Preserving Our Italian Heritage

BUON NATALE! HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2026 IS HERE!

2025 was another excellent year for FOI. Our membership has exceeded 200 members. Membership dues are vital to our organization. They support FOI’s operations and help us keep the doors open. No one on the board receives any compensation for running this organization; we are all volunteers. Please pay the annual dues invoice when you receive it via email, on or before February 1.

In 2025, we hosted two Italian-style teas, but with the vibe of a Speak Easy. The first was in Monterey, and a month later, in Pittsburg, both packed with sold-out crowds. It was a blast for both the attendees and the volunteers alike. The entertainment was once again excellent. Speaking of volunteers, we want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make these events a success. Without you, none of this would be possible. Grazie, Millie!

At our June 2025 scholarship picnic in Martinez, we awarded $11,000 in scholarships to 11 outstanding college-bound students. This year, we will again have our Annual FOI Scholarship Picnic. Entrance fee to be determined, but to honor our members, we will offer a zero-cost fee for members in good standing—more details to follow.

In June of last year, Vince Malfitano, club treasurer and Monterey Chapter Director, and I traveled to Isola delle Femmine to support Isola’s sister city of Monterey and Mayor Tyller Williamson—what a wonderful experience. For more details about the trip, see the July 1 newsletter.

David Barca, a Real Estate Agent (his grandfather was born in Salina, Sicily), donated a baseball signed by Lefty O’Doul and Vince Di Maggio (Joe’s brother) to our Friends of Isola delle Femmine. We, in turn, donated it to Albert Seeno, hoping it would be displayed in his sports section in his new museum building.

Your board is working on new and exciting cultural/heritage events. One is the extraordinary effort from the Monterey Chapter Director and FOI Treasurer, Dr. Vincent Malfitano, who was instrumental in launching the first Sicilian Language & Cultural Program at Monterey Peninsula College. See attached press release in this newsletter. The entire board of directors of FOI salutes our colleague, Dr. Vincent Malfitano, for a job well done in assisting FOI with our mission and vision statement.

THIS YEAR, we will have three fundraisers scheduled; on June 7, we will hold our annual scholarship picnic at Waterfront Park in Martinez. To date, we have been awarded around $45,000 in scholarships. Our scholarship application and requirements will be available on the website in January. The deadline to submit applications is April 26, 2026. Stay tuned for more details.

Membership invoices and applications will be sent out by February 1. Please pay your dues promptly upon receipt of the invoice. Thank you in advance for your support.

Our monthly FOI Family Rosary evenings will continue via Zoom throughout 2026, starting with the first Monday of each month. Bring your family. This year, for the Lenten season, we will hold four “Stations of the Cross” sessions via Zoom: Thursday, February 19, March 5 & 19, and April 2. Zoom invitations and more information will be provided soon.

Our biggest project this year will be the FOI Tile Project. As you may know, the Fisherman Statue and the walls of the supporting pond need repair and refurbishment. To help Isola delle Femmine preserve this symbol of our sister city relationships, we will launch a significant fundraising campaign to install new ceramic tiles with family names on the walls around the pond that support the statue. This effort will also include cleaning and restoring the statue to its original appearance. Additional information on the cost of the tiles will be coming at the beginning of next year.

We may also be planning a trip to Isola this fall for the rededication of the fisherman statues and pond. More details will follow once we receive additional information from Mayor Nevoloso. The mayor of Martinez, Brianna Zorn, and FOI member and city councilwoman, Debbie Billecci McKillop, have already confirmed their attendance. The mayor of Pittsburg and the city council have also expressed interest.

While in Isola, the two mayors will add their handprints and signatures in cement next to the Mayor of Monterey on the newly established monument called “Il Mare delle Radici,” “The Sea of Roots,” dedicated to the three sister cities of Isola, located on the new promenade named Via Vesspuci.

“CHRISTMAS IN JULY” is the title of FOI Monterey’s upcoming tea event. This event is slated for Saturday, July 25. Our event committee is hard at work to make this the biggest and best fundraiser yet. Not saying the past teas weren’t good, but the last tea titled “Speak Easy” is going to be hard to beat, but it looks promising. Save the date.

The Monterey event committee is seeking volunteers; don’t hesitate to contact Roselyn Malfitano.

VIDEOS FROM PAST SHOWS