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The 5th annual picnic for Valenzanesi in Chicagoland was held in
Bellwood on Sunday, June 27, on the private grounds of Montalbano
Majestic International Furniture. The picnic was sponsored by the
Association St. Rocco of Valenzano (ASRV) under the capable direction of
its president Frank De Frenza and his affable wife Gemma De Frenza.
The Montalbano family who has maintained a close tie with this
association and has been one of its robust supporters hosted the
event. Messrs. Chiarina and Pierino Caringella, Dominic and
Consiglia Uva, Vito Lollino, Rosa and Tom Naccarata, and
Cisternino provided most of the services and support.
The picnic started with a mass at 10.00 a.m. in the chapel of
the Montalbano's factory/office complex. The activities then
moved outdoor on a manicured grassy field nested between woods
and a parking lot. Two large tents on the parking lot, complete
with tables and chairs, where very welcome and fortuitous new
additions this year, because of light sprinkles that punctuated
this cloudy and muggy day of June.
About one hundred people attended the event bringing their own
picnic baskets. The association provided sandwiches of Italian
and Barese-style sausage, ice-cooled soda and draft beer, watermelon,
and Italian ice. The most distinctive event was the grilling of
the sausage, under the expert direction of Frank De Frenza,
Vito Lollino, e Pierino Caringella, a scene
reminiscent of the street-grilling, with the smoke all around,
in older times in Valenzano.
As usual, Rich Moltalbano provided prizes and organized many games
for the kids who had much fun with the mummy speed-dressing, water
balloon tossing, egg tossing, and target pitching/dunking.
Teenagers played soccer while many older folks entertained
themselves with bocce games or just hung around exchanging
jokes and stories. It was a great opportunity to see paesani
and renew old acquaintances or make new ones.
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