Holiday greetings from NIAF
Members of the NIAF Board of Directors and NIAF’s staff wish you and your family a happy holiday season and New Year. We look forward to including you in all of our exciting plans for 2009. Be sure to visit our Web site, www.niaf.org, in January for a look ahead at all 2009 has to offer!
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Support NIAF through the CFC
The 2009 Combined Federal Campaign donation drive has been launched! If you are military personnel or a federal government employee, please think of NIAF when you fill out your allotment form for donations. Your generosity aids NIAF in providing scholarships, grants and other important programs for Italian Americans. Our CFC number is 12280.
For more information about NIAF’s many programs, visit www.niaf.org.
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NIAF Women’s Forum fulfills wishes at Walter Reed, Childhelp
Members of NIAF’s Women’s Forum spent the past two weeks spreading holiday cheer at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and Childhelp Children’s Center of Virginia in Fairfax.
NIAF Regional Vice President for the Mid-Atlantic Nancy Chistolini (left) and Marie Wood of the Yellow Ribbon Fund (center) spread holiday cheer at Walter Reed.
On December 2, NIAF hosted a “La Dolce Vita” reception for the mothers, wives and girlfriends of wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Foundation members, including Board Members Nancy Chistolini and Patricia de Stacy Harrison, distributed perfume, books, beauty products, and stuffed animals to more than 50 families.
During the following week, NIAF Council Members distributed gifts, toys, games and clothes to many of the children and teens at the Childhelp Children’s Center of Virginia in Fairfax on December 10.
(From top left) NIAF Women’s Forum members Michelle DeLuca Dawson and Diane Femia, NIAF Communications Associate Natasha Borato, Childhelp Children’s Center of Virginia Director Maggie Thorpe, Chistolini, and Childhelp Manager of Volunteer Programs Nicholas Hudson get festive at the center’s Fairfax, Va., office.
NIAF Council Members Michelle DeLuca Dawson, Elizabeth DiGregorio and Diane Femia in addition to Chistolini delivered collected gifts to the Children’s Center.
Founded in 1959, Childhelp meets the physical, emotional, educational and spiritual needs of at-risk children. Childhelp focuses its efforts on advocacy, prevention, treatment and community outreach.
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NIAF, Milan form partnership
Leaders from the Milan Chamber of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) December 2, outlining a collaboration to promote business, the arts, and cultural ties between the Southeast United States and Italy’s Region of Lombardy. This agreement ended several days of events in Miami, including an art exhibition and gala dinner, to promote Italy’s fashion, luxury goods, entertainment, media, food, wine and marine industries.
Signing participants included Remo Eder, vice chairman of the Milan Chamber of Commerce, Giovanni Bozzetti, president of the Region of Lombardy Fashion Committee, and Arthur J. Furia, Esq., NIAF regional vice president for the Southeast and a law partner with Miami law firm Gunster Yoakley & Stewart.
Celebratory activities culminated with the opening of an exhibit from Biblioteca Ambrosiana, open from December 3 through December 17, comprised of works by Italian masters including Leonardo da Vinci, Tiziano Vecellio, Albrecht Durer, and Giovanni Ambrogio at Miami’s iconic Freedom Tower. In celebration, the “Art of Italian Style” gala dinner held December 2 at Miami’s Biltmore Hotel featured chefs flown in from Milan, who prepared special dishes from the region.
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FIAT’s Panda Hydrogen on display at Italian Embassy
FIAT’s hydrogen-powered Panda will be on display at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C., until December 20. The display is intended to highlight Italy’s contributions to advances in technology and engineering.
Italian Ambassador to the U.S. Giovanni Castellaneta poses with the Fiat Panda Hydrogen Concept Car.
The Panda Hydrogen Concept Car features Nuvera's new Andromeda II fuel cell stack, which powers an electric motor directly, eliminating the need for a battery. This allows the car to have a cold start capability and accelerate from zero to 30 miles per hour in five seconds. The Panda can reach a top speed of about 78 miles per hour. Nuvera Fuel Cells Inc. is a high-tech developer based in Massachusetts and Italy.
View the FIAT Panda Hydrogen by contacting the Embassy of Italy at 202-612-4400 to schedule a visit.
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Mark your calendars!
NIAF is proud to announce that the Foundation will host two regional galas in Spring 2009.
The NIAF East Coast Gala will be held March 30, 2009 at the Marriott New York Marquis in Times Square. On May 2, 2009, the Foundation’s West Coast Gala will be held at The M Resort in Las Vegas. These events will pay tribute to a host of prominent Italian Americans, all while offering the unique opportunity for our members to reconnect with their heritage.
