On January 3, Lorenzo Fiorentino and Richard Wojewnik picked up a large quantity of books and records from the Italian American Veterans Museum and placed them on the shelves of the recently opened Chicagoland Combined Veterans Museum, Library and Honor Wall. Fiorentino and Wojewnik are members of the American Legion Post 335 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5979, which […]
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Retired Army Colonel and museum board President Renato Bacci recently represented the Italian American Veterans Museum in a virtual signing of a Statement of Support for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The Statement of Support demonstrates an organization’s commitment to those two branches of the military. Illinois ESGR State Chair Laurie Silvey and Employer Outreach Co-Director Scott Klein hosted the ceremony via Zoom […]
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The Italian American Veterans Museum was a socially distanced beehive of activity on Columbus Day, with more than 17 visitors passing through its doors on the afternoon of Oct. 12, 2020. Strict protocols were followed, with everybody wearing masks, using hand sanitizer, and occupancy limited to groups of no more than 10 family members and friends at a time. Board […]
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The Italian American Veterans Museum will receive unprecedented media play in October thanks to ABC 7 and the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. JCCIA President Sergio Giangrande recommended the museum for coverage during Italian Heritage Month and the station’s programming department sent out producer Justyna Syska, videographer Corinthian Burt and stagehand Ryan Lyons to interview museum President Renato Bacci […]
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IAVM President Renato (Ron) Bacci recently joined Shalom (Scott) Klein on his weekly radio show, “Get Down to Business,” to discuss the history and work of the Italian American Veterans Museum. The seven-minute interview was aired at 6:30 p.m. on July 5 on AM 560 (WIND) radio. Shalom is an avid networker and dedicated entrepreneur. On his Sunday evening show, […]
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The American Legion First Division, Department of Illinois, held its Commander’s Breakfast at the Italian American Veterans Museum on Feb. 8. On hand to open the museum and welcome the august assemblage was IAVM board member and American Legion Post 335 Commander Lorenzo Fiorentino. First Division Commander Gigi Callaway hosted the meeting, which included Illinois Senior Vice Commander Wayne L. […]
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The January meeting of the board of directors was a momentous occasion, with museum President Paul Basile and his fellow civilian officers making room for a whole new cadre of leaders with extensive military background. Basile passed the gavel to retired Army Col. Renato Bacci. Joining him at the top are retired Navy Com. Joseph Troiani (first vice president), retired […]
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Rose Mary and Chuck Kurgis journeyed to the museum from south suburban Crete to donate a remarkable trove of memorabilia from Rose Mary’s father, departed World War II hero Louis Venditti. Venditti was a member of the legendary “Band of Brothers,” parachuting behind enemy lines in the predawn hours of the D-Day invasion. He earned the Bronze Star, the Purple […]
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The Italian American Veterans Museum was honored to accept a donation of memorabilia belonging to departed World War II hero Raymond Ciccone from his nephew, Vietnam veteran Frank Falzone. A staff sergeant in the Army Air Corps, Ciccone was an aerial gunner on a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber. Stationed in Italy and flying with the 455th Bomb Group (Heavy), he flew 35 […]
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Hundreds of children turned out with their parents and grandparents in tow for Casa Italia’s Christmas Village, a beloved annual event that features a Mass with Living Nativity, visits with Santa and La Befana, horse-drawn cart rides and traditional Italian treats. More than two dozen attendees stopped by the veterans museum while they were on the grounds. Among them were […]
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