L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano L i f e i s f u l l o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s , yet not for every- o n e . L i v i n g i n c o u n t r i e s w i t h wars, poor economic condi- tions, and a lack of welfare makes it impossible to pur- sue basic rights. That's espe- cially true for children. A C h a n c e i n L i f e , o n c e known as Boys' Town, was founded to fill that gap, by providing shelter, education, and leadership development for at-risk youth. It was the end of WWII in I t a l y w h e n M o n s i g n o r Carroll-Abbing identified the need to assist children l i v i n g o n t h e s t r e e t s . H e d e c i d e d t o s e t u p t h e Shoeshine Hotel in the base- m e n t o f a w a r - d a m a g e d building so he could gather t h e k i d s h a n g i n g a r o u n d Rome's Termini train station and welcome them inside for a warm dinner and a safe place to sleep. Monsignor C a r r o l l - A b b i n g q u i c k l y understood that those boys needed food and shelter as much as they called for a chance to feel appreciated and gain self-confidence. This became the main rea- son behind Boys' Town in Civitavecchia, in 1945: he proposed — and turned into reality — the idea of a small town with a self-governing, democratic community with its own currency, elected officials, assemblies, and courts, with children put at the center. L a r r y N i b b i , C E O o f N i b b i C o n s t r u c t i o n s , h a s been both Chairman of the San Francisco Committee and a National Board Mem- b e r f o r y e a r s . W i t h the April's Ball coming up a s t h e m a i n f u n d r a i s i n g event on the West Coast, we interviewed Larry to learn about his connection with B o y s ' T o w n , w h i c h d a t e s back to decades ago. "I began at an early age, with my father being a mem- ber of the organizing com- mittee. During my senior p r o m i n h i g h s c h o o l , t h e venue was directly opposite the Fairmont Hotel where the Boys' Town ball used to take place. My father, Mari- no, and my mother, Lorenzi- na, asked if I'd like to join them either before or after t h e p r o m . I w a s w i t h m y date, who became my wife years later. That was my first experience with the ball. Fol- l o w i n g m y g r a d u a t i o n , I began to accompany my par- e n t s t o t h e e v e n t a n d I haven't missed a single one." San Francisco hosted the first ball in the 1950s and, s i n c e t h e n , i t h a s a l w a y s b e e n a m o m e n t t o h o n o r some remarkable individuals f r o m t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d welcome Italian-American p e r f o r m e r s , l i k e S e r g i o Franchi, Sonny King, Tony Bennet, Al Martino. "One of t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t moments for me was when w e p a i d t r i b u t e t o B i l l Armanino, a man I came to know well and consider a good friend. Bill was excep- t i o n a l l y c h a r i s m a t i c , approachable, and well-con- nected. I also remember the Gala that honored my father, an unforgettable occasion for my family. Every gala seems to leave a lasting impression on everyone attending." R i c h a r d A r m a n i n o , Bill's son, is the 2024 Hon- o r e e . H i s f i r s t e n c o u n t e r w i t h B o y s ' T o w n w a s i n 1974, the year his father was honored. "One of my great memories is of my dad col- laborating with a whiskey producer to create a special bottle aimed at generating e x t r a f u n d s . T h e b o t t l e , crafted in the shape of Italy and named after Boys' Town, is something I have at my house. I was only five and spent about thirty minutes at the gala before heading back to my room. I recall the time spent having meals with my d a d t o d i s c u s s g o a l s a n d plans. Listening, reading, and conversing about these m a t t e r s w a s p r o f o u n d l y influential. We were con- stantly reminded of how for- tunate we were as a family and our responsibility to be charitable and respectful". The San Francisco Com- mittee has existed for more than 60 years and has grad- ually transitioned from one generation to the next, with newcomers joining, some- times after attending the ball a s g u e s t s . M a n y e x p r e s s t h e i r a d m i r a t i o n f o r t h e organization and their desire t o c o n t r i b u t e m o r e . " I announce at every annual ball that those interested in p a r t i c i p a t i n g s h o u l d approach me. We're always eager to have new members to our Committee", Larry explains. "While some of us have been part of it for a long time, we continually welcome new faces, aiming for one or two newcomers each year to help advance o u r o r g a n i z a t i o n ' s g o a l s . This process illustrates the evolution of San Francisco over time, with little chang- ing, frankly speaking." Nev- ertheless, the Committee is now contemplating adjust- ments in how they organize the ball to accommodate the p r e f e r e n c e s o f y o u n g e r attendees who seek some- thing different from the tra- ditional dinner and program. "Following this ball, we plan to assemble a committee to explore ways to enhance the e v e n t . W e ' l l s e e w h a t unfolds, given that the gala's future direction rests with the younger members of the Committee. This includes individuals like Richard, my daughter Gina, and others, who are expected to lead the w a y i n t h e y e a r s a h e a d , " Larry points out. As someone who has seen previous generations operat- i n g a n d i s n o w a n a c t i v e member, Richard stresses how "crucial is not to lose sight of our roots and con- nections to Italy, as second or third generation mem- bers. Our efforts go beyond merely organizing fundrais- ers and donating money. We witness the tangible effects and outcomes of our contri- butions throughout the year. Because of the people and their heritage, our Commit- tee is very successful, along- s i d e a n o t h e r k e y f a c t o r , w h i c h i s L a r r y b e i n g t h e Chairman since 1984. Hav- i n g a s t a b l e o r g a n i z a t i o n under his exceptional leader- ship is a significant reason for the continued success in San Francisco." Being this year's honoree, Richard considers himself humbled, honored, and with a big responsibility: "I want t h i s y e a r t o e x c e e d o u r expectations. It's not about me, it's about the organiza- tion and the children that are in need. Nobody can dis- p u t e t h e f a c t t h a t ' s o u r future. If I look at the people who won the award in the p a s t , a n d t h e n I t h i n k o f myself, it's hard to imagine my name on the same list as those prior honorees. I'll do my best to represent and, hopefully, I'll make every- body proud." Among the people who w i l l b e c e l e b r a t i n g t h e a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s o f A Chance in Life during the S a n F r a n c i s c o B a l l , w e ' l l find Gabriele Delmonaco, President and CEO of the non-profit since 2016, at a time when it was still called Boys' Town of Italy, ready to embark on a new chapter. Gabriele, a New York City resident, is excited about the years spent at the organiza- tion, especially because of what it has achieved since his arrival. "We used to serve only one program in Italy, la Citta' dei Ragazzi in Rome. When I joined, the board asked me to try something different and make a propos- al to support kids who live outside of Italy and need help. Italian society is differ- ent from what it used to be in the '50s. While there's still a n e e d t o h e l p c h i l d r e n there, that context no longer e x i s t s . W e t a c k l e d a n e w experiment in Ethiopia, with p r o g r a m s o u t s i d e o f t h e usual ones. We help espe- cially girls who cannot get the education they need and want, due to the risks they f a c e d u r i n g t h e i r t r i p t o school. With this program and for the first time, the s c o p e o f o u r w o r k h a s expanded to touch the lives of communities also in India, Southern America, and in the West Bank." How A Chance in Life supports and empowers children globally while remaining true to its Italian roots SERENA PERFETTO Boys' Town was founded by Monsignor Carroll-Abbing (above) in Italy back in the 1950s Please visit www.italoameri- cano. org to read the inter- view in its entirety SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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