From: "WisItalia Web Updates" <wisitalia.info@gmail.com>
Subject: WisItalia Web Updates
Date: April 7th 2012

WisItalia Web Updates - April 2012

Ciao a tutti!

1. WisItalia is pleased to announce the winners for its 9th Annual Fundraiser and WisItalia Awards banquet. Congratulations goes to:
   • Robin Pickering-Iazzi, who was selected to be the 2012 WisItalia Teacher of the Year. Robin is a professor of Italian at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. See http://www4.uwm.edu/letsci/ficl/faculty/pickering.cfm to learn more about Robin.
   • Liz Zizzo, teacher at Victory Elementary School in Milwaukee, will be the recipient of WisItalia’s Outstanding Service Award.
   • All of Victory Elementary School’s Italian language teaching staff, under the direction of Principal Wanda Varela-Katz, will receive the WisItalia President's Award.
     
     The event will be held on May 12, 2012, at O'Donoghue's Irish Pub, 13225 Watertown Plank Rd, Elm Grove, WI 53122. Entertainment will be provided by Tradizione Vivente - The Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee, Inc. (http://www.tradizionevivente.org/), and Victory School.
     
     Make your reservations now! Complete the reservation form (http://www.wisitalia.org/pdfs/TeacherYearReservation2012.pdf) and submit to Al Roland

2. WisItalia is about to embark on a fundraising campaign so it can sustain the grants it gives to the Italian language programs in Wisconsin. You can help by giving us a list of names and contact information of business owners, friends, relatives, Italian-American professionals, mailing lists of Italian-American clubs, or other potential donors. Please email your lists to Lois Bruno at lbruno@wi.rr.com, with a cc to Blaise DiPronio at bdipronio@wi.rr.wi by April 30, 2012.
    
3. Here’s another fundraising opportunity for you! Buy the “The Double Hour” DVD. If you missed seeing this award-winning film, now's your chance to buy the DVD, and support WisItalia and the Italian language programs at the same time. This Italian film won Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Italian Film at the Venice International Film Festival. Directed by Giuseppe Capotondi, “The Double Hour,” is a stark romance, a touching, psychological thriller and a story about possibilities. La doppia ora: A second chance, a magical moment when a person makes a wish, hoping against hope for a better life, for love, for redemption. To buy the DVD, use the following special link http://affiliates.docurama.com/jrox.php?id=10281_126 and WisItalia will receive 10% of the sale price, which will go to the Italian language programs in Wisconsin. Plus, to get $5 off your DVD purchase, enter DOUBLE5HOUR, at the checkout. Grazie mille for your support.
   
   
4. Speaking of films, here's an original movie you might like to see. Film director and writer, Genevieve Davis tells the story about her grandmother in, "Secret Life, Secret Death," a Docudrama Mystery. The project has been renamed from "On the Trail of a Black Sheep." "Secret Life, Secret Death" is the true story of a young mother who falls into a web of organized crime in Gangland Chicago in the 1920s. Her granddaughter picks up her trail in the present, relentlessly uncovering her Grandmother's secret life and death. For more information on the film and to purchase tickets for one of the following dates, April 20, 22, 26, 28, 29, May 2, 10, 20, 2012, see http://www.davisartist.com/secret_life.htm. All showings include a Talkback with the Director and Cast.
    
5. Here’s a few Italian cooking websites where you can brush up or improve your Italian language skills:
   • http://www.mezzokilo.it/ - a food blog rich in international recipes. As you are learning your Italian, you'll be making great recipes!
   • http://www.cucchiaio.it/ - from the traditional cookbook, Il Cucchiao d'Argento.
   • http://www.istitutovenezia.com/ - an opportunity in Venice, Italy to take an Italian language course and learn how to cook.
      
6. Did you know that being bilingual makes you smarter and can have a profound effect on your brain? Here's an interesting article on "Why Bilinguals are Smater" - from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general.
    
7. Italian educators and others interested in improving your Italian language skills, consider this new educational resource. “Sei pronto… a migliorare?” with Audio CDs, the intermediate level text in the Edizioni Farinelli Sei pronto series, is now available. See http://www.edizionifarinelli.com/titles.php?title=Sei+pronto%E2%80%A6+a+migliorare%3F+w%2Faudio+CDs+-+Intermediate+Level&tid=100.
    
8. Don’t miss the deadlines for some great student scholarship opportunities. Details at http://www.wisitalia.org/pages/scholarships.html:
   • Deadline: April 12, 2012. Encourage your students (ages 8-18 years old) to apply for a $500 Cuomo Scholars Award to attend Lago del Bosco, the Italian Language Village in Minnesota this Summer! To apply, complete a short essay about why you want to learn Italian and/or about Italian culture. Winners will be asked to produce a short media project after their session at Lago del Bosco that explains one element of Italian cultural, political, or scientific contributions—ancient, historical, or modern. Application Form (http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/newsite/Programs/Youth/Summer_villages/Italian/Italian_Scholarship_Opportunities.php).
      
   • Deadline: April 14, 2012. Italian-American Women's Club (IAWC) - Provides annual scholarships to Dane County high school seniors (males and/or females). For 2012, the IAWC will award up to two ($1,000 each) Italian-American Women’s Club Scholarships. You do not need to be Italian to apply. Application Form http://www.wisitalia.org/pdfs/IAWC2012ScholarshipApplication.doc.
      
   • Deadline: April 15, 2012. Italian Workmen's Club (IWC) - Provides annual scholarships to high school seniors. This year in 2012, they will present $5,000 in scholarships to seniors who are graduating from a Dane County high school. Application Form http://www.wisitalia.org/pdfs/IWCScholarship_app2012.pdf.
      
