Dicembre 2022

PENSIERO

“THE THOUGHT”

10001 Stonell Drive

Louis, Missouri 63123

Apply for a Free Trip to Italy Through the Voyage of Discovery

The all-expenses paid trip designed for college students to Italy is endowed by Ambassador Peter F. Secchia

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is excited to announce applications are now open for the 2023 Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery program. For more than 20 years, the Voyage of Discovery has been providing Italian American college students who have never been to Italy a trip to discover their heritage every summer. The carefully curated two-week trip includes cultural tours and a day of community service throughout the National Italian American Foundation’s Region of Honor each year.

“Thanks to the generosity and commitment from Ambassador Peter F. Seccia endowment, the Voyage of Discovery will be launching two back-toback trips with space for 24 eligible students (a total of 48) next June,” said NIAF Director of Special Programs Gabriella Mileti. “Each trip will begin with four days in Rome, following a tour throughout NIAF’s 2023

Region of Honor.”

Voyage of Discovery is the cornerstone program at the National Italian American Foundation. For the first time, affiliate organizations will be able to send a qualifying student from their organization.

Application Requirements:

1. Must be between the ages of 18 and 23 at the time of travel (June 2023)

2. Must be a full-time student enrolled in a college or university for the semester preceding the trip (Spring 2023)

3. Must be of Italian descent and have never traveled to Italy

4. Must be a NIAF member

How to Apply:

- Apply online at niaf.org/programs/voyageof-discovery

- Only online applications will be accepted.

Applicants are also required to email a transcript, resumé, and two written recommendations on letterhead from a teacher, school official, or a political or community leader.

- Deadline to apply is Tuesday, January 31, 2023 (11:59 p.m. PT)

- Applicants will be notified via email Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 5 p.m. PT

- Accepted applicants must confirm via email by Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 5 p.m. PT

For questions, please email voyageofdiscovery@niaf.org.

The National Italian American Foundation is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving,

promoting, and protecting the Italian American heritage and culture. To learn more about the Foundation and become a member, please visit niaf.org.

SATE Announces Call For Artists for Seventh Annual Aphra Behn Festival

SATE is seeking submissions for Directors and Writers for the Seventh Annual Aphra Behn Festival, presented May 5-7, 2023, at the Centene Center for the Arts. The theme for the 2023 Festival is “Re-Told” and will utilize plays from the Expand the Canon list of classical plays by women & underrepresented genders.

When established in 2017, a goal of the Aphra Behn Festival was to give women interested in directing and writing for theatre an opportunity to get more experience, try out ideas, experiment, and hone their craft. SATE now looks to make the Festival a more inclusive space for transgender and non-binary artists, as well.

The Aphra Behn Festival is named for the fascinating poet, translator, and spy, Aphra Behn, who is widely considered to be the first English woman to make her living as a playwright. SATE produced a play about her, “Or,” by Liz Duffy Adams, in February 2015 and collaborated with Prison Performing Arts to adapt Behn’s play, “The Rover”, for the artists at the Women’s

Member of FUSIE (Federazione Italiana Stampa Unitaria all’Estero)

NOW- Dec. 5

Adome Amore 5th Annual Cuddles

Visit adamo-amore.com for more information. Dec. 1-4

Homestyle Italian - Cooking Class by Cozymeal™

Red Roof Inn; 307 Dunn Rd., Florissant, MO. Tickets on eventbrite.com. Dec. 2

Santa on the Amtrak 301 W. Front Street, Washington, MO, 4 p.m.

Maplewood Christmas Tree Walk Mid County Chamber of Commerce, 6-9 p.m. Christmas at The Ridge

The Ridge Church of Sullivan, 131 Highway WW, Sullivan, MO 63080, 7 p.m. Dec. 3 & 4

Pet-acular Holiday Bazaar

Purina Farms, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Reservations required at purinafarms.com. Dec. 3

A Christmas Party

Christ Memorial Luthern Church; 5252 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63126, 9-11 a.m.

