newsletter 2015 04 april volume 11 issue 116 (1)

April ~ 2015

Year 11

Issue 116

Passaic Valley UNICO Our April 2015 Monthly Newsletter

Passaic Valley UNICO PO Box 341 Little Falls, NJ 07424

Serving Little Falls Totowa Woodland Park

A Message from the Newsletter Editor: To ensure that the newsletter is online by the 1st of each month, the deadline for an article is 4days before the end of the month. Please submit your committee reports to Steve via email. Our chapter email address is also above.

Page Highlights: About UNICO 5

Birthday’s 2

ComUNICO Link 3

Did You Know 3

Food Pantry 3

Photo Album Links 2

Recent Photo’s 4

Sponsors 6, 7, 9

Upcoming Events 2

Who’s Who 3

Website www.PVUNICO.com Website www.UNICOmembers.com Website www.Facebook.com/PassaicValleyUNICO Email [email protected] Website www.UNICO.org Website www.PiazzaUNICO.us

Hello UNICAN’s, April is upon us and we are now starting to get busy with our fundraisers. We are all here as volunteers and all the work that is accomplished is truly appreciated. We ask all members to get involved and help with all the events that we are holding to raise money for all the good things we do. Members who have accepted to take officer positions and members who accept to take Committee Chair positions are responsible for those positions and this is a great responsibility. The chapter relies on us to accomplish our tasks and to communicate within our chapter. We are all here to help each other. If for whatever reason we are no longer able to meet the requirements for the position we had accepted and something has changed, it is okay. All we ask is that the issue be communicated. There’s been a lot of stress over the last several months that could have been avoided. I have communicated with our Executive Team as well as our Board of Directors and my actions were fully accepted based on the situation. It is my hope that we can now move on with positive energy and excel with the programs we have in place and start having fun. I am here to do whatever I can to insure the continued success of our chapter. Please feel free to contact me at any time, as I am here to support you. I would like to wish all of you a very special Happy Easter with your family and friends and take the time to reflect on all the wonderful people who are now looking down on our journey. The Executive Board and the Board of Directors reviewed and revised the 2015 budget. Please attend our April meeting to review and vote on the budget. Also get your votes into the Nominating Committee as the slate will be presented. Applebee’s Flapjack Pancake Breakfast is here and we are hoping for another successful event. Since we are making less per ticket we need to compensate by getting more people to join us. As you all know, I have posted this event on my Facebook to increase our exposure and have asked you all to do the same for this event. Everyone who has a Facebook page, please INVITE all your friends. Click “INVITE ALL”, sharing the event is good, but inviting is where you really get noticed. Remember to invite your family and friends as well. The next event is our UNICO Comedy Night . This event will be held at the Meat Cutters Hall in Little Falls on May 16th. I believe this event will be very big for us if we all help to market it. Next up will be the Golf Outing . All the committee members are taking care of their responsibilities to assure this event is totally successful. I have setup online registration and individuals can purchase a hole sponsorship and pay directly online. Again, the success of these events falls on every member in our chapter and we are all responsible for getting the word out. SPONSORS are most important and I challenge everyone to call or contact someone you know who has a business or a restaurant you frequently visit and request they sponsor a hole. The worse thing that could happen is they say no, but you may be surprised at how many say yes. All you need to do is ask. John Barbieri ~~~ HAPPY EASTER ~~~ P.S. be sure to join our April meeting as we have George Clark presenting.

President’s Message

Passaic Valley UNICO of 9

2015 ~~~

April 8, 2015 ... 2nd Wednesday … Monthly Meeting … More information should follow April 14, 2015 … Tuesday … 3rd of 4 N.J. IV District Meeting … co-Hosted by our Passaic Valley UNICO Chapter and the Passaic-Clifton UNICO Chapter … At the Brownstone … 7:00 pm eat and meet April 18, 2015 … Saturday … Pancake Breakfast Chapter Fundraiser … Flier is on page 8 of this newsletter and also on our website April 23, 2015 … Thursday … Convention Fashion Show Fundraiser …. Contact the National Office for more information …. Members as models are wanted April 25, 2015 … Sunday … UNICO National Community Service Day … More information at the March Meeting … Save the Date for our Service Above Self May 16, 2015 … Saturday … UNICO Comedy Night … Three Comedians including Jeff Norris will be performing at the Meat Cutter’s Hall in Little Falls. Lots of Laughs!!! May 17, 2015 … Sunday … Jimmy V Bocce Tournament … We are eligible for a team … Please support PV UNICO and Jimmy V with your attendance and make it a family day

Recommend an event

Have you been to any fundraisers lately that you feel would be something we should do? Do you have an idea where we can raise money to support the initiatives we engage in? Send any recommendations to the executive board and we will seriously consider it.

Members ~ Members ~ Members

Do you know someone who would like to join our chapter? Invite them to a monthly meeting to hear about what we do and also receive a free meal.

A Re-Designed Website to Visit

The UNICO National Photo Album was recently re-designed Now it has three links at the top of its host page

Still go to www.UNICO.org Still go to the “Photo Gallery Section”

Still click on the “Picasa Logo” When the new host website opens up look at the 3 links

Pictures by the Year ~ Pictures by Chapter ~ Heritage Calendar Pictures Enjoy what has been preserved of our UNICO’s memories

Upcoming Events – Local and National

April Birthdays Happy Birthday to:

Derek LoRe - 4/1 Steven Pelonero - 4/3 Michael D'Antuono - 4/16 Bruce Ponchak - 4/27

Photo Albums

All of our chapter events pictures can be seen on our website. Additional pictures from our “NJ IV District” and also a lot from our “UNICO National” events can also be seen on their websites. Two pictures in particular are on page 4 of this newsletter.

