January 6, 2010

Dear President/Italian Cultural Chairman

I write on behalf of the Culture Commission to share with you our budding successes. In our efforts to disseminate information about significant aspects of the Italian as well as the Italian-American culture, we have explored and begun preparations for a cultural as well as social agenda. A letter will follow shortly detailing the remainder of our plans.

In this letter, I wish to share with you our initial efforts to bring a current cultural agenda to all lodges. The recent discovery of a nationwide web service will enable us to air cultural programs on your local cable outlets.

Over the past three years as Culture Chairman for my lodge, I have secured monthly visits of speakers with expertise in the Italian culture. These same programs are now available to all Lodges that take the following steps:

1.  Contact your cable service provider and request they carry the Cultural Series "Sons of Italy".
2.  Advise your provider that a list of these programs are accessible to them via PEGmedia.org   
       3.  If the access center is unable to receive the programs via PEGmedia.org (because of limited
            resources), please contact me to request DVD of any program at morenosp@verizon.net.
4.  When a program is aired on cable, inform lodge members and friends of the broadcast time.
5.  You may download any program onto a DVD from your television.
6.  With a multi-media projector and a laptop you may privately show the program to a lodge gathering.
7.  Enjoy these programs regularly.

Thirteen programs are currently available. A list, by program number, and brief description of each are on the reverse side of this letter. More programs will be added each month. This system will enable us to share valuable expertise of the Italian culture with all lodges. Your support in the dissemination and use of these programs can strengthen the celebration of our heritage. Share them with members and guests.

In addition, please know that efforts to bring current and past speakers to your lodge are currently being pursued. We will shortly as for your speaker(s) of choice.

Fraternally yours,

Ron HIllJames DiStefano       Patick Moreno
Ron HillJames DiStefanoPatrick Moreno
State Recording SecretaryState President  Chairman, Italian Culture Commission




Order Sons of Italy in America
Ordine Figli d'Italia in America
Grand Lodge of Massachusetts



93 CONCORD AVENUE - BELMONT, MASSACHUSETTS 02478 - TELEPHONE 617 489-5234 - FAX  617 489-5371


Program #Description

  001Mr. Mario Scalzi, "Parker Villa Rentals"

  002Mr. Salvatore Pinzone, "The Aeoliann Islands"

  003Professor Eli Bortman on "Sacco & Vanzetti"

  004Dr. William Marchine, "Italian Immigration from 1880 - 1910"

  005Ernest Caponi: "A Personal Quest to Find His Italian Roots"
 
  006Dr. Cario Cipollone, "Italian representative fort Italian education in New England, on the successes                                    and obstacles of current Italian education.

  007Mr. Elise Pancheri, "The Trentino Alto-Adige"

  008Dr. Augusto Ferraiuolo, University of Cassino, on "Negotiating Identity in Boston's North End                                       Through Religious Symbols and Pageantry"

  009Dr. Maria Lombardo, University of Massachusetts professor, "A Camp Without Walls" from her                               conference, "Italy and the Holocaust: The Calabria Connection"

  010Dr. Matteo Casini, "Venice, The Queen of Cities"

  011Dr. Laurie Shepard, "Dante's Canto V' of The Inferno"

  012Mr. Patridk Moreno, "Italian Culture Commission of the Grand Lodge"

  013 Burlington Sons of Italy, "Italian Language Classes"