December ~ 2014 Year 11 Passaic Valley UNICO Our December Monthly Newsletter Issue 112 Website Website Website Email Website Website Passaic Valley UNICO PO Box 341 Little Falls, NJ 07424 Serving Little Falls Totowa Woodland Park A Message from the Newsletter Editor: Do you have some news that you would like to share with us and our friends? To ensure that the newsletter is online by the 1st of each month, the deadline is 4 days before the end of the month. Please submit your reports to Steve via email. Our chapter email address is above. Page Highlights: About UNICO 4 Birthday’s 2 First VP’s Message 3 Food Pantry 3 Photo Album Links 2 Recent Photo’s 4 Sponsors 5, 6 Upcoming Events 2 Who’s Who 3 www.PVUNICO.com www.UNICOmembers.com www.Facebook.com/PassaicValleyUNICO PassaicValleyUNICO@gmail.com www.UNICO.org www.PiazzaUNICO.us President’s Message Hello UNICANS, I would like to wish all of you a safe and healthy holiday season. It’s amazing to me how quickly the last 3 months have gone by and while this time of year is so special for so many reasons it exemplifies what UNICO stands for: Unity with our family and friends, Neighborliness within our community, the Integrity we possess among family, friends and associates, Charity which we provide without reservation, and the Opportunity to serve others who are not as fortunate as us. To me, UNICO is like Christmas all year round. So THANK YOU for being a part of our chapter and thank you for your support in making our chapter as successful as it is. We realize how busy everyone is this time of year and we hope that you all will be able to make our December Meeting at Toscana Trattoria in Little Falls on December 10th. The Executive Board has decided to contribute $10.00 to each member joining us for this meeting, therefore, the cost per member is $20.00 & BYOB and I hope to see everyone in attendance for our last meeting of 2014. The Holiday Christmas Cheer for the Needy is underway and we thank everyone who has reached into their pockets for this very special cause. There is still time to make a donation just contact Roni Corrado, Bob Appaluccio or myself with the amount you would like to give and we will be sure to include it in this wonderful effort of giving. The Holiday party for the Circle of Friends is next week on the 2 nd. So far we have 15 members and 3 spouses attending from our chapter. The individuals we support with this event need all the help they can get and we are so lucky to be able to make a difference in their lives. Anyone else who would like to attend, please contact Steve Pelonero, Joe Agresti or myself ASAP. Again, I wish you all a safe, healthy and enjoyable Christmas Season and a Happy New Year!!! God Bless, John Barbieri Passaic Valley UNICO Page 2 of 6 Upcoming Events – Local and National 2014 ~~~ December Birthdays Happy Birthday to: Vincent Cerniglia - 12/13 Michael DeFrancisci - 12/21 Lorraine Polizzi - 12/23 December 2 … Tuesday … Christmas Party & Dinner for the Circle of Friends NJ IV District Event … RSVP is a must … Flier is on the website of our NJ IV District @ www.UNICO-NJdistrictIV.4mg.com December 5 … Friday … UNICO National Office Party … 12:00 noon – 8:00 pm … A n/c event to come out and meet the National Office Staff at the National Office December 10 … Wednesday … Monthly Meeting … Toscania Trattoria, 75 Main Street, Little Falls … 7:00 pm dinner … 8:00 pm meeting 2015 ~~~ January 8, 2015 … Thursday … 2nd of 4 NJ IV District Meeting …The Wayne Chapter is the Sponsor at the Paris Inn, Wayne … 7:00 Dinner/Meeting … $35.00 … An RSVP to your Chapter President is always welcome Photo Albums All of our chapter events pictures can be seen on our website. Additional pictures from our “NJ IV District” and also a lot from our “UNICO National” events can also be seen on their websites. February 22, 2015 … Sunday … UNICO National Presidential Ball … More information will follow March - 2015 … Friday & Saturday … UNICO National Mid-Year Board Meeting in Memphis TN … More information will follow (also look at the UNICO National website) April 18, 2015 … Saturday … Pancake Breakfast Chapter Fundraiser … More information will follow Recommend an event Two pictures in particular are on page 4 of this newsletter. www.PVUNICO.com www.UNICO.org www.UNICONJdistrictIV.4mg.com More Important Dates More important dates from our chapter, our district, and UNICO National, can also be seen on the above 3 websites. Stay in touch and informed Have you been to any fundraisers lately that you feel would be something we should do? Do you have an idea where we can raise money to support the initiatives we engage in? Send any recommendations to the executive board and we will seriously consider it. Members ~ Members ~ Members Do you know someone who would like to join our chapter? Invite them to a monthly meeting to hear about what we do and also receive a free meal. Barrel of Wine II WINNER JOHN PASQUALE Of Paterson Over 50 Bottles of Wine A Great Way to Start The Holidays!!! Passaic Valley UNICO Page 3 of 6 Who’s Who Our Passaic Valley Chapter Executive Board Food Pantry Please don’t forget about our UNICO Phil Arena Food Pantry Your non-perishable food donation can help restock it You can bring it directly to the pantry in the Holy Angels Church Basement … or to any meeting Italy Facts … Almost 20% of Italy’s population is over 65 Italy is slightly larger that Arizona The thermometer is an Italian invention Fiat owns the Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Alpha Romeo and the Chrysler brands Pinocchio was written by an Italian … Does anyone know the author’s name ? ~ The answer is on the last page of this newsletter President ……………….