Minutes of the Meeting of
Pennsylvania District II UNICO National
District Governor Chip Calabro called the meeting to order at 6:50pm. He introduced to everyone the new Chapter Presidents: Stephen Martino, Carbondale; Nick Grego, Sayre; and Joe Guido, Scranton.
District Governor Calabro thanked everyone for coming this evening. He also asked each Chapter to please let him know in advance of the number of attendees likely to be at upcoming District meetings. It is somewhat imperative that the restaurant know how many for which to prepare.
There were 20 members in attendance. The three chapters in the District were all represented at the meeting. The numbers of delegates from each chapter were:
Carbondale – 9 (16.7%)
Scranton – 5 ( 1.2%)
Sayre - 6 ( 17.6%)
A roll call of District Officers was made. National Officers in attendance were also recognized.
A motion was made and seconded to dispense with a reading of the minutes of the previous meeting.
Communications:
Report of Chapter Presidents:
Carbondale: See attached.
Sayre: Membership remains at 34. New applications - including one youth member application - are on file. Recent fundraising activities were highlighted. Flyers were distributed along with programs for the 42nd Columbus Day Dinner. Included in the program were Italian and Italian American profiles.
Scranton: Membership is at 434. Reorganization of officers took place in June. The UNICO Soccer Cup was once again a fine fundraiser. Proceeds benefited the NE Regional Cancer Institute. The Chapter also headed out to PNC Field for a SWB Yankees game. A bake sale and Pizza Fritta stand were organized to benefit St. Joseph’s Center. The annual chapter picnic was a big hit once again. They all enjoyed their trip to the National Convention in less than warm San Francisco. The Chapter’s efforts at La Festa Italiana profited over $26,000.00 by selling over 2,000 pounds of porketta. La Radunata is set for November 13th. The Tram of Terror will once again be held in Nay Aug Park this Halloween season.
Unfinished Business: None was presented.
New Business:
The 2008 UNICO National Convention was highlighted by PNP Al Dante. He lauded the wonderfully warm weather in San Francisco. He looks forward to Sayre attending the upcoming Conventions. He is proud that PA now has 3 National Vice President’s (counting Dave Donini who is originally from Wilkes-Barre).
DG Calabro also made a plea for increased attendance at National Conventions.
The next ERDG Meeting has been postponed from this Sunday to October 26th. He will report on this at our next gathering.
He invites all of us to join him for the NY, NJ, PA Meet the President Night on November 3rd at The Venetian in Garfield, NJ. He distributed tickets to interested members.
He will be in attendance at both the Columbus Day festivities in Hackensack, NJ and in Manhattan and invites everyone to join him there as well.
Finally, he outlined the previously distributed itinerary and expense report. This year the position of District Governor only cost him about $4,784.00.00
Comments of the National 1st Vice President:
VP DiMattio applauded the presence of District Governor Calabro at National and Regional events. He commented on the wonderful winter weather in August in San Francisco while attending the Dodger game. He also made a plea for increased attendance at upcoming Conventions. He congratulated the three new Presidents this evening and once again pitched the possibility of a District wide fundraiser as a way to increase membership participation. He commented on the good work done by Chip Calabro, Jr. on the Carbondale website and urged everyone to take advantage of the National website as well.
Comments of the National 2nd Vice President:
VP Pettinato thanked PA II for all of its support over the past couple of years. He also lamented the lack of warmth in San Francisco. He recently sent out a letter to all the UNICO National Presidents welcoming them and reminding them of their responsibilities. He made a plea for increased participation in the UNICO Foundation’s 21st Century Campaign.
He yielded the rest of his time to Sayre to further explain their Baseball Trip for the physically and mentally handicapped children in the area. This year, 496 children (and their chaperones) were feted to a day with the Binghamton Mets. Thank you cards flowed in to the chapter once again this year following this wonderful project. Kudos were given to Tom Salpino for all of his efforts in organizing it once again.Comments from PNP Al Dante: He feels that his comments earlier suffice.