Deck the Streets Streets of St. Charles, 10 a.m.

Christmas in Defiance

Good News Brewing Company, 2886 S. MO 94, Defiance, MO 63341, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

4th Annual Vino & Vendor Holiday Artisan Bazaar

Villa Antonio Winery, 3660 Linhorst Rd., Hillsboro, MO 63050, 11 a.m.

Chili Cook-Off and Pictures with Santa Doc’s Harley-Davidson, 930 S. Kirkwood, MO 63122, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

CWE Window Walk

Central West End Scene; 449 N. Euclid Ave., #130, St. Louis, MO 63108, 1-5 p.m.;

Truesdale’s Community Christmas

The Marylou Community Center; 821 Market St. Truesdale, MO 63380, 3 p.m. Dec. 4

Breakfast with Santa St. Ambrose Catholic School, 7:30 a.m.- noon. Dec. 8-11

Homestyle Italian - Cooking Class by Cozymeal™

Red Roof Inn; 307 Dunn Rd., Florissant, MO. Tickets on eventbrite.com. Dec. 10

The Hill Holiday Event

The Hill Neighborhood Center; 1935 Marconi Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

CWE Window Walk

Central West End Scene; 449 N. Euclid Ave., #130, St. Louis, MO 63108, 1-5 p.m.

Benedetta Orsi & Friends - 4th Annual Christmas Concert

Basilica of St. Louis, King of France; 209 Walnut Street, St. Louis, MO, 7:30 - 9 p.m. Tickets on eventbrite.com . Dec. 15-18

Homestyle Italian - Cooking Class by Cozymeal™

Red Roof Inn; 307 Dunn Rd., Florissant, MO. Tickets on eventbrite.com. Dec. 17

Pet Pictures with Santa Ciao Chow on The Hill; 1923 Marconi Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110, 11 a.m.

CWE Window Walk

Central West End Scene; 449 N. Euclid Ave., #130, St. Louis, MO 63108, 1-5 p.m.

Please check events as they may have been canceled or postponed after publication

2023 Article/Ad Deadlines

January: December 16

February: January 13

March: February 17

April: March 17

May: April 14

June: May 19

July: June 16

August: July 14

September: August 18

October: September 15

November: October 13

December: November 17

publishers

Antonino Lombardo & Carina Marino

MANAGING EDITOR Anthony Gandolfo

ENGLISH EDITOR Marianne Peri-Sack

editorial art STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Gus Torregrossa office

BUSINESS MANAGER Linda Marino

COPY EDITOR Amanda Coyne

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Courtney Kamm

DISTRIBUTION James Marino Alexandra Marino MAIN OFFICE 314-722-6728 italia

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Collaborators/Collaboratori

Cav. Valerio Bianco

Mauro Salamone

Cav. Michael Lombardo

Oreste Magni

Comm. Domenico Mancini

Cav. Eugene Mariani, Ph.D. Prof. A. Perrone

Dott. Nicolo’ Sangiorgio Dr. Orazio Tanelli

Antonino Tito

Gus Torregrossa Cristina Giancola Youngberg

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IMPORTANTE

Degli articoli firmati che appaiono sul giomale sono responsabili i singoli autori, i quali non rappresentano necessariamente il punto di vista generale, ne’ esprimono la politica de “Il Pensiero.” Operando conforme alle nostre vedute democratiche, si accetta la collaborazione di persone esprimenti il piu’ largo arco di opinioni, senza pregiudiziale di sorta.

The signed articles appearing in Il Pensiero “The Thought” are the opinions of the individual authors, who do not represent the general point of view, nor do they express the views of Il Pensiero. We accept the collaboration of people expressing the most wide range of opinions. Opinions expressed in Il Pensiero “The Thought” are not necessarily those of Il Pensiero and Il Pensiero does not accept responsibility for advertising content. Any images supplied are at the owner’s risk.

