How Will You Celebrate Italian-American Heritage Month?

The September meeting began with a new twist. To embrace the members’ Italian heritage, a blessing was shared in both English and Italian. Of course, not all members are of Italian descent, and most cannot read or understand Italian, but everyone appreciated hearing the prayer.

We were pleased to hear that Lodge member, Gene Ferullo, was honored by the Mystic Valley Aging Services with a Community All Star Award recently. Gene is very active at the Stoneham Center and “leads volunteers who organize medical equipment donations and support fundraising efforts, always ensuring older adults receive the help they need.”

Secretary Carolyn shared several thank you letters we received from individuals and organizations we recently supported. A sweet note came from one of our 2026 scholarship recipients, Jake Lawler, who wrote his message in Italian!

To carry on the Italian language theme, member Dana brought back several children’s books in Italian to donate to the Beebe library (more on that will be in a future article). She also shared how there is an Italian language-speaking club who meets on Wednesdays at the Beebe library.

The beautiful Alfalfa Farm Cellars in Topsfield was the site of the Lodge’s recent outing. Many met at the outdoor picnic area to share a snack and purchase local brews. We saw many types of wine grapes growing on the vines.

Wakefield no longer has an Italian Festival like it did for years. So, for Italian Heritage Month, a group trip is planned to the new North End Historical Museum. At the next regular meeting on October 13, six “teams” will be creating and sharing three Italian appetizers each, so there will be lots to enjoy that night.

If you would like to learn about the Wakefield Lodge, or attend a meeting or gathering, reach out to President Toni Encarnacao at WakefieldOSIA@gmail.com. You don’t have to be Italian to join! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.