Wisconsin Italian-American Clubs/Organizations
Italo-Americano Groups (associations, organizations, clubs, etc.) were once founded to help Italian immigrants who had difficulties communicating in English and needed to integrate into the American way of life. Today, many of these same groups strive to preserve the Italian heritage and culture that has been passed down through the various generations, while introducing new and recent customs from present-day Italy.
NOTE: Here are some of the Italian-American Organizations in Wisconsin. This list may not be complete.
If you know of any organization that is not listed and you have information about that group, please contact WisItalia at wisitalia.info@gmail.com. Grazie!
De Pere/Green Bay
Green Bay Italo-Americano Club - was founded in De Pere, Wisconsin, in 1994, by Riccardo Paterni a native of Lucca, Tuscany. Activities include: learning and practicing italian language and culture; watching and discussing italian movies; learning, sharing and enjoying italian recipes; and promoting cultural and social activities. The Green Bay Italo-Americano Club is not limited to only people of Italian descent. They welcome all people who wish to celebrate and experience “Italianismo” through traditions of Italian culture, recreation, culinary delights, and civility.
Address for Membership Materials: 654 Fairview Avenue, De Dere, WI 54115
Contact Person: Richard Daley
Email: rjdaley@new.rr.com
Hurley
Gogebic and Iron County Paisano Club - was founded on August 6, 1969. The purpose of the club is to supply scholarships to local high schools. Members enjoy quarterly dinner meetings, participate in the Hurley Italian Festival, and hold an annual picnic.
Address: 5885 W. Rangeview Drive, Hurley, WI 54534
Contact: Dorothy Walesewicz (715 561-2459)
Email: joewal@centurytel.net
Membership Contact: Dorothy Walesewicz
Kenosha
Italian-American Society - was formed in Kenosha, Wisconsin in September 1923, as the result of combining several previously established organizations, such as the G. Giaribaldi Society, the S. Francesco Society, the S. Michele Society and the Maria SS Della Schiava. Together, they built the Italian-American Home, a club house where they could freely meet for entertainment and educational opportunities.
Address: 2217 52nd Street, Kenosha, WI 53140
Clubhouse Telephone: 262 658-4881
Contact Person: Steve Torcaso
Email: iaprez@hotmail.com
Madison
Italian Workmen's Club (IWC) - was founded in Madison, Wisconsin, by Italian Workmen, on the 18th of January, 1912, with the object to better the economical conditions of the Italian Workmen; to protect and help the members; and to develop friendly relations in the community. To apply for membership, you need to be an Italian man or a man married to an Italian spouse. See the Festa Italia 2009 photos (exit WisItalia).
Address: 914 Regent Street, Madison, WI 53715
Clubhouse Telephone: 608 258-1880
Website: www.iwcmadison.com
Festa Italia Website: www.festaitaliamadison.com
Contact Person: Frank Alfano (608 222-0747)
Email: falfano@charter.net
Latest Newsletter: January - February 2010 (pdf)
Events: 2009 IWC Calendar of Events (pdf)
Italian-American Women's Club (IAWC) - was founded on February 22, 1934, as a mutual aid society for the purpose of greater social understanding, comradeship and beneficial aid to members and their families of the Italian-American women of the Greenbush neighborhood in Madison, WI. It was an auxillary club to the Italian Workmen's Club. Today, they are a non-profit organization with membership open to any woman who shares an interest in Italian language and culture. You do not need to be Italian to join. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month.
Address: P.O. Box 46382 Madison, WI 53744-6382
Meetings are held at St. Joseph's Church, 1905 W. Beltline Hwy, Madison, WI, 53713-2335
Contact Person: Sandy Hunter
Email: shunter1025@sbcglobal.net
Sample Newsletter: May 2008 (pdf)
CIAO! (Cultural Italian American Organization) - was founded in early 2001 when a group of Italian-Americans decided to form an Italian social club for men and women. CIAO! offers cultural events for men and women of Italian ancestry, including spouses of Italians, with a mission of preserving their Italian heritage.
Website: www.madison.com/communities/ciao
Contact Person: Catherine Tripalin Murray (608 244-3359)
Email: greenbush4@aol.com
UW-Madison Italian Club - The UW-Madison Italian Club is welcome to anyone, even if you are not studying Italian or do not know Italian but are interested in the language/culture. People who join are notified of official (and unofficial) Italian Club meetings on campus. You can bring your friends to meetings too!
Email: uwitalianclub@gmail.com - to be added to their mailing list for Italian Club events and news information.