15th Annual Aldo Della Croce Bocce Tournament Italia-America Bocce Club November 2022 St. Louis, MO

Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center in Vandalia to perform. “The Rover” was also the text shared by the directors in the 2020 Festival. SATE feels very much a part of Aphra’s legacy.

For artists interested in applying to be a director, email stl.sate@gmail.com by January 3, 2023 with an experience you had that inspired your interest in directing for theatre. SATE’s co-producers, Rachel Tibbetts and Ellie Schwetye, will contact applicants for a further interview.

For artists interested in submitting a play, email it to stl.sate@gmail.com by January 3, 2023. The play must contain the following ingredients:

- Theme: Re-Told

- 3 characters max

- Must be no longer than 20 minutes

- The play must be a re-telling, adaptation, or response to one of the scripts on Hedgepig Ensemble’s Expand the Canon list (expandthecanon.com). Expand the Canon is a curated list of classic plays by women & underrepresented genders. A number of the scripts are available through SATE’s website, satestl.org, although writers are encouraged to be inspired by any of the plays/writers on the list.

SATE will be hiring three directors and three writers for the 2023 Aphra Behn Festival. Artists of all ethnicities, races, ages, abilities, and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Submissions from applicant directors and writers will be reviewed by members of SATE’s Artistic Advisory Ensemble.

Information about SATE’s entire 2023 season will be announced in the weeks ahead.

The Sicilian Ersu turns 20 “Always by the Side of the Students”

courtesy of Italy 24 Press News

A day dedicated to attention to students, the one that took place today

in Palazzo dei Normanni, in Palermo, headquarters of the Ars, as part of the celebrations of the twentieth anniversary of the regional law establishing the Sicilian Ersu – regional bodies for the right to university study. At the center of the comparison are the results obtained and the goals to be achieved in order to improve the services offered to children with economic difficulties, but deserving of support for the academic profit achieved. “I want to establish a collaboration between the new government and the institutions entitled to study – said Augusta Montaruli, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of University and Research -. I want to tell students that they are the backbone of the scientific academic world. Their first home is the Ministry of University and Research, where they can always find frank and serious interlocutors. These 20 years shouldn’t be a time for celebration, but for projection. We need to value students and their excellence. We can’t fail.” . A virtuous path that of the Sicilian Ersu who, albeit not with little difficulty, have managed to reach important numbers in terms of scholarships, accommodation and services offered: “The data of this region project us on the right path and for this I want to congratulate with the Sicilian ERSU – underlined Montaruli -. Too often we talk about brain drain. Every brain that flees – perhaps with a scholarship abroad – is a failure for those who have not provided it here. We are trying with the funds to increase the number and extent of scholarships and housing, but we can no longer think only from the point of view of the Pnrr, but also think about the postPnrr. We are here to try to overcome the critical issues. The horizon is not the Pnrr , but the next 20 years. We must ensure that this investment is not wasted. We must be able to give every boy the freedom to put the skills he has acquired at the service of his nation. I renew the commitment of the MUR to ensure that all or that happens. There must be a long thread that supports our kids from school to the world of work”. Dialogue, discussion and ideas for improvement and growth, this will require a

Continued on page 6

by Carina Marino

BIRTHDAYS

Josephine Lombardo

Linda

Marino

Josephine Gandolfo-Sabaski

Walker Coyne James Marino

Francesca Ferrara

Rosanna Leone Gianna Marino

Submit content to info@ilpensiero.net or via our website before December 16, 2022 to be featured in the January issue. We look forward to receiving your announcements!

Thank you

DECESSI

Submit an obituary to info@ilpensiero.net by December 16, 2022 for the January issue.

