Nearly 50 years ago Joseph Sciame, then a St. John’s University student, joined the Cellini Lodge No. 2206, the New Hyde Park area’s chapter of the Sons of Italy organization.
“My uncle was one of the founders of the lodge and they were signing people up,” Sciame said. “He came one Sunday morning and said, ‘You should join this Italian-American organization.'”
Since joining in 1968, Sciame has served in different board positions in the lodge, including president in 1974.
He also went on to serve as the New York state president of Sons of Italy and the organization’s national president.
“I’ve had a lot of experience looking at the lodges, how they function, and it just seemed to me that the Cellini Lodge was always a very strong lodge,” Sciame said. “It had a lot of commitment, programs and a lot of energy.”
The lodge, which will officially turn 50 in September, recently celebrated its coming anniversary at its annual Scholarship Charity Dinner Dance at Chateau Briand in Carle Place.
Sciame said there have been about three generations of members during the lodge’s 50 years.
With each new group of members, the lodge has always been “open to the community and done a lot of good,” he said.
While the lodge has an emphasis on celebrating and remembering Italian-American culture, it also focuses on giving back to the community, President Mark A. Ventimiglia said.
The lodge does different work in the area by volunteering time and donating money, he said.
The lodge also started a fund that gives scholarships to students in surrounding schools. This year’s scholarship recipients will be announced on Thursday.
Ventimiglia said he joined the lodge because he had been active in charity work throughout his life.
Joining not only helped him maintain his altruism but helped him better understand his heritage, he said.
Ventimiglia said the lodge’s goals for the future are the same as the last 50 years – to help the community and keep Italian-American culture alive.
