THE PANNESE SOCIETY 155 WEBSTER AVENUE, PROVIDENCE, RI 02909 (401)374-4590

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WINTER 2018 EDITION

PANNESE NEWSLETTER EDITOR lmansolillo@cox.net

“PROMOTING ITALIAN CULTURE AND HERITAGE FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS”

SOCIETY BRIGHTENS CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY WITH FOOD BASKET DONATIONS

ADMINISTRATION

PRESIDENT…………….……………………………………………JOSEPH SPREMULLI

VICE-PRESIDENT…………...……………………………………LOUIS J. SPREMULLI

SECRETARY……………...……………………………………..……DAVID VENDITELLI

*TREASURER……..………………….……………………….……FRANK ROMANELLI

*ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT…………………………..………..DAVID FULLER

PANNI CORRESPONDENTS………………………………TONY & ROSE DELUCA

EXECUTIVE BOARD…………………………………………….....JOSEPH GESUALDI

EXECUTIVE BOARD……………………………………………..LOUIS MANSOLILLO

EXECUTIVE BOARD……………………………………………...JASON PARENTEAU

EXECUTIVE BOARD………………………………………….…….CARLA SPREMULLI

EXECUTIVE BOARD……………………………………………….DAVID VENDITELLI

EXECUTIVE BOARD……………………………...………………GRETA CARDARELLI

“CALLING” ALL MEMBERS

TELECONFERENCING SERVICES WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL MEMBERS ANYWHERE. YOU CAN NOW JOIN OUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME & OFFICE BY USING YOUR ANALOG PHONE. YOU MAY PARTICIPATE WITH THOSE PRESENT IN THE MEETING OR JUST LISTEN IN………... TELECONFERENCING IS NOT ONLY IDEAL FOR THOSE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO ATTEND, BUT IS A SERVICE OPEN TO EVERY MEMBER RESIDING ANYWHERE IN THE USA. YOU WILL BE RECEIVING THE FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER TO USE ALONG WITH A SIX DIGIT ACCESS CODE BEFORE OUR NEXT QUARTERLY MEETING WHICH IS ON MONDAY, APRIL 9TH “SEE YOU” ON THE CALL!

THE PANNESE SOCIETY

155 WEBSTER AVENUE PROVIDENCE, RI 02909

ADDRESS CHANGE REQUESTED

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THAT THE PRESIDENT IS RESTING IN FLORIDA THIS WINTER AS I HANDLE THINGS HERE.

ALL MEMBERS DUES ARE NOW PAID AND WE HAVE 100 MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ANOTHER 15 IN

ITALY. THE SPONSORS LISTED IN THE INSERT ARE FROM LAST YEAR AND THE PRESIDENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF

CONTACTING THEM FOR RENEWAL. THE ADMINISTRATION AND BOARD HAVE BEEN WORKING ON VARIOUS

ISSUES AND PROGRESS IS BEING MADE. WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT 95% OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE RENEWED

DESPITE THE DUES INCREASE. THIS SHOWS THAT ARE MEMBERS REALLY CARE ABOUT THEIR REASON FOR BEING

PANNESE MEMBER. SOME OF THE VERY IMPORTANT CHANGES THIS YEAR WILL BE OUR NEW WEBSITE AND THE

TELECONFERENCE CALL SYSTEM FOR OUR MEETINGS. MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO PHONE IN AND BE PART OF

THE MEETING FROM ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE PRESENTLY USING THIS SYSTEM FOR OUR

BOARD MEETINGS. OUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS IS LOOKING VERY GOOD FOR THIS YEAR AND MEMBERS WILL

BENEFIT FROM ALL EVENTS. THE FORMER ASSISTANT MAYOR OF PANNI, AMADEO DECOTIIS, WHO FIRST VISITED

US HERE IN 2013 WILL BE ATTENDING OUR ANNUAL MASS AND BREAKFAST CEREMONIES THIS SUMMER. PLEASE

NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF HIS SCHEDULE, WE HAVE MOVED THE FESTIVITIES FROM AUGUST TO JULY 15 THIS YEAR

ONLY. ONE LAST NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ALL LOCAL MEMBERS TO TRY TO PARTICIPATE IN AT LEAST ONE

FAMILY EVENT THIS YEAR. WE HAVE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES TO HAVE AS A GROUP AND WE

KINDLY ASK FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. MANY MEMBERS ARE ASKING TO MEET OTHER MEMBERS AND IT WOULD

BE GREAT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. I DO TRULY APPRECIATE WHATEVER PARTICIPATION THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN

STRENGTHENING OUR SOCIETY. THANK YOU.