A Special Note:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Carina Marino

and the Il Pensiero staff

Continued from page 5

regional control room that is ready to be set up: “I am convinced that, with a relationship of loyal collaboration, we can fill some gaps with which Sicily collides – said the regional councilor for Education and Professional Training, Mimmo Turano -. We are working on everything we can to fortify the Sicilian Ersu. Today I will sign a decree that will set up a control room among the regional ERSUs to coordinate everything and build a mechanism in which to find a balance point to implement an overall strategy”. During the event, great appreciation for Professor Giuseppe’s report Laneve, professor of constitutional law at the University of Macerata, entitled “The Right to University Study between constitutional discipline and interventions by the legislator” and for the ideas provided by the president of the Conference of Sicilian University Rectors (CRUS), Giovanni Puglisi. ” Today more than ever it is very important to talk about the right to study – said Alessio Pontillo, president of the National Association of Organizations for the Right to University Study (ANDISU) -. The recent evolutions of the European framework by virtue of the war and the increase in utilities and the economic crisis threaten social cohesion. The protection of the right to study is essential to ensure our social and economic development in the medium and long term. The government has made a large investment with the Pnrr for scholarships, however it risks being insufficient to achieve the result that the institutions for the right to study have obtained, i.e. being able to give the scholarship to all eligible students. In some Italian regions the resources may not be sufficient for this result. The hope is that there will be a further investment for institutions entitled to study.” Great attention and closeness also from local institutions, with the presence of the president of the Sicilian Regional Assembly Gaetano Galvagno and the mayor of Palermo, as well as former rector of the University of Palermo and former regional councilor for education, Roberto Lagalla. “The goal must be to make students find the same services that are outside, we need to encourage

the right to study – underlined the mayor of Palermo – . From this point of view, the municipal administration is ready to seize cues and ideas to be able to further develop this sector which must be encouraged and brought to the highest levels.” All the representatives of the Sicilian ERSU: “The goal is to see the future in the medium and long term – explained the president of ERSU Palermo, Giuseppe Di Miceli -. I consider the dialogue between the institutions and all the regional ERSU fundamental, I am happy and satisfied with the establishment of a regional control room. In my opinion, more than resources, the problem is the comparison, organization and optimization of resources: these are the tools that allow you to overcome difficulties and optimize the system”.

NIAF to Honor Chef Joey Maggiore and the Maggiore Family at the Arizona Regional Gala

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is set to honor Chef Joey Maggiore and the Maggiore Family at the Foundation’s Arizona Regional Gala in Phoenix on Saturday, January 28, 2023, at the iconic Arizona Biltmore Hotel, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

“NIAF is proud to return to Phoenix and honor Chef Joey Maggiore and the Maggiore family for their incredible accomplishments in the restaurant industry,” said NIAF Chairman Robert Carlucci.

Joey Maggiore is the executive chef, concept king, and entrepreneur behind The Maggiore Group; an Italian American family-owned company. Together with his wife, Cristina, the husband-and-wife team works together to create and manage dynamic eating destinations in Phoenix. The successful concepts include Hash Kitchen, The Sicilian Butcher, The Sicilian Baker and The Mexicano. He learned and developed his talent from his father, culinary legend, Tomaso Maggiore. Sicilian-born Continued on page 8

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chef and restaurateur Tomaso Maggiore passed away in 2021 after battling cancer.

Melissa Maggiore Meyer, Joey’s sister, will also be honored by NIAF for her outstanding leadership as a restauranteur. In 2021, Melissa opened The Italian Daughter in Scottsdale to pay homage to her late father and continue the legacy he left behind.

At the Gala, NIAF will pay tribute to Joey, Melissa, and Tomaso for their achievements.

The evening will also see the Al Carfora Italian Heritage Award bestowed upon the organization known as the Founders represented by Nick Rago, Hank Santostefano, Ron Costello, Nick Pelusio, Ron Genovese, Tony Bonacci, Austin Potenza, Ermo Bartoletti, Jack Duva, and Art Consoli.

The entertainment for the evening will be the Michael Tramontana Band and DJ IceMan.

Gala tickets and sponsorship levels

can be purchased online. For more details, please visit niaf.org/events/arizona-gala/.

