Justinian Society Newsletter Spring 2015 734 N
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Justinian Society Newsletter Spring 2015 734 N. Wells, Chicago, IL 60654 Phone 708.338.0760 Fax 708.401.0360 www.justinians.org President's Message JUSTINIAN OFFICERS As the 2014-2015 year comes to a close, I wanted to again say “thank you” to our members, Anita DeCarlo past, present, and renewed. A special thank you to past Presidents President Anthony Fornelli, Antonio Romanucci, Michael Favia and Rich- Jessica DePinto ard Caldarazzo for all of your advice and support throughout the 1st Vice President year. In addition, thank you to all of our Officers who helped in Frank A. Sommario too many ways to detail. 2nd Vice President Michael F. Bonamarte We began the year with our Golf Outing run by the Dynamic Duo, 3rd Vice President Sam Tornatore and Richard Caldarazzo. This event was sponsored Vincent R. Vidmer by the Justinian Society of Lawyers Endowment Fund. Despite Treasurer the rain, we were able to raise $5,925.83, which was distributed Natalie Petric evenly to the Justinian Children’s Endowment Fund and the Jus- Secretary tinian Scholarship Fund. None of this would have been possible without Sam and Richard! EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Honorable Joseph Cataldo In September, we all had a fabulous time at the Ceremonial Installation Dinner at the Palmer Honorable Regina Scannicchio House. For the first time, the Justinian Society of Lawyers Endowment Fund sponsored the Honorable Mark Ballard dinner. Thanks to the Endowment Fund, we were able to turn a profit of $9,222.21. Again, John Simpson the proceeds were distributed evenly to the Justinian Children’s Endowment Fund and the Vincent Petrosino Justinian Scholarship Fund. Nicole Centracchio Katherine Amari O'Dell In addition, the event was a great success. Judge Michael Pope served as the Master of Antonio Romanucci Ceremonies and kept the night moving quickly, without feeling rushed. The Reverend Gregg Garofalo Michael Caruso, S.J. of St. Ignatius College Preparatory started the evening with our Invocation. Past President Leonard F. Amari received the Honorable Moses W. Harrison Michela Petrosino Award of Recognition, past President Michael V. Favia received the President’s Award and Student Member the Reverend Monsignor Kenneth Velo received The Award of Excellence. All three gave moving speeches that inspired our year! Please notify Nina Albano Vidmer In October, the Justinian Endowment Fund again sponsored our dinner at Riva’s. At that of any address changes by contact- event, $31,000 in Scholarships were awarded, most of the Chicago law schools match the ing her at: P.O. Box 3217; Oak scholarships as an added bonus to the law students. The Justinian Society itself issued Brook, IL 60522; justinians@ $17,500.00 in scholarships. A special thank you to James Morici, Stephen Phillips, Louis navandassoc.com. Cairo, Thomas Battista and the Anthony “Jack” Rosinia for the individual scholarships they sponsored. Steven Phillips ran the meeting and made a wonderful request of all of us. The request was: if you are able to donate a scholarship, please do so. If not, please donate to the general Justinian Scholarship Fund. In November, we celebrated Mass at Assumption Church, where we blessed our past Presi- dents who were able to attend. The Reverend Monsignor Kenneth Velo also blessed Justinian Continued on Page 6 Staff: Editor: Executive Administrator: RICHARD B. CAIFANO INA LBANO IDMER LEONARD F. AMARI ANTHONY PASQUINI N A V ANGELINA FILIPPO FRANK A. PERRICONE Copy Editor: CARMEN FORTE JR. NICOLE PETRARCA DIANA BOSNJAK THOMAS LEVERSO Associate Editor: MICHAEL PISANO VINCENT OPPEDISANO KATHERINE A. AMARI O'DELL CONTRIBUTORS: SEE PAGE 5 PAGE 1 LettersBy: Katherine to A.the Amari Editor O'Dell Dear Katherine, Dear Leonard, Dear Leonard, I have Excellent! I believe we have more Awarding you the Harrison mentor- received your quality content and pages than the ing award at the Justinian dinner is letter and was Sun-Times at this point. LONG overdue. You deserve it a mil- pleased to find - Michael Favia lion times over. it included a - Judge Celia (Guzaldo) Gamrath clipping from the Justinian Society of Italian Lawyers Newsletter. I appreciate your kindness in making sure I saw it, as well as your kind words about the mentoring award presented to me by my friends and colleagues. As always, the swearing-in dinner was a great success, and it was wonderful to be a part of it. - Timothy C. Evans Chief Judge Circuit Court of Cook Cty Two esteemed past Presidents: Past President Michael Favia with Jack Cerone & Judge Celia Gamrath President DeCarlo Katherine, Thank you for the newsletter. My family enjoyed your story about me. Dear Katherine, - Joe Glimco With admiration, I offer my congratu- lations as the Justinian Society News- letter celebrates the 93rd anniversary of its publication. You and all associated with your