Dear Brothers and Sisters,

With Thanksgiving behind us and the Christmas season upon us, we go from thoughts of thanks for all we have received to thoughts of giving, and we realize what a fine line there is between the two.

Both holidays have a certain routine in how we celebrate them, but Christmas is a holiday that brings back memories of our youth and how Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were celebrated by our Italian ancestors. Just as dialects were so different in our families who came from different parts of Italy, each area celebrated their Christmas holidays in similar but different ways.  There were (and still are) many similarities as well as differences, with no right or wrong way. The one thing in common with all of them is that it is a Holy Day and a Family Day.

At our December General Membership Meeting we will take time to share our thoughts and memories of how our families celebrated these holidays. Please bring those special memories with you and share them with fellow members.  If you have special recipes for the holidays and would like to share them, please bring them and Jennifer will put them on a special page of the website and include some in future newsletters. Perhaps in the future we can organize them into a book and use it as a lodge fundraiser.  More than that, sharing memories will bring us closer together as a lodge.

We will also begin the nominating process for electing new officers as well as the delegates to the State Convention in June. I will be announcing the nominating committee for our elections to the Board.  At this meeting we will distribute job descriptions for all officers to be elected.  Anyone who has an interest in being a board member should contact the chairperson of the nominating committee or me and your name will be entered into the list for consideration. The nominating committee will announce their selections at the January General Membership Meeting and elections will take place at the February General Membership Meeting. The induction of new officers will take place at a dinner meeting in March.

Nancy, Jennifer, Marisa and I wish all of you a blessed Holiday Season and all the best for the coming New Year.  Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo.

                                                                                                  Fraternally Yours,

                                                                                                  Brother Joe Rubé

NEW CONTACT INFORMATION – Please update your records!

The new address for lodge mail is: OSIA Vincent Lombardi Lodge #2270

                                                        c/o President Joseph A. Rubé, Jr. MD

                                                        71 Cohasset Drive

                                                        Rochester NY 14618   

                                                        Phone: 585-461-1181