L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 D earest Readers, we are back again this year with our "classical" issue to get you through the Holiday season. This issue is centered around a collection of Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ads that the members of our communities share with all of you. Not only is it a collection of advertisements, which it might seem at first, but it is the most traditional w ay that the newspaper has always "talked" to the Italian-A merican community. It res embles a small door that allows us to look out onto a "piazza"- a place where everyone comes together. Many of the piazzas in Italian towns where Sunday strolls take place and where people look forward to that moment of socializing and consolidating relations, is also the spot where you see your friends, acquaintances, and others from your society. Publishing an advertisement in L'Italo-Americano is the fastest way to speak to your community, but also a way to meet with each other and to feel part of an "extended family." Ever since the newspaper was born, its distribution of pages served as a way to talk to Italian-Americans, making them feel part of a group united by the pleasure of coming together in this multicultural society. L'Italo-Americano wants their readers to feel as though they still belong to Italy, despite their time away, even if it is just for a little while. For many years, these pages have been the voice of a community, working to build a network, a link, or a thread, that has the ability to hold together all the pieces which make it up. We also want to preserve these pages and share them in the most traditional way- something which neither tablets nor smartphones have had the capability to wipe out. L'Italo-Americano is profoundly grateful to its readers for their continued loyalty and support, as it grants the possibility for any and all future editions. At the threshold of the anniversary of issue 109, which in 2017 will confirm the Italian community newspaper as being the most long- running in the entire United States, we are "competing" in a remote Our "extended family" comes together on the pages of L'Italo-Americano From the director derby with Emma Morano, the woman from the Piedmont region who blew out her candles on November 29th, in the town of Verbania, celebrating her 117th birthday! Reaching this milestone makes her the last person born in the Nineteenth century and the oldest woman in the world. What an astonishing record for our Belpaese- Italy! Just like Emma, when we look back, we can see the entire twentieth century on the pages of the newspaper through extremely precious treasures of tales, stories that we share and people we know. With the unique Italian heritage in which we all possess, L'Italo- Americano resides at the core of all Californian communities. Although Emma Morano has never seen the sea, many of us who were not born in the United States and who crossed an ocean, leaving behind a sea of memories, are aware that it is precisely those memories which unite us and create between us both a bond and sense of belonging to one community. With this, and a promise of continued commitment to sharing stories of Italians in California in the best way possible, we present to you our new initiative. In the next few days, you will find all the information you need in order to participate in the "Italian Gourmet Holiday Raffle". Every ticket you buy will greatly support L'Italo-Americano and its future endeavors. In exchange, you can enter in the drawing among others for a chance to win prizes which offer a true taste of Italian tradition. What do you think about taking advantage of the holidays by gifting a Raffle ticket to someone who has never tasted typical Italian flavors before? Just like previous Raffles which have always been highly anticipated by many participants, we have selected unique prizes along with offering an opportunity of generosity, or selflessness, as a way to concretely demonstrate that Italy is in our hearts. By purchasing an "Italian Gourmet Holiday Raffle" ticket, 20% will be donated to the earthquake victims of central Italy. The proceeds will be entrusted to the I Love Norcia association (http:// www.ilovenorcia.org) that supports the physical reconstruction of destroyed historical centers, and focuses on two lines of action which we have in common: the Community and the Dream ,"because without these two elements, you cannot think of the future". For L'Italo-Americano, the Community is at the center of every activity and the Dream is being able to continue to share better stories. Warm wishes for a Happy Holiday Season to all. Simone Schiavinato, Director NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS

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