UPCOMING STUFF!
ALL SISTER CITY POTLUCK!
Thursday, May 19, 6-9 PM
Dorothy Hart Community Center
408 Canal Street
Traditional Dress Welcome.
Members ONLY! Cost $15 per person.
Limit 100 tickets! Buy NOW!
Purchase tickets online by May 13 at EventBrite
By check: (Note in memo line your Sister City organization)
Made out to
SFA
Roger Engles
314 Princess Anne Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22401.
Arts Exchange Talk and Exhibit
Cathy Herndon show
LibertyTown
Saturday, June 4
6 PM
Details below!
Annual Meeting
We gathered for the first time in two years to hear about how we’d weathered the pandemic, and to review our activities in 2019-20. We watched a photo review of the last two years, including La Befana 2020, and the fun of 2021’s Pizza Palooza, held in Market Square in September. Volunteers were recognized for exceptional service, including Bob and Barbara Antozzi, and Chip Willis for their work on Pizza Palooza; Deb Newman for her work on our website and communications; and Odile Pryor for her work on programming lectures.
Retiring board members Midge Vittoria, Ashley Anglin, and Ann Tebbutt were given gifts for their service.
Chip Willis reported that Pizza Palooza grossed $14,467, and that our April bank balance was $32,190.
Chip also reported that we have several Italian students who wish to visit Fredericksburg this summer, through our Rotary partnership with Este. We are looking for host families for these students.
Bob Bevilaqua and Bob Antozzi, our nominations committee, announced that the candidate for president had withdrawn from standing for the election. Kathryn Willis will serve as interim president until another candidate is named, at which time a special membership meeting will be called. Claire Simpson was elected by acclamation as new secretary.
Activities for the year were announced, including the adult exchange and Pizza Palooza in September; the Italian Composers Concert in October; and possible winery visit.
Members are encouraged to nominate themselves or others for the presidency and for other board positions as they wish.
Sister Cities Committee Meeting
Report on proceedings
April 14, 2022
Once or twice a year, Mayor Greenlaw calls leaders of all sister cities together to share what’s going on and what’s coming up. All five sister cities updated their activities during covid and their plans for the year.
In addition, Mayor Greenlaw shared that the City is conducting a survey about the Visitors Center, and the input will help inform the discussion about possibly using the Renwick Building as a new home for the Visitors Center.
A lively discussion followed about the urgent need for all Sister City groups to have a place to store their supplies, to meet as a board, to display all the gifts given to the City from our sister city partners, and to gather for formal receptions and events. Having this display and gathering space as a part of the visitors center facility is logical and appropriate.
Kathryn Willis has written an advocacy summary of the Fred-Este Assn.’s need for space. Bob Bevilacqua and Bill Hatch will represent our group at an upcoming roundtable discussion about the visitor center issue.
Arts Exchange
Cathy Herndon will visit Este from April 20-May 11 as this year’s Artist Exchange honoree. She will teach in Este, will create art, will complete an outdoor mural on a wall in Este, and will mount a joint art exhibit with Este artist Andrea Rimondo. The art exhibit is being sponsored by the City of Este under the direction of its new director of Sister City relations, Andrea Quadraella. Andrea is very excited to be active in the sister city partnership.
To help Cathy with her exhibit, Kathryn and Chip Willis, and Bob and Barbara Antozzi, will accompany Cathy. The Willis and the Antozzis are paying for their trip; Cathy’s exchange residency is sponsored by our organization. To date, $1,100 has been raised in a GoFundMe campaign to defer some of the costs.
Images of her artwork and mural are on our Facebook page.
Art Show and Talk by Cathy at LibertyTown
Saturday, June 4, 6 PM.
Once more, LibertyTown and Fred-Este are partnering for a reception event to honor Cathy Herndon for her arts exchange visit.
She will display several of her works completed in Este and other paintings and she will talk about her Este experience.
Those who have contributed to her GoFundMe campaign will be eligible for a drawing for one of her works.
Mark your calendars for this exciting reception, show, and talk!
Pizza Palooza!
Saturday, September 17
6-10 PM
Market Square
We are once more gearing up for our signature event. WE NEED YOU to volunteer NOW for various activities in preparation for this event. Please let Bob Antozzi or Chip Willis know of your willingness to help!
Adult Exchange Visit
This September! Our Este friends were due to visit in 2020, so it’s long overdue. Ten Este friends will come in mid-September, to be here to attend Pizza Palooza. This is a fun time for our entire membership. Please let Kathryn Willis know that you would like to help or host.
Italian Composers Concert
October 2022
Our able board member Bob Bevilacqua, who chairs the Composers Concert effort, has already confirmed that the wonderful Fredericksburg Chamber Chorale will perform Italian and American choral works in late October. Bob is working with St. George’s to reserve an appropriate date for the use of the nave.
We offer this concert free to the community, and it is a quality performance by one of our finest performing groups. It is a joy to see this event on our calendar.
Italian Composers Lecture
October 2022
In conjunction with the Italian Composers Concert, we are planning a lecture on Italian composers. We hope once more to hold the lecture in Sydnor Hall of St. George’s. As information becomes available, we will share it.
A wonderful year is coming up. Thank you to the 13 members who renewed at the Sustainer level, and to the 63 new and renewing members.
We welcome your help, even in small ways. Please let Kathryn Willis know where you’d like to serve.
You may email anything to fredeste2015@gmail.com, which will reach any board member or committee.
