Judi Rizzetto
Members of the PebbleCreek Italian American Club are having a busy spring with all of the following activities going on:
April 4 Day at the Races (Turf Paradise) Event
April 14 Bingo Night at Goodyear Community Bingo
May 3 Dolly Steamboat Luncheon Cruise at Tortilla Flats
Come and join us for all the fun. Our next meeting is Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom with information available on all of these activities. You can check our club out at our website www.pciac.org at your convenience.
Our club invites all PebbleCreekers to learn about Italy’s history from its unification (1860-1870), to the present. The Italian Film Series is shown on the first and third Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. in the Tuscany Falls Chianti Room South.
March 19 saw club members get together to celebrate the St Joseph’s Day tradition at Sunrise Park. St. Joseph’s Day brings the hope of spring and a break from Lent for the Sicilians. “San Giuseppuzzu,” as he is known to the Sicilians, is much loved. He is the patron of the poor, the needy and the orphaned and the celebration of his day in unlike any other in Sicily. In a time of famine, Sicilians prayed to St. Joseph. When their prayers were answered and the famine came to an end, in gratitude Sicilians promised to make annual offerings of their most precious possession—-food—-in St. Joseph’s honor. Club members and guests celebrated with a display of traditional St. Joseph Day foods. It was a non-meat celebration with breads, fresh fruits, vegetables and zeppoles. The story of the St. Joseph legend was shared with all attending.
Many club members continued the St. Joseph Day Celebration with the third annual Italian Association of Arizona Festival in Scottsdale. This festival is a two-day celebration of Italian culture, music, food and commerce.
Many of the recipes of these St. Joseph Day celebrations are available in the PC Italian American Club’s cookbook. A few copies of Favorites from our Table are available by contacting Joan Suriano at either 623-266-0388 or [email protected]. The cost is $10 each, payable by cash or to PCIAC.