publication perform a most valuable service not only for your readers but Judge Tim Evans and MaryAnn Hynes for the larger community. Providing Dear Katherine, information in a coherent and mean- I am in receipt of the copy of the Jus- ingful manner is not merely a job, it is tinian Society Newsletter you provided. Hi Katherine, a mission. Thank you very much for mentioning I have read the (newsletter) article; I salute you for your commitment to my Colcol v. Children’s Hospital settle- it is wonderful. Please let Mr. Amari mission, which is so important to all ment. I am very grateful. know that our family greatly appre- who are familiar with your publication Hope all is well! ciates him taking the time to speak and depend on it: Readers and the - Patrick A. Salvi highly of our facility. We are glad to business community that benefit each make his dining experience a pleasant other because of your efforts. one. Thank you once again, As one who believes that reading is - Pietro Camaci and family, Nonna the most crucial form of communica- Graziella Restaurant, Stone Park tion, I thank you and wish you a long run for your publication. - Maria Pappas Leonard, Cook County Treasurer Many thanks for the kind words in the Fra Noi article and Justinian newsletter. I’m still not convinced that I deserved From left, John G. Locallo, Mark the accolades. Hassakis, and Pat Salvi - Joseph R. Curcio PAGE 2 Letters, continued from page 2 Dear Mr. Sommario, Justinian News Thank you so much for awarding St. Jude the Children’s Endowment Fund Grant of $5,000! We are so grateful of Installation Dinner Report Installation Instills Values people and organizations like you and By: Thomas V. Leverso, Esq. the Justinian Society. Furthermore, Inspiration: it permeated throughout the these funds are so important to our reception area of the Palmer House Hilton’s organization as we continue to help Grand Ballroom and energized all children and families through their who attended the battles with childhood cancer and annual Justinian other deadly diseases! Because of you, Society of Law- there is St. Jude. yers' Installation and Awards Din- - Stacey Pitts ner on September St. Jude Children's 10, 2014. Like a Betty DeCarlo, Monsignor Kenneth Velo and Research Hospital swim in a crisp mountain lake, the President Anita DeCarlo. refreshingly academic and welcoming crowd [Editor’s Note: The CEF received a combined with the appropriately arriving Grant application from St. Jude Chil- autumnal weather. My host for the evening dren's Research Hospital. St. Jude’s was was Leonard Amari himself, along with seeking funds to support its Children’s all the partners and associates of Amari & Locallo and it seemed as though the entire Medical Research. evening began right on his cue. I had the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital good fortune of sitting with giants of the is leading the way the world under- Illinois legal community, including Illinois’ stands, treats and defeats childhood Judges Association president, Justice Mary Seminara Schostok, prominent attorney and cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Deputy Cook County Assessor Thomas J. Jude has the world’s best survival rates Jaconetty, the highly respected Judge Clar- for the most aggressive childhood ence Harrison of Madison County, son of the Past Presidents Mike Favia and Tony Fornelli cancers, and treatments invented at late Justice Moses Harrison, to mention just with Father Michael Caruso, S.J. a few. The room was filled with respected St. Jude have helped push the overall judges and justices of every level, prominent childhood cancer survival rate from trial lawyers and public interest attorneys. It 20 percent to 80 percent since they became clear to me – the annual Installation opened more than 50 years ago. St. and Awards Dinner of the Justinian Society of (Italian) Lawyers enjoys the reputation Jude is working to drive the overall of being the signature social/legal event in survival rate for childhood cancer Illinois in the Fall. to 90 percent in the next decade. St. The cocktail hour began a wave of intro- Jude freely shares the breakthroughs ductions amongst strangers, while simulta- neously old friends resumed from the last they make, and every child saved at time they spoke. This was my first Justinian St. Jude means doctors and scientists Installation Dinner and upon entry into the worldwide can use that knowledge to reception area, an immediate embrace of Past Presidents Judge Bob Bertucci & Judge save thousands more children. Families acceptance removed any anticipation usu- Lisa Marino (right) with Marie Sarantakis. ally felt in a new social situation. The young never receive a bill from St. Jude for appellate attorney was welcomed as an old treatment, travel, housing and food friend instead of a newcomer – by every- – because all a family should worry body I introduced myself to or to whom I was introduced.