A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear members and friends:

We are at the start of another new year. For me, it is the beginning of my second year as AMHS President. I would like to take a minute to thank our Immediate Past President Maria D’Andrea-Yothers and the entire AMHS Executive Committee for helping me navigate my first year.

I would not have survived without them. January is the right time for both a look back and a brief glance ahead. In 2018, Nancy DeSanti, 1st Vice President-Programs, did her usual excellent work of putting together outstanding programs for our bi-monthly general meetings. In January, author Sara Gay Forden gave us some inside details of life in the House of Gucci.

At that meeting, we also had the opportunity to meet one of our 2017- 2018 Scholarship winners— Gianluca Nigro, who was in attendance to thank the Society for his scholarship. At our second meeting, in April, nutritionist and writer Diane Welland explained the ins and outs of why pasta is good for us. Then, in June, Professor Thomas Guglielmo discussed Italian immigration to America — interesting history that is still relevant today. In July, Washington Post reporter and AMHS member Mike DeBonis gave us the inside scoop of what journalists do and a pictorial summary of his travel to Abruzzo.

Ben Abeles, another of our two 2017-2018 Scholarship winners, also was present at our July meeting and gave a short talk on his college studies, his current work, and his plans for the future. Immediate Past President Maria D’Andrea-Yothers was the featured speaker at our September meeting, when she told us about the transumanza in Abruzzo and Molise — the seasonal movement of sheep and cows between the lowlands and the highlands.

September also showcased two outstanding musical artists from Abruzzo — the pianist Alberto Ortolano and the soprano Tania Buccini, who performed a series of beautiful classical pieces in a unique, cultural event. Our annual wine-tasting event took place in November, and the Washington Winemakers and importer Tom Savage made sure that it was both educational and pleasurable. In December, some of our members took an active part in Casa Italiana’s Bella Italia Market — an important fundraising event that featured quality Italian products, gifts and services. Aside from our general meetings, we also hosted a celebration of Italy’s National Day in June and gathered together for the late-summer Italian holiday of Ferragosto. Still looking back on last year, the Society, in conjunction with the National Italian American Foundation, awarded scholarships to two outstanding students for the 2018-2019 academic year.

The awardees are Francesca Minicozzi of Loyola University of Maryland and Kathyrn Donati of the College of William and Mary. They are most deserving recipients and we will have the pleasure of meeting them both at our September general meeting. The AMHS again renewed our affiliation with NIAF for 2019. Your Executive Committee continues to believe that the partnership is beneficial to our organization. Recall that it provides all of us with automatic membership in NIAF, one of the benefits of which is online access to NIAF’s Ambassador Magazine.

Just log on to your MY NIAF dashboard from the NIAF website, using your email address and password. You can create an account if you do not already have one, which will allow you to view both current and past issues of the Ambassador Magazine. At the end of last year, AMHS members Sarah Scott, Jonathan Stern and Lourdes Tinajero completed their terms on the Executive Committee. The committee and I are grateful for their service and many contributions and look forward to working with them in the future. Taking their place on the Committee will be Andrea Balzano, Alfred Del Grosso and Helina (Ellie) Zewdu Nega, who will be installed at our January General Meeting.

Finally, the application period for our 2019-2020 scholarship program opened last year on December 1st. Candidates will have until March 1st of this year to submit an application. If you have a child, grandchild, relative, or friend who might be interested, please make them aware of this opportunity. There is pertinent information on both the NIAF and AMHS websites, including how to apply and eligibility criteria:

www.niaf.org and www.abruzzomoliseheritagesociety.org/scholarships.

Let’s pause to remember Angelo Puglisi, who passed last year (October), as well as any other members and friends we may have lost during the course of the year. Our thoughts are also with those members who are dealing with health issues. As 2019 begins, I call to your attention the publication of our 2018 Scholarship Fundraising Report, which you should have received late last year. It provides important information on our scholarship program and on how to contribute.

It also provides acknowledgement of the generosity of those who have supported the program in the past. Our scholarship donation campaign is still underway and I encourage you to consider making a donation. There is no better way to promote our Italian language and culture and to ensure that it remains vibrant in future generations. See the article in this edition. Looking ahead, we can expect additional interesting programs for our general meetings. Later in January, on the 27th, Professor Anna Harwell Celenza of Georgetown University will discuss her recent book “Jazz Italian Style:

From its origins in New Orleans to Fascist Italy and Sinatra”. Professor Celenza is a well-known musicologist and author, and her talk should be of great interest to Italians, Italian-Americans, history buffs, and music lovers — a group that is bound to include all of us. In March (the 24th), Kirsten Keppel will be the featured speaker at our general meeting. Kirsten is an AMHS member and successful videographer. She will talk to us about St. Joseph’s table, an ancient tradition and meal of Sicilians and Sicilian Americans that takes place in gratitude for assistance given in times of crisis. Kirsten’s film on the topic was a finalist in the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum.

The topic, appropriate for the month of March, will no doubt appeal to everyone interested in Italian culture. If these topics are any indication of what lies ahead, we should be in for an exciting year of programs. I hope that you will be a part of them, as your participation strengthens the AMHS and our community at large. While I am getting to know more of you, I could be doing better. Please consider introducing yourself to me at one of our events — that is probably the best way for us to meet. Finally, I would like to extend to all of our members my wishes for a happy and healthy 2019.

Best regards,

Ray LaVerghetta