LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Order Sons of Italy in America, Gabriele
D'Annunzio Lodge No. 321, upon the occasion of celebrating its 100th
Anniversary

WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in keeping with time-
honored traditions of recognizing and paying tribute to those organiza-
tions which foster ethnic pride and enhance the profile of cultural
diversity that strengths the fabric of the communities of New York
State; and
WHEREAS, The State of New York is justly proud to commemorate the
100th Anniversary of the Gabriele D'Annunzio Lodge No. 321, Order Sons
of Italy in America, which was celebrated on Saturday, March 28, 2015,
at the Sons of Italy, Lodge Hall, Rotterdam, New York; and
WHEREAS, The Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) encourages the
maintenance of Italian culture and language, as well as the assimilation
into American social and political life; it has sponsored a wide variety
of cultural, educational and charitable programs in furtherance of its
mission, as well as countless Italian heritage events; and
WHEREAS, The Order Sons of Italy in America is the largest and oldest
organization of men and women of Italian heritage in North America; it
was established in New York City on June 22, 1905, by Vincenzo Sellara,
M.D., and a small group of other prominent Italian professionals; for
over 110 years, the Order Sons of Italy and its many local Lodges have
been of service to the Italian American community throughout New York
State and the Nation; and
WHEREAS, By 1925, the Italian population in the United States had
increased to sustain several mutual aid societies; the Frappaolo broth-
ers, Eugene Picone, and Alessandro Volpe recruited members for the Order
Sons of Italy in America; and
WHEREAS, Today, OSIA has more than 600,000 members and a network of
over 700 chapters coast to coast, making it the leading service and
advocacy organization for the nation's 26 million people of Italian
descent; and
WHEREAS, This remarkable organization's philanthropic arm, the Sons of
Italy Foundation (SIF), was established by OSIA in 1959; to date, a
substantial amount has been given to scholarships, medical research,
cultural preservation, disaster relief and other projects; its anti-de-
famation arm, the Commission for Social Justice (CSJ), is committed to
fighting racism, prejudice and the stereotyping of all races, religions
and cultures; and
WHEREAS, The Gabriele D'Annunzio Lodge No. 321 was built on the
original Order Sons of Italy in America principles of liberty, equality
and fraternity; it affectionately offers assistance to all and keeps
alive the traditions of its ancestors; and
WHEREAS, Born on March 12, 1863, the Italian poet and patriot,
Gabriele D'Annunzio (1863-1938) was known for his famous speeches at
Quarto Dei Mille and from the steps of Rome's Capitoline Hill; an active
participant in World War I, he flew over Trieste (1915) and Vienna
(1918) and lost the sight of an eye after a crash; ultimately, he became
one of the most prolific writers of modern Italian literature; and
WHEREAS, The Gabriele D'Annunzio Lodge received its charter on March
28, 1915, with Cassella Germano as its first Venerable; during this
time, meetings were held at several locations throughout the City of
Schenectady including Redmon's Hall on Ferry Street, the Marconi Center
on Park Place and a site at 415 Liberty Street; in 1952, the membership
voted to purchase the two-story Liberty Street building; four years
later, on October 13, 1956, at a Columbus Day celebration, the mortgage

was burned; in 1965, the Liberty Street building underwent a massive
expansion to 3,000 square feet with a seating capacity of 350 people; to
accommodate its increasing membership, in March 2007, the Lodge closed
on the building that remains its present location at 2984 Hamburg Street
in the Town of Rotterdam; presently, the Lodge boasts more than 500
members; and
WHEREAS, Today, after 100 years of invaluable service to local, state,
and international charities along with scholarships and community
outreach programs, and under the able leadership of its current Presi-
dent, Louis Fazzone, the Gabriele D'Annunzio Lodge is a true asset to
the community and continues to generously serve Schenectady County and
beyond; and
WHEREAS, From its first major fundraising operation in 1956 when the
Gabriele D'Annunzio Lodge raised a significant amount to donate to the
local community including the Red Cross, scholarship recipients, museum
support, Boy Scout and Girl Scout activities, Little League baseball and
many other organizations, this remarkable organization continues today
to donate to and volunteer for causes concerning Alzheimer's Disease,
autism, arthritis, bone marrow, cancer research, Cooley's Anemia,
diabetes, the Commission for Social Justice, the Garibaldi Di Meucci
Museum, Gift of Sight, the American Heart Association, the Northeast
Children's Association, Wounded Warriors, and Schenectady City Mission,
to name a few; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Lodge No. 321 raised funds and contributed to
earthquake victims in Italy; in the fall of 2011 when Rotterdam Junction
was devastated by tropical storms Irene and Lee, the members of the
Lodge stepped up to the plate literally and prepared, delivered and
served 120 pounds of pasta, 300 meatballs, 30 pounds of sausage, 60
loaves of bread and 4 large sheet cakes to people who were in need of a
hot meal; and
WHEREAS, The success of the Gabriele D'Annunzio Lodge is in direct
correlation to the efforts of its members, past and present, whose
involvement is, and always has been, characterized by an impressive
commitment, an unbridled enthusiasm, and an uncompromising standard of
excellence in all endeavors on behalf of the organization and the commu-
nity it serves; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organiza-
tions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
.SO DOC S R2762 RESO TEXT 2015
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Gabriele D'Annunzio Lodge No.
321, Order Sons of Italy in America; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Gabriele D'Annunzio Lodge No. 321, Order Sons of Italy in
America, Rotterdam, New York.