For the third year in a row, Lara Olivetti and Rickard Olseke visited the Bay Area from their home in Stockholm. They attended the “Celebration of the Dolomites” event where they had an opportunity to meet many of us.
Lara worked years as an attorney for the Trentini nel Mondo Association, imparting legal advice to those applying for Italian citizenship. Rickard works with asylum seekers in his native Sweden.
Obtaining Italian citizenship can be an arduous process. If you reach an impasse and need legal advice, we recommend you consult Lara: laraolivetti.net.
She won a landmark decision extending the right of citizenship to descendants of women as well as men from Trentino. Congratulations to Lara on this triumph, and congratulations to Lara and Richard on their recent marriage!

Father Alberto Mengon was ordained a priest 50 years ago as a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Father Mengon was born and raised in Piazzola, Val di Rabbi. He is currently pastor at Saints Peter & Paul Church in North Beach, but before that, he worked at schools and parishes in Watsonville and Richmond, California and in Sierra Leone, Africa. In March he travelled to Sierra Leone to celebrate this milestone with his former colleagues and friends.

At the end of August, he will travel to his native Val di Rabbi for another celebration. Father Mengon, congratulations on reaching this milestone and thank you for your years of service!

On Monday November 9th, 2015 a group of over 50 Trentini, primarily from the Val di Non,visited San Francisco accompanied by Father Claudio Holzer of Denno. For 10 years he was a pastor in Melrose Park, a suburb of Chicago and the home of many Trentini immigrants. He is now the director of the Casa Italiana in Washington, DC.
Several of our members met with the group for dinner at the San Francisco Athletic Club. The group quickly filled the venue with song and celebration accompanied by an accordionist.

On March 4th of this year, Father Claudio returned with a much smaller group from the Val di Non. They met with Father Alberto Mengon in San Francisco and with a small group of our members for lunch in Santa Cruz. Two of the ladies had connections to Cloz.

Club members Gemma Angeli Zueck and Silvia Torresani Prevedelli are from Cloz and were present. They had a delightful time speaking about those they know in common. It felt like we Trentini are all one big family.

Laura Floriani Vitlacil was one of the founding members of our club 36 years ago, and our first vice-president. For years she has worked tirelessly as our treasurer, but she recently decided it was time to retire.

At our Christmas gathering, in the company of her 2 daughters and son, she received a plaque as well as a heart-rendering letter from none other than the President of the Trentino Province, Ugo Rossi.

 

Here’s a quick translation:

From the US a mysterious messenger relayed your intention to retire after more than 25 years of service as the treasurer of the Circolo Trentino di San Francisco.
I know as well that you were the club’s first vice-president. It is comforting to know there are people like you that bring honor to the entire Trentina community.
You have supported your fellow Trentini with passion and thoughtfulness while balancing family demands, and we are forever grateful.
I can only imagine what a full life you have led. You carry uncountable experiences and memories in your heart. Each has brought meaning and purpose, including your encounter with husband Antonio, the birth of your children and grandchildren, and your immigrant experience. Life was certainly a challenge in your birthplace of Bieno and in Trentino, and so you were forced to leave for a faraway land to seek better conditions.

Please know, dear friend, that you are in our hearts. In the name of the entire Province of Trentino, I extend the fondest of wishes. Your beloved Trentino sends you a warm embrace.

With esteem and recognition, Dr. Ugo Rossi

This was the title of an article published November 3rd of last year by the L’Italo- Americano newspaper based in Los Angeles. The author was club member Bianca Friundi, who works at the Museo Italo-Americano in San Francisco and writes occasionally for the newspaper.

Bianca grew up in Milan, but her mother hails from Pergine Valsugana. Luca is one of our board members and is the US representative to both the Province of Trentino (“consultore”) and the Trentini nel Mondo Association (“coordinatore”). In the article Luca talks about the history and composition of our club, our goals, and the fact that we just celebrated our 35th anniversary. On a more personal level, he recounts his move to California 25 years ago and his friendship with Father Efrem Trettel.

A big thank you to both Luca and Bianca for being such wonderful club ambassadors!

To read the article please go to:
http://www.italoamericano.org/story/2015-11-30/luca-dorigatti

Rosemary Marcellin, nee Rauzi, passed away on January 13th at the age of 86 in Ripon, near her birthplace of Stockton. As a child Rosemary spent six months in her father’s hometown of Cloz in the Val di Non. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, George Marcellin. She was an avid golfer and engaged in many charities. We send our condolences to her older brother Frank Rauzi and the entire family.

Flora Rosek nee Rizzi passed away in Stockton on July 20th at the age of 86. She was originally from Superior and Rock Springs, Wyoming, where many Trentini settled to work in the mines. In fact, the Circolo Trentino of Wyoming is located in Rock Springs. We send our deepest condolences to her family.

Jim Boin’s partner, David Tureaud, passed away from an apparent heart attack. David was a mere 50 years old. David enjoyed attending our Circolo Trentino events and was very accepting of Jim’s passion for all things Trentino and Italian.  He was also a friend of the Circolo’s Facebook page. Our deepest condolences to Jim.