THANK YOU TO OUR OUTGOING PRESIDENT
At our November 12, 2017 program, new AMHS officers and board members were elected, and therefore it was our last program with Maria D’Andrea-Yothers as president. So some of the people who worked closely with Maria over her years as president, wanted to say a few words before the program began.
AMHS 2nd Vice President Lynn Sorbara started by saying although she was an original member of the Society, and a board member years ago, she had to step back for a few years due to family issues involving her mother’s health. She told us that after her mother passed away, she felt lost, disconnected from her family, her roots, and her “Italianness.” She said after she came back to the Society, she once again found her second family—a family where she felt “welcomed, accepted and connected to wonderful people.” Lynn called Maria “a very special person and a very special president!
She is dedicated and has worked tirelessly to bring AMHS to the pinnacle and status that it now enjoys. She has done tremendous outreach to other organizations and has made AMHS part of the larger Italian community.” Then 1st Vice President Nancy DeSanti said Maria in her leadership over the past four years has shown us how it’s done. She said not only is Maria so efficient and responsive (like often answering e-mails within minutes), she is interested in and knowledgeable about everything that goes on. She added that Maria’s energy and ideas are appreciated by all, and so is her outgoing personality and friendliness. And Nancy said that Maria goes the extra mile.
For example, if she learns one of our members is sick, she promptly sends them a get-well card. If one of our members’ parents or loved ones passes away, she arranges to have a Mass said in their memory. Thoughtful gestures that mean so much!! AMHS Past President Omero Sabatini, one of the founders of the Society, called Maria’s Mom, Edvige, “the glue that holds everything together.” Omero complimented Maria on the excellent job she has done, adding that she epitomizes the progress our members have made by electing her president, because in the old days a woman in a position of leadership of any organization was almost unheard of.
Omero introduced a note of levity by telling the audience that although Maria’s email address starts with the letters uva (meaning grape in Italian), she is not a maker of either wine or grape juice, but he said this "shortcoming" is more than offset by the outstanding job she has done as president. And then Maria’s Dad, Lucio D’Andrea, also a past president and one of the Society’s founders, told the audience how very proud he was of his daughter and how much it has meant to him that she has carried on the work he began when he helped found the Society in 2000. He said it made him very happy to see that the Society not only survived, but thrived. Nancy told the audience that the previous Sunday, some of the people who worked closely with Maria had a surprise lunch for her at Osteria da Nino in Shirlington. And it really was a surprise, even though quite a few people knew about it.
And the reason everyone knew it was a surprise, is that Maria came wearing a sweatshirt and sneakers. And we all know Maria is usually dressed to the nines, right? And one of the things she said then was that the people she has come to know in our Society are like her second family. And you know, some of us got a little chocked up, because she’s right. Through the activities of the Society, through seeing each other at Holy Rosary most Sundays (for many of us, anyway), we have truly become close. Nancy noted that although Maria is stepping down as our president, she will still work with the program committee, she will still work on the Notiziario, and she will still attend board meetings as immediate past president.
And Maria has been invited to join the board of the National Christopher Columbus Association, filling the spot held by our dearly departed member Pino Cicala. In closing, Board Members Lourdes Tinajero and Albert Paolantonio presented Maria with beautiful flowers. Then, it was on to the wine tasting and lunch!!