   • Deadline: April 30, 2012. Order Sons of Italy Fillippo Mazzei Lodge #2763 - will be awarding two scholarships in honor of Chris and Mike Manno for the year 2012. One scholarship is awarded in the amount of $2,000 directly from Filippo Mazzei Greater Milwaukee Lodge, on August 15, 2012, at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee, WI. A second one in the amount of $1,000 to be conferred in conjunction with the Illinois-Wisconsin Grand Lodge at the October 2012 Columbus Day Banquet, in the Chicago area. Application Form http://www.wisitalia.org/pdfs/OSIAScholarshipApp2012.doc.
      
9. The summary minutes from the WisItalia General Meeting, held on March 17, 2012, is posted on the Meeting Dates page at http://www.wisitalia.org/pages/meetingdates.html. Here is the direct link http://www.wisitalia.org/pdfs/WisItaliaSummaryMinutes2012-03-17.pdf.
    
10. Visiting Italy? Here's a website that lists 10 of the most beautiful places to visit in Italy. http://www.globalgrasshopper.com/destinations/europe/10-beautiful-places-visit-italy/.
     
11. You may find this website interesting: Simply Rome - Travel Guide (http://www.simplyrome.org/) - Read about attractions, people, history, government, geography, culture, itineraries and trip guides. Includes videos and images to discover more about the city itself.
     
12. April 25 is Italy’s liberation day, when in 1945 the partisans with the allies liberated Italy from the Nazis and fascists. Listen and see the videos set to Diego Moreno's anti-fascist song, "Bella Ciao" with famous images of partisans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRR2OOvn3Ew&feature=player_embedded (Italian version). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVHtJkciwyQ&NR=1 (English version).
     
13. Check out the upcoming Italian-related activities and events at http://www.wisitalia.org/pages/events.html. Also, the Facebook page lists events and activities, too at http://www.facebook.com/wisitalia.
    • Sunday, April 8, 2012 - The Italian Community Center (ICC) in Milwaukee invites you to an all-you-can-eat Easter Sunday brunch in the Pompeii Grand Ballroom on Sunday, April 8. Open to the public.
       
    • Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - La cineteca italiana - La prima cosa bella, directed by Fausto Brizzi (2010). Free Italian film shown on alternating Wednesday evenings from 6:00 pm - 8:15 pm, UW-Madison campus, room 1217 Humanities, 455 North Park Street, Madison.
       
    • Saturday, April 14, 2012 - Italian Dinner. Come to an Italian dinner party at 6:00 pm at the French House, 633 N. Frances Street, Madison. They will serve antipasti, pasta, dessert and beverages prepared by UW Italian students and the UW Italian club. Bring your friends, as many as you wish! Tickets are available through Sue Grass in 618 Van Hise, or available at the door the evening of the event.
       
    • Saturday, April 14, 2012 - Bus Trip from the Italian Community Center (ICC) in Milwaukee to the National Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago. The bus departs at 10:30 am and returns sometime after 4:30 pm. The Hall of Fame is located on Taylor St. in the historic Italian district of Chicago.
      
      
    • Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - Italian Club, Circolo Italiano (UW-Milwaukee student club) meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 1:00 pm, in Curtin Hall, room 766. Curtin Hall is located at 3243 N Downer Ave, Milwaukee. Everybody who is interested in Italy and Italian culture is welcome to attend.
      
      
    • Friday and Saturday, April 20-21, 2012 - Gallery Night & Day at Milwaukee's Italian Community Center (ICC). The featured artist will be Brittany Farina, who will be displaying her concept art, digital illustrations and paintings. The ICC gallery will be open on Friday, Apr. 20 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., an hour later than most of the participating venues. Farina's work will be on display on Saturday, Apr. 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
      
      
    • Sunday, April 22, 2012 - A Taste of Italy at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. Anyone who loves Italian food will want to be at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday, April 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the 17th annual "A Taste of Italy."
      
      
    • Sunday, April 22, 2012 - Annual Sauce Tasting Contest will be held at the Italian Workmen's Club (IWC), 914 Regent Street, Madison, WI 53715, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. This is always a fun and interesting event. As in the past, they'll have celebrity guests as judges. Invite family and friends and get a special taste of secret recipes rarely revealed to the public.
      
      
    • Wednesday, April 25, 2012 - La cineteca italiana - La nostra vita, directed by Daniele Luchetti (2010). Free Italian film shown on alternating Wednesday evenings from 6:00 pm - 8:15 pm, UW-Madison campus, room 1217 Humanities, 455 North Park Street, Madison. NOTE: This is the last film of the Spring semester.
      
      
14.   Here are the monthly newsletters:
    • Tutto Italiano March newsletter http://www.wisitalia.org/pdfs/TuttoItalianoMar2012.html.
      
      
    • Select Italy's March Cappuccino newsletter http://selectitaly.com/italy/your-italy/cappuccino?id=97.
      
      
    • Italian-American Women's Club of Madison March newsletter http://iwcmadison.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IAWCs-MARCH-2012-BOLLETTINO.pdf.
      
      
    • Italian Workmen's Club of Madison's March-April newsletter http://iwcmadison.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ItaliaMar-Apr2012.pdf.
      
      
    • Green Bay Italo-Americano Club April newsletter http://www.wisitalia.org/pdfs/GB_IL_PICCOLO_GIORNALE-Apr_2012.pdf.
      
      
    • NIAF April eNotizie http://www.niaf.org/news/enews/enews_april_2012.asp.
      
      
    • Milwaukee’s Italian Community Center’s The Italian Times’ April newspaper http://iccmilwaukee.com/italian-times.html.
      
      
    • Racine's Roma Lodge April newsletter http://members.romalodge.com/newsletter.html

Rita Prigioni
WisItalia Secretary and Webmaster (volunteer)
wisitalia.info@gmail.com

www.wisitalia.org