LOUIS SPREMULLI ~ VICE PRESIDENT

WHENEVER AND WHEREVER THERE’S A NEED FOR

HELP YOU’LL FIND MEMBERS OF THE PANNESE

SOCIETY OUT FRONT HELPING FAMILIES IN NEED

OF FOOD AS WAS THE CASE THIS PAST HOLIDAY.

JOE SPREMULLI AGAIN SPEARHEADED THIS VERY

WORTHWHILE CAUSE BY STARTING WAY BEFORE

THE HOLIDAYS IN SEARCH OF 30 STURDY WHITE

LAUNDRY BASKETS. JOE USUALLY FINDS THEM AT

BENNY’S, BUT UNFORTUNATELY HIS SEARCH FOR

THE BASKETS TOOK LONGER THAN USUAL WITH

THE CLOSURE OF THIS RHODE ISLAND LANDMARK.

NEXT COMES THE CHALLENGING PART, SHOPPING

FOR THE HOLIDAY FOOD ITEMS BY TRAVELING TO

VARIOUS RETAILERS WHO HAVE THE BEST SALES.

“MAY GOD BLESS ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED

US THIS YEAR; WE HAD DONATIONS COMING IN

FROM EVERYWHERE”….. …..COLUMBUS DOOR, HELPING HANDS—AMONG THOSE MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PANNESE SOCIETY FOOD BASKET DRIVE ARE (from

left): GRETA CARDARELLI, JOE SPREMULLI, BILL COSTANTINO, JOE QUARTINO, LOU MANSOLILLO, FATHER PETER GOWER

TD BANK, AND STOP ‘N SHOP……….WE LOVE HELPING OUR FELLOW MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE

AND NEED HELP ESPECIALLY AT THIS FESTIVE TIME OF YEAR” , JOE APRECIATIVELY STATES. IN ADDITION TO THE OVERFLOWING OF DRY

GOODS PILED IN EACH LAUNDRY BASKET, A FRESH GOLD LABEL SPIRAL HAM IS ALSO SENT WITH EACH BASKET UPON DISTRIBUTION. JOE

IS GRATEFUL FOR THOSE SPONSORS AND MEMBERS WHO STEP UP AND PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THIS SUCH A REWARDING

EXPERIENCE. A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU GOES TO BILL COSTANTINO OF COLUMBUS DOOR WHOSE VERY GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION

MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR FAMILIES TO ENJOY A GREAT CHRISTMAS DINNER. AS FATHER GOWER, PASTOR OF OUR LADY OF GRACE

CHURCH EXPLAINED: “OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH AND THE PANNESE SOCIETY HAVE AGAIN JOINED FORCES AND NOW WITH THE HELP

OF THE PANNESE SOCIETY, VOLUNTEERS WILL BE DELIVERING TWICE-AS-MANY FOOD BASKETS TO THOSE TRULY IN NEED.”

