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UNICO Wraps Up 2017-18 Season

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Italian-American Herald

Spring was a busy season for everyone: planting flower and vegetable gardens, putting away winter clothing, bringing out lighter wear and summer furniture, and so much more. For organizations, the changing seasons meant including rounding out the calendar of events and preparing for the next season.

The Sussex County UNICO chapters (Delmarva and Rehoboth Area) have been busy as well — conducting events that fulfill the national goals of charitable contributions and of course, the preservation of Italian language and culture.

March brought a Food Drive and Italian Baked Goods Sale, which provided boxes of groceries for local food pantries and shelters and a donation of $1,203 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society to help local residents in need.

April saw the annual Opera at the Beach concert and reception that raised $1,345 in proceeds and donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital for cancer research. Also in April: Penny Russo from New Jersey won a 10-day stay at Casa Giada (a B&B in Puglia, Italy) in a raffle that provided support to WILM Radio 1450 AM “Mattinata Musicale,” a scholarship for a student to attend the Italian Language Summer Camp 2018 (La Mia Piazza) and diapers for the Rehoboth Baby Pantry.

May brought a lasagna dinner along with a large-screen viewing of the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby. The event was held to provide financial assistance to St. Edmond Parish Hall renovations and the Thalassemia Foundation for research to help find a cure for Cooley’s Anemia (a rare genetic blood disorder).

Also in May: A team of Delaware Educators formed a selection committee to choose a recipient for the “Maria and Paolo Alessio Scholarship,” granted to a matriculated student to continue his/her studies — one of the many scholarships awarded buy UNICO National — totaling approximately $80,000 annually in various levels and divisions.

May also brought the 10th and final Italian class in a series offered each year to UNICO members and guests from September to May.

In June came the annual picnic to celebrate a successful year and to welcome new members, offering them the opportunity to get acquainted and ready for the next calendar year.

And finally, June saw the fifth annual Bocce Tournament (a Delmarva Chapter fundraiser) at Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, that provided summer fun, revived memories of family gatherings and raised funds to support the Brian Piccolo Award Ceremony and Dinner which will be held on Nov. 11. This honor is given to a high school senior athlete of Italian origin with a $1,000 donation to the winning student’s school athletic department and team.

The Sussex UNICO chapters look forward to similar and additional events now being planned for the 2018-2019 season. For more information about UNICO National and local chapters please contact unicodelawaredistrict1@gmail.com.

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