BUON ANNO ATUTTI - Dante Alighieri Society of Denver
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January 2022 PRESIDENT REPORT Congratulazioni to Gianfranco Marcantonio on being named the Italian American of the Year by the Italian American Business Association (IABA). This well-deserved award is in recognition of his long term efforts in helping preserve and promote the Italian culture. In addition to Gianfranco’s award, the IABA named Joannie Flynn, another member of the Dante Alighieri Society, as Italian American Volunteer of the Year. I am proud to say that our Society, through its members, is receiving the recognition it deserves. On a sadder note, it was unfortunate that we were forced to cancel our Christmas Party on December11 due to the ongoing pandemic threat. We continue to hope and pray that things can return to normal as soon as possible. With that, I wish you all Felice Anno Nuovo! John Giardino BUON ANNO A TUTTI CULTURAL MEETING IN JANUARY 2022: The January 14, 2022 cultural meeting has been postponed. Professor Steven Hughes’ talk about Why Italian Switzerland? And why it’s important in Italy’s history will be rescheduled later in 2022. By most metrics of national identity Italian Switzerland (specifically the canton of Ticino) should be part of Italy. Surrounded on three sides by Lombardy and Piedmont, it appears on a map as an odd Swiss appendage thrusting down into the Bel Paese almost to Milan. Its language, culture, cuisine, and economics have long Italian roots, and during the unification movement of the nineteenth century it was a refuge for Italian nationalists, like Giuseppe Mazzini, and a font of subversive patriotic propaganda. Volunteers from Ticino even went South to fight for Italian freedom during the revolutions of 1848. Yet, when Italy finally became a country in 1861 and some patriots called for the Italian Swiss to join the new union, the Ticinesi steadfastly refused to leave the Swiss Confederation. As this talk will demonstrate, understanding this apparent paradox is important not only for Swiss history but also for understanding the making of modern Italy.
DONNE DI MERITO The Dante Alighieri Society of Denver is seeking nominations for the Second Annual
Donne di Merito Awards.
The Dante Alighieri Society of Denver has long acknowledged the contributions and achievements of Italian and
Italian-American women to society as a whole. It now wishes to recognize Italian and Italian-American women:
donne di merito (women of merit), who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments that have contributed
to the promotion, maintenance and preservation of the Italian culture. Candidates can be local, national or
international women who have significant ties to Colorado and have made enduring contributions to Colorado’s
Italian heritage. Awards may be given to historical or contemporary women. Award nominations are due on
February 19, 2022. Recipients will be announced on March 11th at the Dante Alighieri Society’s cultural meeting
in conjunction with International Women’s Month. Presentation of the awards will be held during the Dante
Alighieri Society’s Awards Luncheon on Sunday, May 1st at the Mount Vernon Canyon Club. Deadline for
nominations is 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 19, 2022. To obtain a nomination form, please call Susan Gurule at
720-484-1014 or email her at susangurule@msn.com. A nomination form is also included in the Notiziario.
Deadline for nominations: Friday, February 19 - 5:00 p.m.
Recipients announced: Friday, March 11
Presentation of awards: Sunday, May 1
Two Dante Alighieri Society of Denver Members Win Bravo! Awards.
Congratulations to Gianfranco Marcantonio and Joannie Flynn, who were the recipients of the Italian American
Business Association (IABA) Bravo! Awards presented on Wednesday, December 8th. Gianfranco won the
Bravo! Award for the Italian American of the Year and Joannie Flynn won the Bravo! Award for Italian American
Volunteer of the Year.
Gianfranco first became an active advocate of the Italian culture in Denver
by joining The Denver Lodge of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in the late
1970’s. Over the many years as a SOI member, he served in numerous
capacities including historian, orator and vice president. In 1985, he and
his brother Giulio and several others established the Dante Alighieri Society
of Denver (DAS), one of 450 DAS organizations worldwide. Over the DAS’s
thirtysix-year history, Gianfranco has been instrumental in bringing many
cultural choirs and performers to Denver. While teaching Italian language
at Metropolitan State University, Gianfranco was successful in getting the
college to establish an Italian program as part of its curriculum.
Gianfranco has served on the DAS scholarship committee, as the
organization’s historian, selects and presents Italian movies to the
members and publishes the DAS’s monthly newsletter the Notiziario.