SOCIETY TO PARTICIPATE IN MEMORIAL OF 50TH ANNIVERSARY DEATH OF PADRE PIO

THIS FALL, RHODE ISLAND RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A DAY OF PRAYER AND DEDICATION IN MEMORY OF THE DEATH OF PADRE PIO 50 YEARS AGO. THE PANNESE SOCIETY HAS TEAMED UP WITH THE RHODE ISLAND ECHO IN GETTING ITALIAN-AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT. THIS DAY OF DEDICATION OF THE SAINT WHO LIVED IN THE LAND OF OUR ANCESTORS IN THE PUGLIA REGION OF WHICH PANNI IS PART OF, WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 AT LA SALLETTE SHRINE IN ATTLEBORO, MA. THIS ITALIAN CULTURAL EVENT HAS TWO COMPONENTS: ONE CULTURAL AND ONE RELIGIOUS. THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN AT 10:00 AM WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF DIGNITARIES AND CULMINATES WITH A SOLEMN MASS IN HONOR OF PADRE PIO. THIS PREMIER FAMILY CULTURAL EVENT FEATURES CARNIVAL RIDES, FACE PAINTING, AND A STORYBOOK HOUR FOR CHILDREN. WHAT ITALIAN THEMED EVENT WOULD THERE BE WITHOUT ALSO GREAT ITALIAN FOOD. A CONCERT OF ITALIAN MUSIC WITH TARANTELLA DANCERS WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO DANCE THE TARANTELLA. ONE OF THE GUEST SPEAKERS WILL BE DR. EDWARD IANNUCCILLI (“GROWING UP ITALIAN” AUTHOR AND ALSO “WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO SUNDAY DINNER?”). DR. IANNUCCILLI WILL GIVE A PRESENTATION ENTITLED <WRITE YOUR OWN LIFE> ABOUT ITALIAN IMMIGRATION AND STORIES ABOUT GROWING UP ITALIAN IN RHODE ISLAND. ANOTHER AUTHOR, TERRY MORUZZI HERMAN WILL BE READING HER CHILDREN’S BOOK, “STELLA THE COCCINELLA” AT THE CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK HOUR. IN ADDITION, PIANIST KATHY GIOVANNUCCI WIKSTROM WILL BE PERFORMING IN CONCERT. ALSO, AS PART OF THE FESTIVITIES, THERE WILL BE A ROUNDTABLE TO ALSO DISCUSS THE LIFE OF PADRE PIO WITH SPECIAL GUESTS WHO KNEW HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND HAVE SOME FIRST CLASS RELICS TO SHARE. THE CAPUCHIN FRIARS FROM SAN LORENZO FRIARY WILL MODERATE THE ROUNDTABLE. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE ITALIAN CULTURAL EVENT WILL BE A ROSARY PROCESSION WITH OUR LADY OF LASALETTE AND PADRE PIO THEN FOLLOWED BY A SOLEMN MASS HONORING THE SAINT. MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE WITH OUR SOCIETY IN THIS CEREMONY ARE ASKED TO CONTACT LOUIS SPREMULLI AT (401) 374-4590 OR LSPREMULLI@GMAIL.COM PLEASE COME AND SHARE YOUR STORIES, YOUR HERITAGE, AND YOUR FAITH.

D. MCCAFFREY

WE ARE KICKING OFF A NEW YEAR ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE HARD TO BEAT ALL THE SUCCESSES WE HAD IN 2017. OUR SOCIETY IS STARTING TO GEL ON THE INTERNET AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF REDESIGNING OUR WEB PAGE PANNESE-SOCIETY.COM. WE HAVE CONTRACTED TECHMASTERSRI TO GIVE US THE SOFTWARE NECESSARY TO MODERNIZE ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS. WE WILL INFORM ALL OUR MEMBERS WHEN IT IS UP AND RUNNING SO EVERYONE WILL HAVE THEIR OWN PROFILE WITH LOG-INS AND PASSWORDS TO ACCESS ALL INFORMATION. THIS WILL NOW GIVE US DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH PANNI. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OUR MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SOCIETY THIS PAST YEAR AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT OUR FUTURE EVENTS. ALSO, I AM PLEASED WITH THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF MEMBERS WHO PROMPTLY RENEWED THEIR ANNUAL DUES IN LIGHT OF THE INCREASE THAT WAS NEEDED TO SUSTAIN OUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. LIKEWISE, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS PARTICIPATING AGAIN BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THEIR SUPPORT IS CRITICAL TO THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE SOCIETY. A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO COLOMBUS DOOR FOR THEIR VERY GENEROUS GIFT FOR THE HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS BASKETS. WISHING YOU ALL A HEALTHY AND HAPPY 2018! YOUR PRESIDENT, JOE SPREMULLI

LIFEBEAT REPORTER……MORE PANNESE STORIES

NEWEST MEMBER PROFILE: LUANN BIANCO

LUANN BIANCO, ONE OF OUR NEW MEMBERS, GREW UP IN NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT NEXT DOOR TO HER GRANDPARENTS. (SHE NOW LIVES IN WESTFIELD, MASS.) HER GRANDFATHER, CARLO BIANCO, WAS BORN IN PANNI AROUND 1893. IN 1910 HE ARRIVED IN THE BOSTON AREA; HOWEVER, HE SOON MOVED TO NEW CANAAN WHERE A POCKET OF PANNESE HAD SETTLED.

HER GRANDMOTHER, TERESA DECOTIIS (B. 1900) HAD WORKED IN AN OLIVE GROVE IN PANNI. SHE FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT WORK AND SET HER SIGHTS ON COMING TO AMERICA. SHE HAD AN AUNT WHO LIVED IN HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT SO IN 1920 SHE TRAVELED BY HERSELF TO THE UNITED STATES.

CARLO AND TERESA’S MARRIAGE ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1921 WAS AN ARRANGED ONE. CARLO DID MASONRY WORK AS WELL AS THE JOB OF CARETAKER FOR A BUSINESS BUILDING. HE AND TERESA RAISED SIX CHILDREN, THE OLDEST OF WHICH WAS LUANN’S FATHER, LUIGI CARLO BIANCO.