The 2023 Arizona Regional Gala would like to thank its incredible sponsors to date The Maggiore Group, Republic National Distributing Company, and Caffé D’arte!

The Gala will mark the Foundation’s second annual fundraising event in Arizona following last year’s dinner honoring sports legend Jerry Colangelo.

The National Italian American Foundation is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and protecting the Italian American heritage and culture. To learn more about the Foundation and become a member, please visit niaf.org.

Meet the Team

Hi there! I’m Colleen Dundon, an event photographer for Il Pensiero. I am currently a freshman at Saint Louis University studying International Business and Theatre with a minor in Mandarin Chinese. I am involved in theatre at SLU

(management off-stage and performing on-stage), as well as the University’s Irish dancing team, the Honors Program, the Honors Learning Community, Business Scholars, Rainbow Alliance, and Billiken Buddies (the tour guides for the university).

Outside of school, I am a competitive figure skater and, you guessed it, a photographer. I am also involved in volunteering with TEDxStLouis, and I work as a social media intern for a lifestyle company based in New York called Effie’s Paper. I love hanging out with my family, my cat, collecting vinyl and cassettes, and Continued on page 9

Continued from page 8 consuming far too much pop culture. I’ve been taking pictures for as long as I can remember. A dingy 35mm (a Pentax P3) from the 80s was my first camera, and I ruined many disposable ones. As I took more pictures, I grew to love portraits. The act of capturing a person’s emotion and personality in a shot is one of the greatest things a person can do. Doing this in the context of the tight-knit community that is The Hill has been overwhelmingly rewarding. This opportunity came to me while I was a sophomore at Cor Jesu. I got to meet with Carina Marino, an alumni of Cor Jesu, and I knew that it was going to be an amazing opportunity. I have loved every member of the community that I have met, and I can’t wait to meet more of you!

If you would like to know more about me, you can visit my instagram page @colleen.elise or my photography account @colleendundonphotography.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water and sugar. When sugar has fully dissolved, add honey, lemon juice and cinnamon. Reduce sauce by about onethird over medium-low heat, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. In a small zip lock bag, crush 2 cookies per desired serving amount. Place 2-3 scoops of ice cream in serving bowls. Sprinkle crushed cookies over the ice cream. Generously drizzle sauce over cookies and ice cream. Garnish with additional cookies and serve.

Running in the Fast Lane

submitted by Silvio Laccetti

In the sport of cross-country running (XC), very few Italian Americans have made a mark. Indeed, looking down the list of this year’s NCAA XC Men’s Championship race, held in late November at Oklahoma University, very few Italian-American names appear. (This finding is based on identifiable surnames or other, personal sources.) The championship race was comprised of the top 250 collegiate runners from a pool of nearly 15,000 competitors.

Among the few Italian Americans who do appear in the list is Marco Langon, from Villanova University and the heavily Italian American town of Raritan, New Jersey. Barely 18 years of age, Marco is the second fastest first year (true) freshman XC athlete in the entire USA!

His rise as a star has been meteoric since his senior year in BridgewaterRaritan High. Oddly, at the start Marco was

not ranked in the top three performers in his state. But, as he says, “That gave me the energy to prove the pollsters wrong. Being the underdog was and is a big motivational edge for me.” As a senior, he was the undefeated New Jersey champion and the Gator Aide top runner in New Jersey. Marco crushed the hugely difficult state course, running the third fastest time ever at that venue. As he predicted, he “dropped a bomb” at the event.

Making the transition from high school to college is not easy for most teens, let alone those wishing to compete at elite levels of sport. Undaunted, Marco’s attitude was...“...there is always room for improvement.” And improve he did. At this season’s end, he finished thirteenth at the Big East Conference Championships. In the NCAA Mid-Atlantic qualifiers, he rose to fourth. At the national championships, despite some bad racing luck, Marco finished in the top half of the field, meaning that he was now in the top 1% of all collegiate XC competitors. Only one other

true freshman - not of Italian heritageoutpaced Marco in this event.