……...….………………………………... John Barbieri 1st Vice President …….……...……...……….…..…………….. Bruce Ponchak 2nd Vice President ………………...……...……………..….. Paul DeAppolonio Treasurer ……………………………..…………………………... Joseph McGill Recording Secretary …………………………………………………... Pat Ferro Sgt. At-Arms ……………………….……………………………. Dominick Bucci Corresponding Secretary ………………………………..…… Christina Castillo Fundraising Committee Heads Applebee’s Flapjack & Pancake Breakfast …………………… Lorraine Polizzi Barrel of Wine Raffle ………………………………………… Carmen Criscione Bus Rides ……………………………………………….. Joe and Elaine Barone Golf Outing ………………………….……………........................... Joe Barone Holiday Donations ……………………..……………………. Robert Appaluccio Modell’s ………………..………………………………………….... Roni Corrado Overseas Care Packages ………………………………………….. Pat Corrado Pasta Dinners …………………………………………………… Dominick Bucci Non-Fundraising Committee Heads Community Service Day (April)….………………………………. Chuck Russo Flag Raising (October) ………………………………...…..…….... Rich Polizzi Food Pantry ……………………….....……………..…………... Angelo Verrone Good and Welfare …………………………………………………... Sal Nocella Italian Heritage with Our Youth at P.V.H.S. .…..…………….. Angelo Verrone Membership ……………….………………...……………….……. Eileen Wood Newsletter …………………...………………………………... Steven Pelonero Scholarship / Brian Piccolo ………………..……………..……….. Rich Polizzi Website ……………………………………… Steven Pelonero / John Barbieri First VP Message Committees and Committee Members Naples gave birth to the pizza Pizza is one of the very few words that is understood all over the world The word of the electrical term “volt” comes from Alessandro Volta who invented the battery in 1779 I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoyed their family and friends. It's hard to believe another year is coming to an end, Christmas and New Years are great times of the year to get together and celebrate. It is also a time to help those less fortunate than us. With that said I would like to thank Roni Corrado and her committee for organizing the Christmas Cheer again this year. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year! Bruce Ponchak ~ 1st Vice President Passaic Valley UNICO Page 4 of 6 Our Montclair University Study Abroad Grant Recipient Every year our chapter gives an Italian Language Major Student a grant to study abroad in Italy Pictured here was this years student, from Montclair University Pictured from the left are Joseph Agrest PNP (our chapter Study Abroad Chairman). John Barbieri (Passaic Valley Chapter President). Emilia D’Albero (PV Study Abroad recipient). Maryann D’Albero (her proud mother). Angelene Agresta (fellow classmate/VP of MSU’s Amici Club). And Cav. Mary Ann Re, PhD (Director, Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America at MSU) About UNICO UNICO is the largest Italian American Service Organization in the United States Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, Opportunity UNICO was founded on October 10, 1922 in Waterbury, Connecticut. A group of 15 men, led by Dr. Anthony P. Vastola, came together to create what has become a very special and very proud organization. It was Dr. Vastola's dream to create an Italian American service organization to engage in charitable works, support higher education, and perform patriotic deeds. Our motto is “Service Above Self”. Each year, the UNICO Foundation and the UNICO National Chapters across the country donate approximately $1 million to various charities. Scholarships continue to be the primary focus of UNICO, as roughly one-third of all monies raised goes to deserving students from all of the chapter locations throughout the chain. UNICO National has funded major research in Cooley's Anemia and Mental Health. Through its association with the Jimmy Valvano Foundation it has funded over 10, $50,000 grants to help find a cure for Cancer. These worthy areas continue to receive generous support from the chapters and its members for these worthy causes. If you would like to attend one of our meetings to see if you might be interested in joining UNICO, please contact us through any member, or through our email. We would be honored to have you as a member of our Passaic Valley UNICO Chapter. Passaic Valley UNICO Page 5 of 6 Thank You to our Sponsors and Supporters Passaic Valley UNICO Page 6 of 6 Thank You to our Sponsors and Supporters Pinnocchio ~ Written by Carlo Collodi ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinocchio
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