Wow, what a weekend!
It is an honor to be President of the FEDERATION of ITALIAN-AMERICAN SOCIETIES of WESTERN NEW YORK during this 100th Anniversary year. I must thank my predecessors for all they did to maintain the continuity of an organization that has meant so much, to so many people, for so many years.
The history of the Federation generally parallels the presence of the Italians in Buffalo. Those immigrants, came to Buffalo for economic or family reasons, without funds or English Language skills, but with a dream to improve their family’s lot in a country they believed to be “La Terra Promessa”, the Promised Land. What they found was tenement life, the stink of a canal and the prejudice of people who considered them inferior. But they endured. And thank God for that!
They overcame prejudice through hard work, sacrifice and an unbending commitment to raising their children to be educated “American”. These children of immigrants would become the leaders of future generations in all fields of endeavor: in the arts, literature and music; in religion and sports; in medicine and the sciences; in law and government; in business and teaching; in broadcasting and journalism and most certainly, in construction and in the food industry.
The Federation first met in this tenement neighborhood, initially known as “ The Hooks”, and later as Dante Place, and progressed through the years to the more luxurious meeting sites of downtown hotels and suburban restaurants.
Over the years, the Federation celebrated the successes of its people: mayors; executives; congressmen, senators and a governor; boxers and bankers; doctors and lawyers; judges and police; business leaders; builders and laborers; and even a monsignor, and remembering always that they were children of immigrants.
Then, how does an organization properly celebrate one hundred years of so rich a history?
This was the question facing the Federation as its centennial approached. Although always enjoyable, we needed more than our traditional Columbus Dinner. We needed to mark the moment with a fitting tribute to all who had preceded us.
A documentary film was chosen as the way to best mark the celebration!
But we had no filmmakers as members. When we searched for one, we came upon a playwright who told us of the idea he had carried in his head, for some forty years, of villagers in Italy forced to leave for lack of jobs, traveling in steerage on the “boat”, landing in New York, and coming to Buffalo, but that instead of a movie, he wanted to do it as a musical. And so ITALIAN SERENADE, with story, music and lyrics by Buffalo’s Neal Radice, of the Alleyway Theater, was born.
But what about the Film?
We still needed a screenwriter/ director to write the script and a filmmaker/editor to put it together. We didn’t have far to go, for in our midst was our own “renaissance man”, Joey Giambra, who in one form or another, had been working on the script for most of his adult life, and was anxious to write it. We soon found another Buffalo Boy, Marc Odien, who had recently received wide acclaim for a documentary film depicting how unscrupulous landlords had exploited the poor, and so our documentary film was soon underway. Together with Peter LoJacono and Jerry Caci, who filmed countless interviews, Joe DiLeo and Kenny Giangreco, who greatly assisted in the filming, Mike Giallombardo, who organized the reenactments, and internationally renowned jazz musician, Don Menza, who wrote the musical score; LA TERRA PROMESSA was made.
But we still needed more!
What about a Keepsake Book to gather histories of some of the many families that have been a part of the Western New York Italian community? And what about getting some of the many local Italian-American journalists to write of their memories of growing up Italian, to be part of this book? And what about making a DVD, and Musical soundtrack as a lasting memento of our celebration? Fortunately, we had Federation members Tony Maggiotto, to organize the book and Don Angelo to produce the appendages.
Now we had something!
We had a documentary film, and thought that if we premiered it at Shea’s Buffalo together with a cocktail reception and music by Don Menza, it would be an evening long remembered. And weren’t we right about that? We had an original musical production to premiere at Rockwell Hall, and believed that if we coupled it with an “After Glow” cast party, we could have a second night of unprecedented entertainment. And that it was.
And we felt further that if we held a gala dinner the next night, when we recognized our past honorees and presented our Keepsake Book, DVD and CD, then WOW, what a weekend!
But how do we pay for it?
It would certainly take a large amount of money to cover all the production time, equipment, rentals and arrangements. And how do we advertise and promote it so that as many people as possible would come and enjoy the events?
We need to raise some serious money.
Once again, we were fortunate to have dear friends who shared our passion for memorializing our history, culture, traditions and ancestry into a “Cent’anni Celebration” of unsurpassed magnitude; and were willing to work for it.
I cannot thank Donato Curcio enough for his generosity, enthusiasm, business leadership and wisdom in serving as Finance Chairman and making this event a huge success. The celebration really took off when Donato came aboard. Likewise, I must thank Don Angelo, John Vecchio and Tony Maggiotto for their fundraising assistance; Don Angelo for his expertise in handling the advertising and publicity; Tony Maggiotto for orchestrating the publication of the Keepsake Book, and Jerry Caci for all his help in the film production. And my special thanks to Peter LoJacono, Co-Chair, for coordinating the Parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony and for being there from the beginning and all the way through, performing whatever task that was needed. And to Lee Tulumello and Lois Ringle and the Arrangements Committee for the post theater receptions and for manning the merchandise booths, and to Terry Marcello and Kristin Keane who managed the tickets and reservations, and to all our friends who made the calls and gathered the people. And to all the sponsors who made it all possible. And to all of you who made it a celebration.
My special thanks. CENT’ANNI !