Additionally, he is the DAS liaison with the Dante Alighieri Society in Rome, bridging the local organization and
the national office.
Joannie belongs to numerous Italian organizations and supports them all with service on
boards and volunteering. She served as Secretary of the IABA for four years, President
of Il Circolo Italiano for eight years, Secretary of the Colorado Sons of Italy for two years
and President of the Ladies Auxiliary Potenza Lodge for two years. Joannie also
volunteered at a local food bank weekly for two years. She has supported Caruso Family
Charities for years and continues to do so. She is active at Mount Carmel Church as
Eucharist minister and is in the pastoral council as well as a member of the Altar and
Rosary Society and the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver.
Joannie has exhibited a true Italian volunteer spirit through her unconditional love of
family and service to others. Congratulations to both of you!
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ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES WINTER SESSION BEGINS JANUARY 10, 2022
The Winter 2022 session of Italian language classes grammatical structures. Topics include subject
offered by the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver will pronouns, definite and indefinite articles, regular
be in-person language classes at 3549 Navajo verbs in the present tense, and noun-adjective
Street, Denver 80211 in the parish office of Our Lady agreement. Required Text: The New Italian
of Mt. Carmel Church. Each class meets for 90 Project 1a
minutes, once a week, for 10 weeks, beginning the
week of January 10, 2022. The class schedule is
also posted on the Society website. Classes are Beginner 2. Wednesdays, 6:00 to 7:30 pm,
taught by talented bi-lingual instructors who have beginning January 12, 2022 through March 16, 2022
significant experience teaching Italian. Cost is $115 (Brunetti). In this class students will build upon their
for members and $145 for non-members. New existing knowledge while incorporating new
members are welcome to join the Dante Alighieri vocabulary and grammatical structures through
Society when they register for classes. For more conversation, role plays, listening, reading and
information, please contact the Education Chair writing activities. Topics include irregular and modal
SuzanneFasing at suzannefasing@yahoo.com. To verbs in the present tense, articulated prepositions,
register and pay for classes, visit the web site: and possessive adjectives. Required Text: The
http://dantealighieriofdenver.com/classes/language- New Italian Project 1a
classes/
Intermediate 1 will be offered in a future session.
COVID policies for classes: Intermediate 2. Wednesdays, 7:30 to 9:00 pm,
The health of our students and teachers is very beginning January 12, 2022 through March 16, 2022
important to the Dante Alighieri Society and for this (Brunetti). In this class students will continue to
reason, all students registering for in-person Italian expand their studies of increasingly complex
language classes must be fully vaccinated against grammatical structures and vocabulary through
COVID-19. Masks will be required in the classroom listening activities, role plays, readings, education
whenever required or recommended by the City of videos and written assignments. Topics include
Denver, or the State of Colorado, or the U.S. Centers direct object pronouns, reflexive verbs and the
for Disease Control and Prevention. impersonal form.
Required Text: The New Italian Project 1b
The registration deadline for the winter
session is January 3, 2022. Intermediate Conversation 102: Tuesdays, 6:00 to
7:30 pm, beginning January 11, 2022 through March
15, 2022 (Jensen). This class will be conducted in
Beginner 1. Tuesdays, 7:30 to 9:00 pm, beginning Italian, and will introduce new vocabulary, topics and
January 11, 2022 through March 15, 2022 (Jensen). some grammar. Students will be able to converse on
In this class students with little or no knowledge of a variety of everyday subjects described in the
Italian will learn to communicate in simple everyday required text. Required Text: (ISBN:
situations. Students will study the basic building 9788831496841) La Nuova Prova Orale 1
blocks of the Italian language, including the
alphabet, rules of pronunciation, basic syntax, and
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE It’s that time of year again. Membership renewal cards will be going out at the
end of the month. I hope you will join us for another year of interesting lectures and activities as permitted.
Please review the information on the card and make any corrections before mailing it back to me with your
payment.
Attention students: If you plan to continue taking language classes in 2022, it will be necessary for you to
renew your membership regardless of when you joined the DAS. Please pay for your class and membership at
the same time. If I receive payment prior to mailing the renewal cards, I will not send a card to you. Instead, I
will check your current information from your registration and fill the card out for you.