• www.PVUNICO.com • www.UNICO.org • www.UNICO-

NJdistrictIV.4mg.com

More Important Dates

More important dates from our chapter, our district, and UNICO National, can also be seen on the above 3 websites. Stay in touch and informed


Our Passaic Valley Chapter Executive Board

President ……………….……...….………………………………... John Barbieri 1st Vice President …….……...……...……….…..…………….. Bruce Ponchak 2nd Vice President ………………...……...……………..….. Paul DeAppolonio Treasurer ……………………………..…………………………... Joseph McGill Recording Secretary …………………………………………………... Pat Ferro Sgt. At-Arms ……………………….……………………………. Dominick Bucci Corresponding Secretary ………………………………..…… Christina Castillo

Fundraising Committee Heads

Applebee’s Flapjack & Pancake Breakfast …………………… Dominick Bucci Barrel of Wine Raffle ………………………………………… Carmen Criscione Bus Rides ……………………………………………….. Joe and Elaine Barone Golf Outing ………………………….……………........................... Joe Barone Holiday Donations ……………………..……………………. Robert Appaluccio Modell’s ………………..………………………………………….... Roni Corrado Overseas Care Packages ………………………………………….. Pat Corrado Pasta Dinners …………………………………………………… Dominick Bucci

Non-Fundraising Committee Heads

Community Service Day (April)….……………………………….. Chuck Russo Food Pantry ……………………….....……………..…………... Angelo Verrone Good and Welfare …………………………………………………... Sal Nocella Italian Heritage with Our Youth at P.V.H.S. .…..…………….. Angelo Verrone Membership ……………….………………...……………….……. Eileen Wood Newsletter …………………...…………………………..……... Steve Pelonero Scholarship / Brian Piccolo ………………..……………… Robert Appaluccio Website ……………………………………… Steven Pelonero / John Barbieri

Read the latest issue of

ComUNICO here

Just click on the cover photo

Shown to the left

<<<<<<<<<<<<

Who’s Who

Food Pantry

Please don’t forget about our UNICO Phil Arena Food Pantry

Your non-perishable food donation can help restock it

You can bring it directly to the pantry in the Holy Angels Church Basement … or to any meeting

Did You Know … Two of our chapter members have their pictures featured in the 2015 UNICO Heritage Calendar. Look at the Cover, the Back Page, the Inside Back Page, and at the month of December. The pictures can also be seen on the newly re-designed website as noted on page 2 of this newsletter Did you know that if you took a picture while in Italy, that you can also submit it to the National Office for review by the Calendar committee All UNICO chapters honor Brian Piccolo with an annual sports award. Do you when he passed away? The answer is listed as a date somewhere in the 2015 UNICO Heritage Calendar

Passaic Valley UNICO

Pictures from our March 2015 Meeting

Passaic Valley UNICO


Please welcome our newest member, Jean Chomko from Little Falls. Jean was sworn in on March 11, 2015,by our UNICO National Executive Vice President Dr. Ann Walko. John Barbieri, Chapter President watched over. John Barbieri had the honor of pinning Jean after the swearing in which was held during the March monthly meeting at the Barnyard and Carriage House in Totowa Ann Walko also presented Jean Chomko and John Barbieriof Italy

of 9


Please welcome our newest member, Jean Chomko from Little Falls.

on March 11, 2015, by our UNICO National Executive Vice President Dr. Ann Walko.

John Barbieri, Chapter President

John Barbieri had the honor of pinning after the swearing in which was

held during the March monthly meeting at the Barnyard and Carriage House in

Ann Walko also presented Jean Barbieri with books


Remind your family and friends to save the date Proceeds of this outing go towards

Our Scholarship Program and other Needy Causes

About UNICO

UNICO is the largest Italian American Service Organization in the United States Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, Opportunity

UNICO was founded on October 10, 1922 in Waterbury, Connecticut. A group of 15 men, led by Dr. Anthony P. Vastola, came together to create what has become a very special and very proud organization. It was Dr. Vastola's dream to create an Italian American service organization to engage in charitable works, support higher education, and perform patriotic deeds. Our motto is “Service Above Self”.

Each year, the UNICO Foundation and the UNICO National Chapters across the country donate approximately $1 million to various charities. Scholarships continue to be the primary focus of UNICO, as roughly one-third of all monies raised goes to deserving students from all of the chapter locations throughout the chain. UNICO National has funded major research in Cooley's Anemia and Mental Health. Through its association with the Jimmy Valvano Foundation it has funded over 10, $50,000 grants to help find a cure for Cancer. These worthy areas continue to receive generous support from the chapters and its members for these worthy causes.

If you would like to attend one of our meetings to see if you might be interested in joining UNICO, please contact us through any member, or through our email. We would be honored to have you as a member of our Passaic Valley UNICO Chapter.


Thank You to our 2014-2015 Sponsors and Supporters


Thank You to our 2015-2016 Sponsors and Supporters

newsletter 2015 04 april volume 11 issue 116 (1)

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