A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

It is a most wondrous time of the year, as we prepare to ring in the New Year with family and friends. There is much that I am thankful for, including a very successful year for the Society (AMHS), in large part due to your support and your generosity, especially those who have volunteered their time: the officers and the members and friends who have stepped up to help at general AMHS events and activities. I also wish to thank those of you who have donated and/or contributed to our scholarship fundraising campaigns, through the raffles and/or through the 2015 fundraising campaign. On a very personal note, I am incredibly excited that, on February 11, 2016, I will marry Sam Yothers, a wonderful, kind, considerate, passionate, and fun man. Although not Italian by birth, he certainly has been warmly and generously accepted into my family and the AMHS family. And I will be honored to have two amazing step-daughters, Lauren and Mara.

I have every expectation that 2016 will be yet another successful year for AMHS, through our affiliation with The National Italian American Foundation; an ever-increasing membership; our scholarship fundraising campaigns; new and exciting programs; and the new AMHS website that has firmly put us on the map both here, in the DC area, and in the regions of Abruzzo and Molise. I look forward to working with the Executive Committee (EC) and Board of Directors to further the mission of AMHS, and to keep us on sound financial footing. I wish to thank Rosina Brienza Schacknies for serving on the Board this year, and for providing positive energy and input to the work of the EC. I also wish to thank Sarah Scott for her two years of service as the 2nd Vice President-Membership (and all the wonderful work she has done to promote and publicize Society events; thankfully Sarah will continue service to AMHS by serving on the Board); and to Jeff Clark, our Treasurer for the past two years, for doing a superb job in reporting on the financial health of the Society. Last but not least, I am very happy to report that Maria Fresco has agreed to serve one more year as AMHS Secretary. Thank you Maria!

To close, in the words of Albert Einstein, “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow”. I wish each of you the many blessings of this holiday season, and peace and prosperity in the New Year.

Cordiali saluti,

Maria