Grazie, Rhonda
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MATCHING GRANT FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND In memory of his parents, Dr. Frank J and Mary J.
Giardino, Dr. Frank W. Giardino has offered a $1000 matching grant to be used for the Dante Alighieri
Scholarship Program. All donations up to that amount in total will be matched. Donations to the Dante Alighieri
Scholarship Fund should be sent to Carol Marsala, 1696 Garland St., Denver, CO 80215. As members have
donated, they are pleased to learn that their contribution is matched and therefore worth twice as much. Please
join now in supporting our scholarship program, as the matching opportunity will end in the next few months.
BENVENUTI The Society gives a warm welcome to the following new members: Wendy Anderson, David
Chapin, Ali and Jason Clerkin. Ann Fazzini, Lynette Fowler, Erin Hough, Michael Lanciloti, Claire Magrath,
Christine McGettigan, Leslie Minor, Devon Myers, Giovanni Palmieri, Stephanie Panozzo, Joseph Pietrafeso,
Jeff Shaver, Mark Tylutki, Derek and Melissa Weingart.
ARE YOU READY TO PLAY Scopa?
For those members who know how to play Scopa, the Dante Alighieri Society is ready to set up a regular monthly
game of Scopa. It is our hope to begin the Scopa games in February. More details to follow. There will also be
opportunities for those of you who don't yet know how to play, but want to learn. We'll keep you posted.
INDOVINELLO Riddle Qual e’ l’animale che somiglia di piu’ a una montagna? (Which animal most resembles
a mountain?) La risposta e’ a pagina 8 – (The answer is on page 8.)
AUGURI DI BUON COMPLEANNO We wish our members a Buon Compleanno during
their birthday month:
Sharon Micaletti Jan 2 Jeanette Gaydos Jan 22
Susan Gurule Jan 4 Fausto Cucchi Jan 23
Michael Lupo Jan 5 Joanna Clifton Jan 24
Christy Goodman Jan 9 Zak Wagner Jan 26
Frank DePietro Jan 10 Catherine Manchester Jan 27
Gina Sirhall Jan 17 Alanna Pardee Jan 29
Erin Giardino Jan 22 Joyce Occhiato Jan 31
We want to include more members in this column, so please send a quick email, with your birthday
month and day, to Dante Society board member, Suzanne Fasing, at suzannefasing@yahoo.com
Grazie!
Mese del cuore Month of the heart
Io sono gennaio, riempio la terra I am January and fill the ground
dei ricchi tesori che il seme rinserra, with rich treasures sealed in seeds of
di piante che avranno profumi e sapori plants which will give scent and flavor.
e colmo la mensa di lieti splendori; I fill the table with cheerful blooms;
io semino in tutti la dolce letizia I sow in everyone sweet happiness
che vive nei cuori per l’anno che inizia. that will live in their hearts in the coming year.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Chris Vannote
1. What region in Italy were your ancestors from? If you do not have
Italian ancestors, what is the ethnic background of your
family? Have you ever been there and what was your
experience?
My ancestors are Greek. I have been to Greece but not to the small
mountain town where my grandmother (Yia Yia) came from. Going to
Greece took me back to my childhood, of hearing all my Greek relatives
sit around and speak Greek (in their loud manner!!), and hearing the
music of Greece.
2. When did your ancestors arrive in America, and where did they settle originally? Did they come right
to Colorado?
My ancestors came to America in 1919 and settled in New Jersey, where I grew up. I only came to Colorado 20
years ago from the East Coast.
3. If you had to describe yourself in one word, what word would that be, and why?
International. I love everything “foreign”, languages, cultures, movies, food, and especially international music
from around the world.
4. Who was most influential to you growing up, and why?
My father, he was a role model in every sense, he was generous, caring, giving and fun. He was also a pilot for
Pan American and took us around the world, which was fun as a young kid.
5. Tell us a little about you, employment, family, interests and so on.
I am a civil engineer and have worked over 30 years in engineering projects in 20 countries and cultures
worldwide. My passion, however, is international music. I play music from around the world on the guitar.
6. How would you most like to be remembered?
As a seeker, as someone who was always learning and exploring.
