Custodes Pacis Lodge #2085, OSIA

Custodes Pacis’ delegates went to the convention June 20th to June 24, 2007. The following is a report in brief of the connvention.

Delegates in Attendance
Theresa Cardamone
Angela Cardamone
Charles H. O’Connor
Charles O’Connor, Jr.
Rita Rastelli
Maurizio DeLisi
Gary Cardamone – as State Trustee

Elections
Custodes Pacis members were nominated for and accepted various positions within the Grand Lodge on the district, state and national levels. We have placed ourselves within a unique position to now have 5 members represent the lodge at the district and state levels with two members now sitting on Grand Council.. Additional we now have two members eligible to attend the National Convention as delegates. All those elected should be commended for being willing to take on these duties.

District Elections
Rita Rastelli – State Trustee – District 3
Angela Cardamone – Dante Commission for Education – Vice-President
Maurizio DeLisi – Alternate – National Delegate(Recently, selected to attend the national convention as a delegate)
Charles O’Connor – Arbitration Commission

Grand Lodge Elections
Gary Cardamone – State Financial Secretary

Donations
Donations in the amount of $100 we made to the following charities:
Alzheimer’s, Cooley’s Anemia, Commission for Social Justice and Coaches for Cancer

By-Law Amendments
By-law amendments were not voted on due to a violation with the distribution of the proposed amendments prior to the convention. Since the delegates did not have 15 days notice, the by-laws will be voted on via
U.S. Mail

Per capita increase
The body voted to increase the per capita tax by $4 per year per member. This will take place in 2008. The per capita tax increase and the effect it has on Custodes Pacis finances will be discussed at upcoming meetings.

The following article is from the Son’s of Italy:

Sempre Avanti column for June 2007:
Seeing Double
by Dona De Sanctis

Washington – May 1, 2007 – Any doubts about the existence of a double standard when it comes to Italian Americans and political correctness were swept away for good last April during the Imus incident. You remember it, don’t you?

On April 4, shock jock radio talk host Don Imus and his executive producer, Bernard McGuirk were on the air talking about basketball when Imus referred to the players on the Rutgers University women’s basketball team as “nappy headed hos.”

The remark was made at 6:30 in the morning and heard by about 150,000 people, but it soon wound up on YouTube which services millions of people online. Imus publicly apologized and even appeared on Al Sharpton’s syndicated radio program where the good reverend accused Imus of “setting a precedent that allows racist language to be used in mainstream, federally regulated television and radio.”

Soon Jesse Jackson weighed in along with the NAACP and the National Association of Black Journalists. Within a week, Imus was fired and his 40- year radio career was over.

You may download the complete article here:June 2007 Sempre Avanti

Grants range from $5,000 to $25,000 for undergraduate and graduate studies in all disciplines

Washington, DC– February 12, 2007 American students of Italian descent are encouraged to apply for scholarships through the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF), the philanthropic arm of the Order Sons of Italy in America, the nation’s oldest and largest organization for men and women of Italian heritage.

The SIF’s National Leader Grants (NLG) range from $5,000 to $25,000 for undergraduate and graduate work in the U.S. and Italy. They are awarded to American citizens who have at least one parent or grandparent who is Italian or Italian American.
Students also must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a four-year, accredited academic institution for the fall 2007 term. Previous SIF scholarship winners are not eligible. Applications may be obtained by mail or online at www.osia.org.

The non-refundable application processing fee of $30.00 includes a one-year Sons of Italy National At- Large membership and a free one-year subscription to Italian America magazine, the most widely read quarterly in the U.S. for people of Italian heritage.

The application deadline is February 28, 2007. Successful applicants will be contacted by April 12, 2007. The winners also will be invited to attend the SIF’s annual black-tie gala in Washington, D.C. on May 24, 2007 where they will be honored.

The monetary awards are presented directly to students’ academic institutions in accordance with eligibility requirements. Send complete applications to:

National Leadership Grant Competition
Sons of Italy Foundation
219 E Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002

http://www.osia.org/public/scholarships/grants.asp