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L'Italo-Americano
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
www.italoamericano.com
6
OC International Fair: Eat, Drink, and Be Italian
The Italian Spirit is alive and
well,
and it was in full swing at
the city of Orange.
International Fair. This past
Labor Day weekend, despite the
scorching summer heat, the Fair
turned out record crowds. With
musicians playing everything
from
Salsa to Rock, people of
all ages cruised Orange circle
and its adjoining streets, buying
everything from jewelry to pork
Carnitas to German strudel. It
was a day of fun, sun, and giv-
ing, as most of the proceeds
went towards local non-profit
organizations.
And there, right at the heart
of the fair, at the tip of West
Chapman Ave, stood one of its
most iconic sites: the Italian
booth. Operated by members
of Orange County's
Renaissance Lodge -a club ded-
icated in promoting "a positive
image of Americans of Italian
heritage,"
the booths on Italian
street
served up frosty Italian
ice, meatball and sausage club
sandwiches topped with onions
and
bell peppers, and pizza.
As for myself, I decided to
join them in order to get to
know the Lodge members and
see
what has made their booths
so incredibly popular. After
making my way through the
crowds and past the street tacos
and lemonade stands, I knew I
was drawing near when I heard
passerbys utter, "Did you try
that Italian sausage? You gotta
get that meatball sandwich."
Soon, I saw the friendly smiles
of the Italians.
Since its inception in 1973,
Frank DeSantis, past president
and co-founder of the
Renaissance Lodge, has been
instrumental in the booth's suc-
cess. With his father from San
Pietro Apostle in Calabria and
his
mother from Turi in the
province of Bari in Puglia, Mr.
DeSantis
was from the start, a
key person in getting the need-
ed
supplies, recruiting help, and
in transporting to the fair
grounds special "warmer"
ovens to sell pizza. Both he and
his family including his daugh-
ter, Kathy, have worked the
booths for decades.
"Initiated
by Vincent Licata,
a local business owner…Italian
Street was approved by the City
of Orange as a welcome partici-
pant… It was quite an undertak-
ing for a few dozens years for
all of us, our friends, family and
lodge members who have gath-
ered every Labor Day weekend
rain or shine. We all grew up in
it," explained Kathy DeSantis.
She
further pointed out the
importance of its many dedicat-
ed and hard working volunteers.
"Without the volunteers, it
would just not work," Frank
DeSantis explained. "The
Italian Street, although hot and
busy is a great way to have fun
together, meet the public and
have
them learn about the
Italian American presence in
Orange County….The lodge
members brought their kids
who were given an opportunity
to work along others of Italian
heritage of all ages."
After a tour of the booths by
members Michele Lowinger
and Mary Jane Cambria, I
donned on my gloves and was
placed next to Tim Hanneman,
the chairman of set up. With
his bright blue eyes and smile,
Tim showed me the ropes as I
began prepping the bread. We
fed one after another, while one
young man, a student at
Chapman University, told me
while eating his sandwich, "è
buonissimo!"
Working all weekend long,
Tim has volunteered for over
thirty-five
years. "I was in my
twenties when I started. I liked
the people and I knew they
needed help. It gives the young
people a sense about serving
others," he told me. "A few of
us, Carrie, Paul, Lenny, and
Sean
all set up."
Tim also acknowledges the
hard work of the volunteers
including the younger genera-
tion. One such gal is Christine
Dito, a sophomore at Mater Dei
high school, who has helped out
for the last five years. "It's nice
to share our culture with others
in the OC," she pointed out,
"and I love to hear the stories
the
Italians share." I looked at
her grandfather, Pete Dito who
serves as the lodge's youth
committee chair. "You can't
help but smile when you eat
pizza," he told a customer and
her little daughter. "Say Pizza,
say cheese, and you just put on
a smile."
At the end of my shift, I
turned in my apron. Although
by now the summer's heat and
long
hours were beginning to
take their toll, the volunteers
still so cheerful, began the long
process of cleaning up.
Looking around, I realized that
this was much more about
sausages and pizza-- it was
about
giving, about together-
ness and passing all this to a
newer generation. Right before
I left, a member wrapped up a
sausage club, handed it to me,
and said, "Grazie cara."
Heading to my car, I took a
bite, tasting the mild spices.
My eyes opened up real wide.
It was beyond delicious. With
Latino music playing in the
background,
and my stomach
content and my heart happy, I
could
still hear in the distance,
Mr. John Russo, Sr. a gentle-
man who was a cashier the
entire night, still calling out
into the crowd , "Get your
pizza. Get your sausages. Come
all. Best in town."
For more information, go to
www.renaissancelodge2259.com
GAyA LyNN
L to R Tom Rizzo, Michelle Alfieri Lowinger, and Lodge President, David Prisco
Volunteers Grant Meinhardt, Samantha Johnson and John Russo, Sr.
Sept. 18, Thurs.- Orange County Italian American Women (OCAIW) Meeting
11:30 AM (The Regency, 24441 Calle Sonora, Laguna Woods ,CA 92637) .
$25 Music and singing all members to join in. For information call Lucy
Gallo 949-472-8218.
Sept. 21, Sun. - Cinema Italiano Bowers Museum (2002 N. Main St., Santa
Ana, CA 92706). 1:30pm reception/2:00pm screening L'Aria Salata (Salty Air)
2006 Italy (1 hour 30 min) Italian with English subtitles. Cost: Adults $10,
Students $5. For directions and more info go to: www.bowers.org
Sept. 21, Sun.-Families of Italian Lineage Docent Tour of Mission San Juan
Capistrano given by Docent Venus Franceschi. Fee: $8.00, After tour lunch
(on your own) at El Adobe in SJC. For information (949) 363-5348.
Sept. 22, Mon. - Film screening with the director: La Scoperta Dell'Alba (dir.
Susanna Nicchiarelli, 2012). The director will be present at the viewing and
answer questions (Argyros Forum 209A, 7-9:30). For parking information go
to www.chapman.edu/parking