Whatever the odds, Marco runs to win. So his next big challenge will be at the USA Track and Field Under 20 (years old) competition in Richmond, Virginia in January 2023. If all goes well, running against an appropriate age group, this determined Sicilian American has a great shot at a podium finish. If so, then its on to Australia in February for the under-20 World Championships.

Forza Marco! You are running in the fast lane.

Marco is #396, celebrating with teammates after a big meet this fall.

GENERALE D’ITALIA

THOMAS BOTZIOS–CONSOLE GENERALE

500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1850 Chicago, IL 60611 phone: 312-467-1550 fax: 312-467-1335

italcons.chicago@esteri.it con.chicago@cert.esteri.it Hours: (open to public) Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Onorario D’Italia/Honorary Vice Consul Joseph Colagiovanni

Office: 314-275-0351 Mobile: 314-705-2413 saintlouis.onorario@esteri.it italianconsulstl@gmail.com

VISTI/VISAS visti.chicago@esteri.it 312-995-5487

PASSAPORTI/DOCUMENTI VIAGGIO/ NAVIGAZIONE/ PASSPORTS/ TRAVEL DOCUMENTS passaporti.chicago@esteri.it 312-995-5485

AIRE/ anagrafe.chicago@esteri.it 312-995-5485

ELETTORALE/ ELECTORAL elettorale.chicago@esteri.it 312-995-5485

STATO CIVILE E CITTADINANZA/ VITAL RECORDS AND CITIZENSHIP cittadinanza.chicago@esteri.it 312-995-5484

UFFICIO STUDENTI/CODICI FISCALI/ EQUIPOLLENZA TITOLI DI STUDIO/ COMMERCIALE/ STUDENT OFFICE/ FISCAL I.D./EQUIVALENCY OF DEGREES AND PROFESSIONAL TITLES/ COMMERCIAL commerciale.chicago@esteri.it 312-995-5486

NOTARILE/NOTARY legale.chicago@esteri.it 312-995-5483

UFFICIO SCUOLA/ EDUCATION OFFICE scuola.chicago@esteri.it 312-995-5489

Italian Trade Agency 401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1720 Chicago, Illinois 60611 chicago@ice.it 312-670-4360 website:ice.it/it

Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo/ Italian Government Tourist Office 500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2240, Chicago, IL 60611 312-644-0990

COMITES

Presidente Luigi Sciortino comiteschicago.com Facebook: Comiteschicago Illinois 3502 N. Harlem Ave. Chicago, IL 60634 +1 773-414-0636

Emergency Number Italian Citizens ONLY: (accidents, arrests, serious medical problems, etc.) +1 312-909-0304

Emergencies between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. CT, contact the MAECI at 011 39 06 36912666

Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Chicago

Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago 500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1450 Chicago, IL 60611 phone: 312-822-9545 fax: 312-822-9622 email:iicchicago@esteri.it website:iicchicago.esteri.it Dott. Luca Di Vito, Director

Celebrate Santa Lucia

by Courtney Kamm

Saint Lucy’s Day, also called the Feast of Saint Lucy or Festa di Santa Lucia, is a Christian feast day observed on December 13. Marking the beginning of the Christmas season in Scandinavia, Saint Lucia’s Day is a festival of lights and is meant to bring hope and light during the darkest time of the year.

In Scandinavian countries, Saint Lucia’s Day is celebrated in churches, businesses, hospitals and schools. The holiday is also observed in people’s homes. One of the daughters, usually the eldest, dresses as Lucia and serves coffee and buns known as lussekatter, or Lucia cats.

Does your family celebrate Santa Lucia? We would love to hear about your traditions! Send them to courtney@ilpensiero.net.

Winter Begins This Month

by Courtney Kamm

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 21, also known as the first day of winter or the shortest day of the year. While the winter season brings so much goodness with holidays and family times, it also brings shorter days and less sunlight.

