If you enjoy traditional Italian dinners that include pasta, chicken and more, plan on being at the Johnston Senior Center on Sunday afternoon, February 26. That’s where the proud Pannese Society of Rhode Island will host and serve what promises to be a unique “Taste of Italy” after the doors open at one o’clock.
According to Louis Mansolillo, a member of the Pannese Society board of directors, the “Taste of Italy” will have a menu that includes a traditional pasta dinner with salad and chicken and those always-tasty Italian desserts. He noted that Pannese Society members may purchase tickets for $5 per person, while non-member tickets are on sale for $10 per person.
“You can’t enjoy that kind of menu for five bucks – or even ten bucks – anywhere,” said Mansolillo. “Seriously speaking, though, everyone in our society is excited about Feb. 26; it should be a great event.”
The “Taste of Italy” will be the first cultural event of the Pannese society’s 2017 calendar. In addition to the dinner, a video presentation of the Pannese Society’s Sister City agreement with Panni Foggia, Italy will be shown.
“Part of the video will include the official Sister City signing ceremony that took place last August,” Mansolillo said of the event held and hosted by Panni Mayor Pasquale Ciruolo, who came to Johnston and first signed the unique pact with Mayor Joseph Polisena back in 2013. “It’s quite touching and people will really like other parts of the colorful video.”
Mansolillo said the 18-person delegation that took in the Sister City signing last August in Panni Foggia, Italy, have submitted many different and interesting pictures of the excursion along with some spectacular vistas the group took in on what people called “a dream vacation in the old country.”
The Sister City agreement has been organized to further promote the understanding of the Italian-American heritage of people who immigrated from Panni Foggia, Italy dating back to 1909 and settled in the Johnston-Providence area.
“Our goal is to promote tourism and economic development in our cities,” said Louis Spremulli, who serves as the Pannese Society president. “We’re also going to have educational and cultural exchanges that will be quite interesting and beneficial to people here and in Panni Foggia.”
The first educational exchange will be held this summer when the Pannese Society – with the help of the Johnston School Department – sends five students to Panni Foggia.
A fundraiser was held a year ago at the Kelley-Gazzerro VFW Post 2812 and the Pannese Society raised enough money to offset the travel costs for those five students. Mansolillo said plans for the 2017 exchange will be announced at the Feb. 26 dinner.
“Unfortunately, tickets will not be sold at the door on Feb. 26 so we urge people to purchase their tickets as soon as possible.”
Ticket reservations must be sent or called into Carla Spremulli at cmspremulli@cox.net.
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