Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), Renaissance Lodge #2259, thorough its charitable organization, the Orange County American Italian Renaissance Foundation (OCAIRF) has established its annual charities budget for 2014.
The Foundation’s Board of Directors has voted to support the following charities and organizations: University of California Irvine Department of Pediatrics Birth Defects Program and Library; UCI MIND Research Program; Chapman University Italian Studies Program and Leatherby Libraries; Bowers Museum Special Cultural Exhibits Program; the City of Orange Public Library; the Los Angeles Italian Historic Hall Foundation; L’Italo Americano Newspaper; the annual City of Orange program “Holiday Hope” which provides dinner to 600 attendees; the City of Orange Women’s Shelter, and Casa Teresa.
Three scholarships are awarded to senior high-school students of Italian heritage that will be attending a four-year university. The Foundation through the Grand Lodge of California also supports State and National charities such as Autism; Cooley’s Anemia; the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum; a special youth program established by the Grand Lodge; the Il Leone State newspaper, and contributes to the State fund to send students to study in Italy.
The Sons of Italy is a National Organization with 17 regional Grand Lodges encompassing various states and including 65 chapters with over 60,000 members. The OSIA Renaissance Lodge was established in 1972 by the late Vincent Licata, a local merchant, who operated a nutrition store in Old Towne Orange.
The Lodge has been supporting numerous community charities since that time. Lodge membership is comprised of people of all ages and backgrounds that share the common Italian heritage and also non-Italians that admire and participate in Italian culture.
The Lodge mission is to preserve Italian heritage, language and culture through its many activities and events such as Italian Exhibits and an Italian film program with English subtitles at Bowers state-of-the-art 300 seat auditorium every month. The annual Columbus Day Celebration held at Bowers Museum was attended by over 1000 community members last year. The month of October has been officially proclaimed as Italian Heritage month in Orange County.
In conjunction with the Columbus Program, a Family Festival will be held on Sunday, Oct 5, 2014, starting 10:00 AM in the Courtyard of the Bowers Museum. Festivities include Italian entertainment, songs and music, Italian delicacies, a marionette puppet show at 1 PM in the theater and arts and crafts games for children. There is no charge for admission to the event or the museum on this date.
A booth will be set up for those who wish further information about the Sons of Italy at the Columbus Festival on October 5th. Information about the Sons of Italy Organization can also be obtained during the Orange International Street Fair at the Italian section which is sponsored by Renaissance Lodge #2259.
For further information please contact Frank J. De Santis, Chief Administrative Officer OCAIRF PH: 714-550-9155; EM: frankjdesantis@yahoo.com
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