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SONS OF ITALY NEWS
MAY / JUNE 2015
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS New England’s Largest Italian-American Newspaper Email: newspaper@osiama.org • Website: www.osiama.org
VOL. XC - NO. 3
MAY/JUNE 2015
(ISSN 0038-1446)
Massachusetts Education and Law Awards by Adriana Guida On Sunday, May 3, 2015, nearly 300 guests packed the ballroom of the Wyndham Boston Andover to celebrate the second annual Massachusetts Education and Law Awards breakfast. The Commission for Social Justice honored three longtime public servants for their outstanding dedication and service to their communities. The Justice Award was given to The Honorable Robert B. Calagione, First Justice of the Milford District Court since 2004, and Associate Justice of the Westborough District Court since 2001. The Law Enforcement Award was awarded to Woburn Police Chief Robert J. Ferullo Jr., a 35-year veteran of the Woburn Police Department, and Chief since 2011. The Public Service Award was granted to The Honorable Joseph A. Curtatone, Mayor of Somerville since 2003. Commission for Social Justice Chairman Albert A. DeNapoli, Esq., spoke on the continuing work of the Commission on a state and national level, as there are still many instances of discrimination that affect the Italian-American community. He noted that the presence of the three distinguished recipients of this year’s awards is proof of the positive impact Italian Americans have on our communities. The Scholarship Commission of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts awarded a total of 31 scholarships to high school
seniors pursuing degrees in majors such as engineering, education, journalism, business, and science. The students come from the tops of their classes and are involved in numerous national honor societies, extracurricular activities, and volunteer organizations. Scholarship Commission Chairman Donna Giuliani touched on the numerous and varied accomplishments of the scholarship recipients, and noted that they are well poised to become leaders in their chosen fields and communities as they progress through the next level of their education. Liaison to the Scholarship Commission and State Trustee Mary Ann Bello praised each recipient as they were presented with their awards, noting their individual successes and their college institutions of choice. Charitable and Educational Trust Chairman Angelo Rossi was on hand to present the awards, 20 of which are given through the Trust directly. Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, who served as Toastmaster for the event, spoke about the positive effects of her upbringing in an Italian-American home, and the values that were instilled in her that inspired her to commit to a life of public service. In her remarks, State President Carmelita Bello acknowledged that the two Commissions that are part of the event have long, rich histories of recognizing the talents and accomplish-
Front: Commission for Social Justice member and State Recording Secretary Marie Jackson, Justice Award honoree – The Honorable Robert B. Calagione, Law Enforcement Award honoree – Chief Robert J. Ferullo Jr., Public Service Award honoree – The Honorable Joseph A. Curtatone, and State President Carmelita Bello. Back: State Trustee Marisa Ranalli, State Immediate Past President James DiStefano, State Trustee Mary Ann Bello, State Second Vice President Ronald Hill, State First Vice President Antonio Sestito, State Trustee Marissa Sestito, State Financial Secretary Margaret Olivieri, and Consul General of Italy in Boston Nicola DeSantis. ments of Italian-Americans, and of giving back to the community. She noted that over its 101 year history, the Grand Lodge has raised and given over $7 million to various charitable endeavors, including 60 years’ worth of scholarships. Additionally, she mentioned the invaluable work of the Commission for
Social Justice over the past 32 years, and their commitment to portraying the “true, positive image of Italian-Americans today” as part of the larger mission of honoring and promoting Italian culture and traditions. All of the Law and Justice Award recipients took the opportunity to offer words of
wisdom and congratulations to the scholarship recipients. They talked about the importance of working hard to achieve their goals, and the role that their Italian-American families and culture played in their successes. (Continued on Page 3)
2015 Scholarship Recipients with State President Carmelita Bello (left), Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito (center), Charitable and Educational Trust Chairman Angelo Rossi (right), and Scholarship Commission Chairman Donna Giuliani (right).