CIAO held its annual Christmas Party at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Silver Creek. Thirty people enjoyed a delicious luncheon prepared by Brunner’s Bayside Catering.

Members enjoyed, chicken parmesan, breaded pork cutlet, roasted red potatoes, baked ziti, caprice’ and antipasti salad. Desserts were provided by club members. CIAO members donated candy and sweets to fill Christmas Stockings which are donated to Willow Mission.

In lieu of a program, Sam Crisanti and Nance Ortolano spoke about the trip they and several other board members and guests took to St Anthony’s Church in Buffalo. Board members attended Mass which was in Italian.

They were warmly greeted by the priest and members of the Italian Cultural Center, Dr. Francesco Giacobbe, John and Jancie Vecchio.

After Mass, guided by a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable woman named Mary, they visited the museum located in the basement of the church.

Many artifacts from Italians who immigrated from Italy, but especially from Sicily, as St. Anthony’s was founded by the immigrants from Sicily.

The exhibits are so extensive you could spend hours looking at everything! So very interesting! Several Exhibits documented immigrants who settled in Dunkirk, Angola, and Brant.

A picture of Chiavetta’s poultry farm from the early 1900s was one on display. Many of the family names on exhibit are still prominent today.

After the tour of the museum, the CIAO group went to lunch at the Garage, a restaurant located near the Cultural Center.

All of us were just amazed at the beauty of the Center.

The front door opened to a beautiful brick piazza, where people purchased bricks in memory of family members or in their family name. We were treated to a very personal tour by Dr. Giacobbe and John Vecchio. A coffee and gift shop, lounge area with a beautiful fireplace and a gallery occupied the first floor. On display was a beautiful collection from artist, Dr. V. Roger Lalli. Dr. Giacobbe gave us a very interesting biography of Dr. Lalli. This collection valued at more than $1 million.

Taking the elevator to the ground floor where an industrial kitchen with limited seating for cooking classes, and small receptions, an auditorium where Italian is taught, and a special booth set up with internet and computers for people to explore their ancestry are located.

The Center is handicapped accessible and “user” friendly, so all who want to enter may do so. Dr. Giacobbe emphasized that the Center is open to everyone, not only Italians to enjoy.

At the end of the tour we were treated to cappuccino and sweets made by John’s wife, Janice.

CIAO is planning on offering its members a trip to the Cultural Center in the spring.