GROWING UP, LUANN WAS A CURIOUS CHILD ESPECIALLY ABOUT ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PANNI RELATIVES IN HER GRANDPARENTS’ HOME. THERE WERE PICTURES OF BOTH HER BIANCO AND DECOTIIS GREAT GRANDPARENTS AS WELL AS PICTURES OF HER GRANDPARENT’ SIBLINGS. (CARLO AND TERESA RETURNED TO PANNI FOR A VISIT IN 1956. THIS IS THAT FAMILY PHOTO PICTURED HERE.)

LUANN WAS ALWAYS VERY IMPRESSED WITH HOW MUCH OF PANNI HER GRANDPARENTS HAD BROUGHT WITH THEM TO AMERICA: THE FOODS, THE TRADITIONS, WINE MAKING SKILLS, THE CULTIVATION OF FIGS AND PEARS AND CHERRIES. IT ALL NATURALLY INSTILLED IN HER A VERY STRONG DESIRE TO SOMEDAY VISIT PANNI.

SHE WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO DO SO THIS PAST SEPTEMBER. SHE AND TWO OF HER COUSINS HIRED A TRAVEL COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN FAMILY RESEARCH AND CONNECTING TRAVELERS WITH CHURCH RECORDS AND VISITS TO THE COMUNE. WHILE IN PANNI THEY MET MICHELE, A SECOND COUSIN, AND EMIDIO, A THIRD COUSIN, NEITHER OF WHOM KNEW ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT THEIR ANCESTORS WHO HAD IMMIGRATED TO AMERICA. THEY FELT VERY WARMLY WELCOMED BY PANNI AND FELT VERY MUCH “AT HOME”. LIKE ALL OF US WHO VISIT PANNI, SHE FELL IN LOVE.

[I CONTINUE TO WRITE HUMAN INTEREST STORIES ABOUT PANNI AND OTHER MEMBER’S TIES TO OUR “HOMETOWN”. I HAVE RETURNED TO PANNI MANY TIMES AND HAVE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY RELATIVES THAT HAS GREATLY ENHANCED MY LIFE. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO BE INTERVIEWED BY TELEPHONE OR EMAIL FOR A FUTURE MEMBER STORY; CONTACT ME, DIANE MCCAFFREY AT 401 683-4378 OR BY EMAIL ADDRESS. AT DIANEMCCAFFREYNEWPORT@GMAIL.COM. ]

LA GAZZETTA DEL MEZZOGIORNO PANNESE SOCIETY MAKES NATIONAL NEWS

OUR SOCIETY WAS RECENTLY HIGHLIGHTED IN A MAJOR NATIONAL NEWSPAPER IN ITALY, “LA GAZZETTA DEL MEZZOGIORNO” IN FULL RECOGNITION OF OUR SISTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM WITH STUDENTS FROM JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL. UPON A RECENT VISIT TO PANNI AND FOGGIA IN JANUARY; MONSIGNOR CARLO MONTECALVO , THE FORMER PASTOR OF OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH IN JOHNSTON (CURRENTLY AT SAN SEBASTIAN’S PARISH IN PROVIDENCE), WAS WELL RECEIVED BY BOTH TOWNS. A PARTICIPANT IN LAST YEAR’S STUDENT EXCHANGE, MONSIGNOR IS ALSO OF PANNESE DESCENT AND ENJOYS GETTING BACK TO HIS FAMILY’S ANCESTRAL HOME. A VERY WARM RECEPTION WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY THE MAYOR OF FOGGIA, FRANCO LANDELLA, AND DIGNITARIES OF THE PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION. OUR SOCIETY HAS NOW BECOME WELL KNOWN IN SEVERAL REGIONS AND THIS HAS BECOME INDICATIVE OF OUR MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO PROMOTE AND STRENGTHEN THE CULTURAL TIES BETWEEN BOTH OF OUR COUNTRIES. THE EXPOSURE OF THE PANNESE SOCIETY IN THIS NEWSPAPER, WE WERE TOLD, WAS VERYEXTRAORDINARY AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION. PICTURED HERE ALONG WITH THE MAYOR AND MONSIGNOR ARE THE ITALIAN STUDENTS WHO VISITED HERE IN SEPTEMBER AS PART OF THE CULTURAL STUDENT EXCHANGE. IN ADDITION TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROGRAM IS THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, CLAUDIA LIOIA AND THE MINISTER OF CULTURE, ANNAPAOLA GIULIANI.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE