Cayuga County CIAO

This CNN travel article is about Biccari, Italy, co-chair Paolo Saltarello's hometown. https://www.cnn.com//people-cheap-italian-houses/index.html

Reminder to current CIAO members that annual dues are payable in January, and are $25/individual, $40 couple. Please mail your check to CIAO, 144 Genesee Street, Suite 102-240, Auburn, NY 13021. CIAO is open to individuals with demonstrated Italian heritage and we always welcome new members. If you are interested in becoming a member of CIAO, membership information can be found on our website at the link below. https://www.cayugacountyciao.org/membership/

CIAO spreads holiday cheer! Earlier this week, Dr. John Ryan coordinated the delivery of Panettone to all Nursing Stations at Auburn Community Hospital. Thank you to all frontline workers from CIAO! Buon Natale! CIAO members were met at the door to hand off the holiday packages for delivery to nursing stations in the hospital. Pictured are Pam Harvey, Dr. Ryan and Paolo Saltarello preparing the panettone for delivery, with photography and additional help by Anna Saltarello. Delivery to the hospital included Dr. Ryan, Paul Saltarello, Tony Gucciardi and photographer Felix Mucedola.

The Cultural Italian American Organization held a flag raising ceremony at the Christopher Columbus monument in Auburn. The Stars and Stripes was raised to The Star Spangled Banner, as the Tricolor flag was also raised to the Italian national hymn, Fratelli d’Italia. As in many cities of the USA, many Italian organizations commemorate Columbus Day with events such as CIAO’s annual Testimonial Dinner, at which we honor a local person for their dedication to the betterment ...of the community. Due to these difficult times during the pandemic, CIAO postponed this event until 2021. The flag raising took place by the Christopher Columbus monument erected in 1992 by the St. Francis Parish in Auburn, honoring the early Italian immigrants who settled in Auburn. Participants were Tony Gucciardi, Vito Charella, Dick Paulino, Paul Saltarello, Paul Vitale, and Tony Tesoro.

CIAO will be selling our traditional pizza fritte at BOCES at 1879 W Genesee Street Road in Auburn and donate all profits to Tomatofest today, Oct 10 from 10-2. This is a canned food and fried dough drive-by in cooperation with Tomatofest, Cayuga County Sheriff and the Auburn Police Department to raise funds for area food pantries.

Saturday, Oct. 3, from 2 to 6 p.m., a pasta dinner take-out will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 299 Clark Street, Auburn. This event, sponsored by CIAO (Cultural Italian American Organization), is designed to raise money to assist with the financial strain caused by the three-month closure of the church and the cancellation and postponement of so many events due to the coronavirus pandemic. CIAO is donating all the food items necessary for the dinner, which includes... ziti, meatballs, sausage, salad, CIAO’s own Italian bread and cookies baked by the Sacred Heart Society. Cost of the dinner is $15. The total proceeds will go to the parish. All dinners will be individually packaged and can be picked up outside the entrance of Nacca Hall behind St. Francis Church. To help plan for the amount of food and to accommodate everyone, you are asked to call ahead to Felix and Marianne Mucedola (315) 406-4859, or Anna Saltarello at (315) 252-7778, or Mary Chirco at (315) 252-2713. Pasta dinners will be available to others on that day until there are no more.

Some images from our fundraiser last week in Port Byron. Thank you to Cayuga County CIAO and Doug's Fish Fry and Doug's ToGo for supporting Old Erie Canal Herit...age Park- Port Byron! We are truly grateful for our volunteers and to everyone who stopped by to support our Park. One supporter even drove 200 miles each way just for fried dough! Canal Society of New York State