7. What attracted you about joining the Dante Alighieri Society?
I love everything about Italy and Italian. My partner Margarita Santori and I are going to Italy next year to visit
the hometown of her Italian grandmother. I am studying Italian every day in preparation for our 3-week trip next
May. I have been to Italy many times but not to the South which is where we are going (Calabria and
Sicily). Also, after going to the presentation on Dante by that amazing professor, Dr. Fabian, I want to take his
course on THE DIVINE COMEDY. It is so amazing...
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TIPS ON ITALY By Tonya Clement
Most people visit Italy in the served with a nice vin brulle (mulled
summer when the beaches wine) or a spumante (sparkling glass of
are buzzing and for this wine) with the holiday meal.
reason many do not know
that the Italians celebrate Children get gifts twice during the
the Christmas holiday very holidays. First they get presents from
similarly to the way Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) and then
Americans do each year. again on January 6 from La Befana. La
For this month’s Italian Tip, I Befana is depicted as an old yet kind
want to share some key witch that will fill children’s stocking with
phrases and traditions that sweets if they have been nice or with a
you might see or hear lump of coal if they have been naughty.
should you find yourself in Italy during the holidays. Speaking of sweets, torrone is a traditional bar of
Beginning on December 8th and through January 6th, chocolate or nougat that is covered in hazelnuts and
the atmosphere in Italy is very festive. Like in shared during the holiday. Many adults continue the
America the streets are lined with sparkly lights, tradition of filling and giving stockings to one another
caldarrosta (roasted chestnuts) can be found on during La Befana.
street corners and homes are adorned inside out
with decorations of all types. If you are not full from just reading this, be reminded
too that Italians are known to share a traditional meal
of Cotechino (pork sausage and lentils) on either La
It actually all begins on December 8 which is known Notte di San Silvestro (New Year’s Eve) or on the
as Il giorno dell’ immacolata concezione. For the actual day to ensure they are blessed with good luck
next several weeks, families find many reasons to and good fortune in the coming year. This is very
spend quality time together. There is a saying, similar to our US tradition of eating black eyed peas
“Natale con I tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi.” on New Year’s Day.
Christmas is a time to spend with loved ones, while
Easter can be shared with anyone.
Many families will get together on La Vigilia di
Natale (Christmas Eve) and share a cenone (big
dinner) that will vary by region but for the most part As you bump into
includes many types of fish but no meat. (most often your Italian friends
Merluzzo or cod fish). The menu might also include and family on
a nice cheese plate, an assortment of salads, Christmas Day be
various pastas, and many vegetables but for certain sure to wish them a
you can count on there being a lovely sweet bread. Buon Natale.
It will either be a Pandoro from Verona (shaped in
an 8corner star) or a Panettone from Milan (filled
with raisins and other candied fruits) yet much lighter
than our fruit cake. It is also almost certain to be
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BRIEF NEWS FROM ITALY
Since 1906, 21 Italians have been awarded the Nobel Prize. The 2021 Nobel goes to Giorgio Parisi, a professor
of theoretical physics at La Sapienza in Roma and associate researcher at the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
(INFN). Parisi is the 6th Italian to receive the coveted award in physics, after Guglielmo Marconi (1908), Enrico
Fermi (1938), Emilio Segrè (1959), Carlo Rubbia (1984) and Riccardo Giacconi (2002). Italy has won a total of 21
Nobel prizes, 13 of which are in science (6 in medicine, 6 in physics, and one in chemistry).
Births in Italy hit 160-year low and continue to slide. ROME (Reuters) - Births in Italy last year hit their lowest
level since the unification of Italy in 1861, the national statistics office said, as the figure fell for a 12th consecutive
year.
Italy extends COVID-19 state of emergency, imposes swab for EU visitors. Italy extended a COVID-19 state
of emergency to March 31 and ruled that all visitors from EU countries must take a test before departure, amid
concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. U.S. urges Americans to avoid travel to Italy
over COVID-19 concerns.
The Italian government announced it would pay 57.5 million euros in compensation to cruise companies
affected by the decision to ban large ships from Venice's fragile lagoon.
Maps of Renaissance Tuscany on show for first time in 20 years. Maps depicting Renaissance Tuscany are
back on display at the Uffizi Galleries in Florence after being hidden from public view for more than 20 years.
