Garibaldi-Meucci Museum Fundraiser Brunch Rescheduled

The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum's 23rd Annual Fundraiser Brunch, originally scheduled for August 28 at the Stuart Thomas Manor in Farmingdale, New York, will now take place beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 5 at LiGreci's Staaten, 697 Forest Avenue, Staten Island, New York 10310. The event was postponed due to concern about Hurricane Irene. This year's honorees are Salvatore Lanzilotta and John Dabbene. Lanzilotta is being honored as he completes his term as State President of the Grand Lodge of New York of the Order Sons of Italy in America. Dabbene, long-time Chairman and President/CEO of the museum, is being honored posthumously for his 30 years of fighting discrimination and promoting a positive image of Italian-Americans.

The cost of the hot and cold brunch is $65. Proceeds provide major funding to the museum's cultural exhibitions and programs.

Following the brunch at 2 p.m. at the museum (420 Tompkins Avenue in Rosebank), a ceremony will take place to dedicate the first group of commemorative bricks in the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum Commemorative Brick Walkway. The Walkway project was launched on March 17, 2011 to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the liberation of Sicily by General Giuseppe Garibaldi and his 1,089 men. That victory led to the declaration of the Kingdom of Italy that created the Italy we know today.

The dedication ceremony will celebrate the successful accomplishment of the first phase of the Brick Walkway project, with more than 250 bricks already engraved and installed. It is also meant to celebrate those who have already purchased the bricks and thank them for their generous support. It will also especially honor John Dabbene, to whom many of the bricks have been dedicated, and his work at the museum.

The engraved bricks that will pave the sidewalk in front of the museum have been purchased and personalized with a name, special date or brief message to honor a family member or friend. They are a permanent memorial to those named, at one of Staten Island's most historic sites, that will be seen by future visitors for generations to come.

Joseph Sciame, a national/state past president of the Order Sons of Italy in America, and now Co-Chair of the NYS Board of Commissioners, who is a prime protagonist in the raising of funds for the Brick Walkway, recently stated: "This initiative by the Board of Commissioners, and under the coordination of Museum Director Michela Traetto, is one of the most important campaigns this Museum has encountered in its history. This is a rare opportunity for all to help commemorate a person, an event in their respective lives, and yet assist in preserving the heritage of a great piece of history here in America. Giuseppe Garibaldi lived in that house, and for that reason in this 150th Anniversary Year of the Unification of Italy, it is a core piece in the future existence of that site."

Bricks are still available for sale, and those purchased now will be installed at a future date. Bricks come in three sizes and range in price from $100 to $1,000, and can be purchased for yourself, or given as a gift to remember ancestors or recognize children or grandchildren. Don't miss this unique opportunity to engrave your name in the history of the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum. You will be helping to preserve a Staten Island historical landmark while promoting Italian culture, and remembering your loved ones in a real, lasting way.

The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum was the home of Antonio Meucci, the true inventor of the telephone, and a refuge to Giuseppe Garibaldi, the legendary hero who championed the unification of Italy. For over 50 years the museum has fulfilled its mission to preserve the legacies of these great men, and to promote understanding of the Italian-American heritage through cultural, artistic and educational programs and classes.

Regular museum hours are 1 p.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Admission is $5 per person, members and children under 10 are free. Call ahead for groups of 10 or more. The first floor of the museum is wheelchair accessible, but the restroom is on the second floor. At press time, program funding has been provided through the Order Sons of Italy in America; by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; the Office of the Staten Island Borough President, Richmond County Savings Foundation; Northfield Bank Foundation, and by grants allocated by New York State Senator Diane Savino and New York City Council members Vincent Ignizio and James Oddo.