Our New York Grand Lodge Foundation, Order Sons of Italy in America held its 24th Golden Lion Dinner at the world-renowned Garden City Hotel on Thursday evening, May 4, 2006. The event was a tremendous social and financial success.
Salvatore Lanzilotta served as the General Dinner Chairperson for this event and lauded the accomplishments of the 2006 awardees …. Angela Susan Anton, Publisher of Anton Community Newspapers, Nicholas J. LaMorte, President of the CSEA, Civil Service Employees Association, Long Island Region and Lawrence E. Auriana, Senior Portfolio Manager, Federated Kaufmann Fund.
Special thanks to Tony Aiello, CBS 2’s Westchester Bureau reporter, for adding his “gift of voice” to our program. He added a wonderful professionalism to our presentation and expressed his pride in his Italian heritage along with his appreciation for being asked to be part of this event.
One of America’s talented tenors, Dominic Mantuano led us in the Italian National Anthem and the Star Spangled Banner. He was also so gracious to entertain us with a few beautiful Italian songs as we were eating dinner. Bravo Dominic!
This is a very special night for the New York Grand Lodge Foundation … a night to honor prominent Italian Americans and to laud their many civic and philanthropic endeavors.
NYSOSIA was honored and fortunate to have Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi in attendance to greet everyone on behalf of all the residents of Nassau County.
Foundation President Carlo Matteucci thanked everyone who worked so diligently on this major fundraiser for the Foundation. Special thanks were given to Lawrence Auriana and Federated Kaufmann Fund for sponsoring the commemorative journal prepared especially for this event.
Sincere thanks to our National and State Officers, filial lodges and special dignitaries for supporting this event. Whether you purchased a journal ad … or attended the dinner, your support of this main fund raising event of the New York Grand Lodge Foundation is sincerely appreciated.
We look forward to next year’s event when we celebrate our Silver Anniversary … the 25th Anniversary of the Golden Lion Awards Dinner!
