James, was a member, was asked to join in the early 1970s.
At the time, the association was beginning to fade a little. But when Mr. Pettinato was elected county commissioner in 1972, he used his clout to get the banquet back to must-attend status. Today, it draws close to 600 people.
Perhaps Mr. Pettinato's favorite thing about the banquet is the annual prayer for members who have passed away since the previous dinner, its poignancy only enhanced by an Italian tenor's rendition of "Ave Maria."
"It's a very dramatic moment," Mr. Pettinato said.
For years, most of the dinner's arrangements were handled with aplomb by members Al Fazio and Nick Trunzo. The two, member Paul Ludovici said, were "the backbone of the organization."
Both of them passed away in 2009, so the many jobs they once carried out are now divvied up among more than a dozen members.
"It's not easy putting this banquet together every year, but everyone knows what they have to do," longtime member Ed Cammerota said.
Among those members is Mr. Fazio's son, Joe, the group's secretary. Before Mr. Fazio died, he made his son promise that he would help keep the association going.
Easy vow to keep
It wasn't a hard promise for Joe Fazio to keep. As he explained, "I like the camaraderie of the group. It's a good bunch of guys."
"It's just a great organization," added the organization's current president, Mike Iacavazzi.
The key to sustaining the association, Mr. Pettinato said, is to continue welcoming new members into the fold. Guys like Neil Trama's grandson, John, who said he joined "so the memory of my grandfather lives on."
"It's really special that this thing continues year after year," Mr. Pettinato said. "This is a grand old organization."
Contact the writer: jmcauliffe@timesshamrock.com
If you go
What: 103rd annual Columbus Day Association of Lackawanna County banquet
Where: Fiorelli's, 1501 Main St., Peckville
When: Sunday, Oct. 9, with cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7
Details: Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling 241-1691.