Contact People:
Jelena Todorovic (Club Organizer) jtodorovic@wisc.edu
Chad Shorter (Grad student Italian Major Liaison) cshorter@wisc.edu
Daniela Busciglio (Grad student Italian Major Liaison) busciglio@wisc.edu
Rachel Reichow (Undergraduate student) reichow@wisc.edu
Lauren Pugh (Undergraduate liaison)
Calendar of Spring 2010 Events (pdf)
The UW Italian Club has a Facebook page: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28276254670&ref=ts (exit WisItalia). Their website is not up yet, but when it is ready, it will be: italianclub.rso.wisc.edu (exit WisItalia).
Milwaukee
Giuseppe Garibaldi Society - was founded on December 7, 1908, at the rooming house now known as "Potter's End" in the Bay View area of Milwaukee. The Giuseppe Garibaldi Society provides companionship and social activities. Starting out with 40 members, the society grew to 136 members in 1929, 192 in 1939, and 219 in 1952. Today, there are approximately 125 members. The Giuseppe Garibaldi Society is Milwaukee's oldest Italian organization in terms of years of continual existence. The Garibaldi Society is open to individuals who are of Italian decent or married to an Italian. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month.
Address: Giuseppe Garibaldi Society, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Contact Person: Ken Bontempo
Membership Contact: Tim Kenney (414 303-0992)
Email: kenney1880@yahoo.com
Italian Community Center of Milwaukee - is Wisconsin’s largest Italian-American organization. It was founded in 1979, shortly after a successful festival organized by a group who had grown up in the city’s Italian neighborhood and wanted to recreate the “festa” that was such an important part of their childhood.
Since that first effort in 1978, the ICC’s annual Festa Italiana has come to be recognized as America’s premier Italian festival. It’s a celebration of all things Italian – music, food, tradition and, of course, family.
The ICC also publishes The Italian Times 11 times a year, sharing local, national and international news about Italians and the Italian experience. Classes in introductory Italian are offered for adults, and free Italian classes are also available for children.
Twice a year, the ICC’s Culture Committee presents Student Culture Day, at which middle school students spend a half day at the Center learning such things as how to make pasta and play bocce, and becoming “Italian immigrants” at Ellis Island.
The annual “Taste of Italy,” a food-sampling extravaganza, has become a popular dining experience for hundreds of Milwaukee area residents.
The ICC operates a public restaurant – Cafe La Scala – and, during the summer months presents four nights of free music in its spacious courtyard.
Address: Meetings held at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202
Contact Person: Henry Piano (414 223-2180 - ICC phone number)
Marche Group of Milwaukee - is a family-orientated group formed to cherish traditions, help each other in times of
need and to entertain Marchigiani families with special events, ranging from teaching your
children how to make Capalletti to Adult Marche Regione Wine tasting events. As you can guess, this is a fun group celebrating all things from the Marche region of Italy. Besides hosting events (there are no formal meeetings at this time), the group keeps its members informed through quarterly newsletters on Marchigiani Italian information, such as the "Marche Cultural Happenings" and "Articles of Interest Pertaining to Le Marche Italian
Americans." The Marche Group is currently working on a website. There are approximately 50 members, some from as far as Connecticut. Milwaukee, Fond du Lac and Kenosha are populated with Italian-Americans from the Marche region of Italy.
Contact Person: Tim Kenney (414 303-0992)
Tim's Email: kenney1880@yahoo.com
Contact Person: Jim Santi
Jim's Email: SaintJ36@aol.com
Latest Newsletter: Fall 2009 (pdf)
Facebook: United States Marchigiani Group now on Facebook www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=51520765990. It is a great place for Marche people to meet and greet.
Order Sons of Italy in America - Filippo Mazzei Greater Milwaukee Lodge #2763 - is the only Wisconsin Lodge of the national Order Sons of Italy in America. This organization is for both men and women of Italian heritage in the United States. Its mission includes encouraging the study of Italian heritage and culture in American schools anad universities; preserving Italian American traditions, culture, history and heritage; and promoting closer cultural realtions between the United States and Italy. View OSIA National Leaders 2009-11 announcement (pdf). The local Milwaukee chapter has bimonthly meetings at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee.