Be sure to visit NIAF’s Web site, www.niaf.org, in the coming months for more details about these exciting events.
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Online language partnerships
NIAF has recently created a partnership with two online language programs to provide discounts and other advantages to Foundation members.
NIAF’s partnership with Babbel.com gives members the opportunity to learn Italian online, FREE! Babbel, an online language program, offers Italian vocabulary lessons that are clever and simple to use.
CyberItalian, also an online language study company, offers a 10 percent discount to NIAF members registering for language courses.
www.niaf.org/research/online_italian_resources.asp
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Month of lessons spreads love for Italian language
The start of November marked the end of NIAF’s free beginner Italian classes offered to celebrate Italian Heritage Month.
More than one hundred participants registered for the classes, which were held once a week from October into early November nationwide. Classes were held in Washington, D.C.; Chicago, Ill.; DePere, Wis.; La Jolla, Calif.; Pittsburgh, Penn.; and St. Louis, Mo.
Missed this year’s classes? Check back next fall to see how you can participate in free Fall 2009 language classes.
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Baglioni Hotels offer special holiday promotion
 Celebrate your Christmas and New Year's Eve in Baglioni Hotels around Italy and U.K. with special holiday stay packages offering delicious food, fine wines, unique locations and impeccable service.
Packages are available at the Luna Hotel Baglioni in Venice, the Due Torre Hotel Baglioni in Verona, the Hotel Bernini Palace in Florence, the Grand Hotel Baglioni in Bologna, the Carlton Hotel Baglioni in Milan, and the Baglioni Hotel in London. With special Christmas and New Year’s packages available at each location, your holidays will be the stuff of dreams.
For more information, visit www.baglionihotels.com.
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Search continues for Italian-American bone marrow donors
The search continues for Italian-American bone marrow donors in general and, in specific, a donor match for Christopher Florentino, 36, of Flushing, Queens, who was diagnosed with a recurrence of Mantle Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and needs a transplant for a cure.
The Florentinos are working to help all patients in need by conducting an online bone marrow drive. Associated tissue typing costs are covered by a fund established in Christopher’s honor.
Millions have joined the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry, but there are not enough donors to meet the needs of all patients, especially those from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The best chance of a match for Christopher is from the Italian American/European community.
To help, visit www.marrow.org, enter promotional code CFNY2008 and the cost of the kit will be paid by the above-mentioned fund. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60, in good general health and willing to donate marrow is eligible to join.
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Give the NIAF Wine of the Month Club for the holidays
Experience the wines of Italy by joining the NIAF Wine of the Month Club. Each month, two wines will be selected, a red and a white; participants will have the opportunity to purchase one or both of these wines with no shipping fees.
Register for the NIAF Wine of the Month Club by completing the Wine Club Registration Form. After registering, you will be directed to this month's wine selection where you can purchase either by the bottle or by the case. Ten percent of the proceeds from your purchase will benefit NIAF programs.
For more information on the NIAF Wine of the Month Club, contact Kristi Pappalardo at 202-939-3109 or kristina@niaf.org. For questions about specific wines or your wine purchase, contact Dan Ross at Wines from Italy at 440-812-3776 or e-mail wineclub@niaf.org. Be sure to specify your affiliation to NIAF.
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Upcoming NIAF Events:
- Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery Program Application Deadline. The Voyage of Discovery is a 10-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Italy for Italian-American students. The trip includes airfare and educational lectures. Applications are available at www.niaf.org/voyageofdiscovery.
Contact: Giuseppina Spillane
Phone: (202) 939-3107
E-mail: gspillane@niaf.org
Date: January 6, 2009
- NIAF Scholarship Program Deadline. For more information, go to www.niaf.org/scholarships.
Contact: Giuseppina Spillane
Phone: (202) 939-3107
E-mail: gspillane@niaf.org
Date: March 6, 2009
- NIAF East Coast Gala at The New York Marriott Marquis Times Square, 1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036. Attire: Business.
Contact: Carolyn Laurenzano
Phone : (202) 939-3114
Email: carolyn@niaf.org
Date: March 30
- NIAF West Coast Gala at The M Resort, 123000 Las Vegas Blvd. S, Las Vegas, NV 89124.
Contact : Carolyn Laurenzano
Phone : (202) 939-3114
Email: carolyn@niaf.org
Date: May 2
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NIAF e-Newsletter compiled
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by Stephen Abate.
Edited by Monica Soladay .
enews@niaf.org
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