Rome residents told to cut back on Christmas wrapping amid waste crisis. Residents of Rome have been
urged to curtail their use of Christmas wrapping paper as authorities in the Italian capital struggle with the
perennial problem of waste collection.
Lina Wertmüller dies aat age 93. The director was a film-maker with biting and subversive things to say about
the postwar Italian soul, particularly in “Seven Beauties”.
Fossil remains of herd of 11 dinosaurs discovered in Italy. Exceptional find includes biggest and most
complete dinosaur skeleton ever unearthed in the country.
The Vatican Library opens to the public. The Vatican’s Apostolic Library, which is home to ancient
manuscripts, rare books and reading rooms for scholars, is opening its doors to the general public with a small
new exhibition space aimed at pairing its artistic treasures with contemporary art.
Pompeii dig yields rare window on daily life of enslaved. Archeologists in Pompeii, excavating a villa amid
the ruins of the 79 A.D. volcanic eruption that destroyed the ancient city, have discovered a cramped dormitory
and storage room that offers "a very rare insight into the daily life of slaves," officials said Saturday.
Sofia Goggia wins super-G race, goes 3 for 3 in Lake Louise. Sofia Goggia captured a World Cup super-G to
go 3 for 3 in races at Lake Louise. The 29-year-old Italian finished in 1 minute, 18.28 seconds on a cold day to
beat Swiss racer Lara Gut-Behrami by 0.11 seconds. She won again in Val d’Isere France last weekend.
The gold medal in Rhythmic Gymnastics goes to Italy at the World Cup. This time even the most precious
metal has arrived. “We will fly higher and higher”. The Italian team, the Butterflies, defeated Russia and Japan in
Kitakyushu, Japan.
Italy beat Slovenia to win the European Men's Volleyball Championship. The meeting ended with the victory
of the Italian team in a tie-breaker with a score of 3 to 2. Previously, the Italians won tournaments in 1989, 1993,
1995, 1999, 2003 and 2005.
Italy wins European Women’s Volleyball Championship. In the 2021 European Women’s Volleyball
Championship, Serbia eliminated Turkey and lost 3-1 to Italy in the final match. Gold medal to Italy.
American Football: Italy’s Blue Team wins European championship 2021. Italy’s winning streak continues:
the Italian national team claimed its first European gold since 1987, adding another success to a year already full
of satisfactions thanks to an astounding victory against Sweden. The so-called Blue Team, the Italian National
American Football Team, won the European Championship on the 31st of October, defeating Sweden 41 to 14
in a match Italy dominated from the very beginning.
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Donne di merito (Women of Merit) - Nomination Form
Nominee’s Full Name: _______________________________________________________________
Nominee is: ____ Contemporary _____ Historical
Birth Place (City, State, Country): _______________________________________________________
Nominee’s Home Contact Information (for contemporary nominees):
Name: _____________________________________________________________________________
Home Address: ______________________________________________________________________
City: ________________________
State: ________________________ Zip: ______________________
Home Phone:______________________
Cell Phone: ___________________________
Home email address: ______________________________
Nominee’s Background Information (1000 words or less):
Provide a one or two sentence summary about the nominee.
Describe the Nominee’s significant ties to Colorado.
Criteria Questions:
1. Describe how the nominee has made significant and enduring contributions to her field(s) of endeavor.
For historical nominees, please provide her dates of birth and death.
2. Describe the specific ways in which the nominee and her accomplishments have contributed to the
promotion and maintenance of the Italian culture.
3. What other information about the nominee would you like the Selection Committee to know or
consider?
4. Do not attach another bio, resume or article as a substitute.
Please note: All nominees are judged on the specified criteria. Nominator names are not provided to the Selection Committee. Letters of
recommendation are not accepted. Nominees are selected on merit, not endorsement.
Deadline for Nominations: February 19, 2022
Presentation: May 1, 2022
Please email a completed copy of this nomination formto:
Susan Gurule, Dante Alighieri Society of Denver
susangurule@msn.com720-484-1014
2022 CALENDAR
CULTURAL MEETINGS EVENTS CLASSES
February 11 Winter – begin January 10, 2022
March 11
Answer to Indovinello” - (riddle): Il gallo, perche’ ha la cresta. (The rooster, because it has a crest).
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