Address: Meetings held at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202
National Website: www.osia.org
Contact Person: Joseph Palmisano (414 281-5556), 5302 S. Hidden Drive, Greenfield, WI 53221
Email: jmpalmisano@yahoo.com
Pompeii Men's Club - is a non-profit organization, formed in 1968 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by a small group of holy name men from the Blessed Virgin of Pompeii Church to perpetuate the memory of their childhood church and be symbolic of their faith, spirit and ethnic background. Since the destruction of their beautiful church, this organization has functioned as a non-profit club with religious ties to the Blessed Virgin of Pompeii, sister church, St. Rita's of Cascia of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This club is dedicated to the belief that faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life and that service to humanity is the best work of life. The Pompeii Men's Club supports a variety of local charitable and non-profit organizational causes in Milwaukee. Among the local charities that have benefited include the Sojourner Truth House, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, the Ronald McDonald House and Special Olympics.
The club's motto is "Together in Unity," and has approximately 124 active and non-active members, who are men in the religious life, attorneys, judges, people in public office and men who wish to carry on the traditions of the founders of the club.
Address: Pompeii Men's Club, N 65 W22201 St. James Pkwy M-62, Sussex, WI 53089
Contact Person: Tony Arena (414 750-4361)
Pompeii Women's Club - is a non-profit organization that provides support for various charitable organizations and projects in Milwaukee, WI.
Santa Rosalia Society - was founded in 2005 by Milwaukee area residents who traced their roots to Santo Stefano, Quisquina, a town in the province of Agrigento, Sicily. This Society is a non-profit charitable organization that promotes the preservation of cultual traditions and family, and giving back to the local community. Membership is open to any interested persons, with many members ranging in age from grandchildren to grandparents. They hold an annual fundraiser for a designated charity determined by its members. Meetings are held approximately 8/year, with picnics and gatherings, as well.
N47 W27184 Greenhill Dr.17035 Elizabeth Drive, Brookfield, WI 53005
Website: www.santarosaliasocieta.org
Contact: Joe Zambito (262 241-3421)
Email: annzambito@yahoo.com or jzambito@santarosaliasocieta.org
UNICO - Milwaukee Wisconsin Chapter - UNICO National is an Italian American service organization in the United States, with a chapter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its objective is to promote and enhance the image of Italian Americans; for members to be of service to the community; to promote Italian heritage and culture; to promote, support and assist charitable, scientific, cultural, educational, and literary projects; to promote members interest in public welfare
and to cooperate with others in civic, social, cultural development.
Address: N47 W27184 Greenhill Drive, Pewaukee WI 53072
National Website: www.unico.org
Contact: Tom Falsetti (262 691-8868)
Email: tpfdds@hotmail.com
Milwaukee Ladies of UNICO - was founded on June 15, 1931. It is a service organization whose purposes are to provide scholarships for women of Italian ancestry and to support community projects. It sponsors fund raising activities, the proceeds of which are used to carry out these goals. The Ladies of UNICO coordinates its programs with the Milwaukee Chapter of UNICO for the betterment of both organizations.
Contact: Anna Pitzo pitzomom@wi.rr.com
Racine
Roma Lodge - was founded in Racine, Wisconsin, in the early 1900s. Originally, there were two organizations, Roma Lodge and Roma Hall, that formed as mutual aid societies, helped Italian immigrants find jobs and housing, paid sick and death benefits, provided instruction in English language and civics. They also helped preserve Italian customs, language, literature, and culture. Today, members of Roma Lodge share a deep appreciation of their Italian heritage and the continuing contributions of Italian-Americans to life in the United States. It strives to enroll in its membership all men of Italian birth, descent, or lineage, regardless of religious faith or political affiliation.
Address: 7130 Spring Street, Racine, WI 53406
Members Telephone: 262 886-8850
Fax: 262 886-6286
Website: members.romalodge.com
Contact Person: Buddy Alfano, President (262 639-4733)
Email: bdalfano@sbcglobal.net
Board of Directors: March 2010-2011 (pdf)
Latest Newsletters: February 2010 (pdf) and March 2010 (pdf)
Events: 2010 Roma Lodge Calendar of Events (pdf)
NOTE: Italian Language Lessons at Roma Lodge - January 20, 2010, at 7:00 pm, the first meeting of the Roma Lodge Italian Language Study Group will be held. The informal group, under the leadership of Jeff DeMatthew, will practice basic Italian phrases and expressions, basic vocabulary and grammar. The group can also choose to explore other aspects of Italian culture and history through movies, CDs and other media. Internet sources may also be used. The group will meet every third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm in the Roma Lodge Board of Directors Room. It is open to members and guests. Participants can choose to attend as many sessions as they wish. There is no charge. For more information, contact Jeff DeMatthew, 262 633-7530 or email dematthew@ameritech.net.