Good & Welfare: President Guido notes that he will personally remind the general membership in Scranton that everyone is invited to attend District meetings.
DG Calabro thanked our hosts the Sayre Chapter and Yanuzzi’s Restaurant for a fine meal and a wonderful night. Next meeting is scheduled to be in Scranton.
Motion to Adjourn: by acclamation at 9:00pm
Respectfully submitted: __________________________________________
Peter L. Pettinato VMD; Secretary to DG PA II; PDG PA II
Carbondale Chapter
UNICO National est. 1959
Report of the Carbondale Chapter of UNICO National
District Governor’s Meeting Thursday September 25, 2008
Yanuzzi’s Restaurant - Sayre, PA
Since our last meeting, the Carbondale Chapter membership increased to54 members, including 3 life members, 1 life-paid member, 2 new youth members and 1 chaplain.
In June, thirteen members of the Carbondale Chapter along with 17 members of the Wilkes-Barre Chapter and 2 members of Scranton attended the first, and hopefully not the last, UNICO Night with the WBS Pioneers Arena Football team.
Also that month, Carbondale had 7 members at the Charter Night festivities in Montclair, NJ.
In July, Carbondale joined Scranton in mourning the loss of long time Scranton member and Past District Governor Frank DeSanto.
In August, the Carbondale Chapter inducted its first two youth members. They were this year’s winners of our local scholarships. One of our local winners, Miss Emma Kostiak, was also the National Davini Scholarship winner.
The Carbondale Chapter sent 8 representatives to the UNICO National Convention in San Francisco. Our delegation was led by District Governor Calabro. While we were there, we celebrated the election of three district members to National office – National Vice-Presidents Pettinato and DiMattio and General Counsel and Foundation Trustee Frank Blasi.
Also at the Convention, the Chapter was successful in its bid to place the 2011 UNICO National Convention in Arlington, VA.
Our Chapter continues to add to and update the Carbondale UNICO website. The address is www.carbondaleunico.org. The website links with National’s and with other UNICO chapters’ sites. If any chapter wishes to link with ours, just see me or Chip Calabro, Jr. (who is sitting right over there)
Once again the Carbondale Chapter hosted a Pizza Stand at the annual Pioneer Nights festivities in late August. Those of you who did not visit our stand missed out on seeing what may likely have been the prototype model for the modern pizza oven. This thing had to be close to 100 years old, but our ever industrious workers - under the direction of Chairman Tom Gatto - persevered nonetheless.
Carbondale Chapter hosted UNICO National President Kathi Strozza at the Crystal Lake Hotel on Sunday August 31st. Also in attendance were 7 UNICANS from New Jersey and 2 from Scranton.
Last week saw the reinstatement of our Italian Language classes after a several year hiatus. We look forward to continuing them into the spring semester as well. Columbus Day will certainly be a busy time. We will conduct our annual elementary school coloring contest, and our wreath laying ceremony. Last year we had 342 entries in our elementary school contests. In addition we will once again have a large presence in the NYC Columbus Day Parade next month. In addition, this year we will also be taking part in the North Jersey Columbus Day Parade in Hackensack, NJ next Sunday.
Plans are underway for the celebration of our 50th Anniversary in 2009. Site and dates will be forthcoming in the very near future. We will keep all of you informed and hope that many of you can join us for our birthday party.
Several of our members have already made plans to attend the Eastern Regional Meeting in Mystic, CT coming up in November. We will also be in attendance at the annual NY, NJ, and PA Meet the President night on November 3rd.
The Carbondale chapter plans and budgets donations to the American Red Cross; Upper Valley Project Hope; The Carbondale Public Library; Marian Community Hospital; The Carbondale YMCA; Area P Special Olympics; Catholic Social Services; several local churches and the special needs of local families.
Respectfully submitted,
Stephen A. Martino
President, Carbondale Chapter UNICO National