If you are feeling a little slower or down during the winter months, here are a few things you can do to get the most out of the winter months:

1. Light Therapy - exposure to artificial light can help keep one’s circadian rhythm on track. Spend 20-30 minutes per day in front of the light (maybe while drinking coffee and reading the newspaper) because it is recommended to get exposure within the first hour of waking up.

2. Prioritize getting outside - exposing your body to fresh air and what little sunlight does peek through is so important. Call a family member or a friend and get a weekly walk around the block on the calendar.

3. Add aromatherapy to your home - using essential oils could be a simple and safe way to improve mental well-being — particularly when paired with another soothing activity, like taking a bath or enjoying company by candlelight. Did someone say, self care?

Plan for New Year’s Eve/Day

by Courtney Kamm

Whether you are looking for something intimate or a big party, something family-friendly or something just for the adults, the St. Louis area has whatever you are looking for to help ring in the new year. Here are five different options for you to celebrate:

1. NYE Live! At Ballpark Village: Calling all sports fans, this one’s for you! The massive complex of Ballpark Village will have separate outdoor events happening at two local bars, Fox Sports Midwest and Sports & Social. The event starts at 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and includes access to six venues, live music, DJs and more.

2. Rock-n-Roll New Year’s Eve at Lemp Mansion: Looking for something a little more intimate? Grab a group of close friends, or just your significant other, and check out NYE at Lemp Mansion. On the agenda is an entire dinner theater show starting at 7 p.m., a comedy-mystery dinner called “A Dickens of a Killing,” champagne, party favors and more to celebrate the end of the year.

3. Skating Party at Steinberg Rink: Grab the whole family for New Year’s Eve ice skating at Steinberg Rink. No reservations are required, but everything at the rink — food & beverages, tickets and rentals — is cash only so don’t forget to stop by the ATM.

4. St. Louis Symphony Concert: If you are looking for a NYE surprise, check out the St. Louis Symphony NYE show. What are they playing? It’s a secret! The program for the evening is always a mystery, but former conductor Ward Stare promises a memorable evening at Powell Hall. Tickets start at $45.

5. New Year’s Eve Party at Pere Marquette Lodge: Do the holidays leave you wanting a getaway? The New Year’s Eve celebration at Pere Marquette Lodge in Grafton includes appetizers, an open bar and a buffet dinner for two people (cocktail attire recommended). There will also be a live band, dancing and a champagne toast at midnight. Then, retreat to one of the lodge’s cozy rooms for the night and enjoy breakfast on New Year’s Day.

Learn a Little More About Human Rights Day This Year

by Courtney Kamm

Human Rights Day is internationally observed every year on December 10. This day celebrates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.

The Declaration consists of a preamble and 30 articles that set out a broad range of fundamental human rights and freedoms to which everywhere around the world is entitled. It guarantees our rights without distinction of nationality, place of residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, language or any other status.

Here are how cities around the world are celebrating Human Rights Day: In Ukraine, “Equality murals” will be created in different cities across the country. Geneva hosts a virtual Q&A answering questions on equality and human rights. In Costa Rica, the voices of indigenous women will be strengthened through music, breaking down the barriers of inequality.

You can visit standup4humanrights.org to learn more.

Giving Guide

by Courtney Kamm

The holidays are all about spending time with family and giving back to those in need. Here are the ways to give back this holiday season:

1. St. Louis Area Food Bank: The holiday season is their Season of Giving, which promotes opportunities to “give someone the gift of hope and nourishment by donating food, funds, your time or your voice.” To learn more visit, stlfoodbank.org.

2. International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL): When you purchase a holiday card from the International Institute of St. Louis, sales benefit IISTL and its efforts to welcome and resettle refugees from around the world into the metro area. To order IISTL holiday cards, go to iistl.org/holiday-cards.

3. 100 Neediest Cases: Adopting a family or individual through 100 Neediest Cases is an easy and meaningful way to help address specific needs and make the holiday season brighter for people in the Greater St. Louis region. Head to 100neediestcases.org.