The members of the Cellini Lodge #2206 of New Hyde Park, Order Sons of Italy in America, celebrated its 40th Annual Scholarship/Charitable Benefit Dinner Dance last Friday evening at Leonard's of Great Neck.

The honorees for the evening were: The Honorable Michael Balboni, New York State Deputy Secretary for Public Safety; Honorable Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller, and Dr. Nicholas M. Virgilio, a renowned New Hyde Park family chiropractor.

In addition to the dinner, an Annual Souvenir Scholarship/Charitable Benefit Journal, that grosses funds in journal ads and helps to raise funds for qualified students and charities, was formally presented to the membership and guests that evening.

Honored for their many years as members of OSIA, Balboni and DiNapoli have greatly contributed to our society. They have each served respectively as State Senator and State Assemblyman. Although members of different political parties, they have always managed a balance in their relationships with and for the greater community. In their respective and current roles in state government, Balboni has garnered the respect of all in terms of the oversight of homeland security and criminal justice agencies in the Empire State, while DiNapoli has managed to attract the attention of many with his ability to bring people, communities and institutions together in order to resolve tough issues and find practical solutions. Cellini Lodge could have no better OSIA members who have risen to such great public heights. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond his control, honoree Michael Balboni was unable to attend the event.

At the same time, Dr. Virgilio is recognized for his 26 years of service in the local community of New Hyde Park, where he has managed to help countless numbers of adults and children, with his expertise as a chiropractor. He has educated the general community and profession in health and wellness matters that have propelled him to any variety of educational lectures with various organizations and their members. All in the community have concurred that: "Dr. Nick has made a difference."

Jean Vallone Gagliardo, recently re-installed as president of the Cellini Lodge for 2007-09, praised the Lodge for its efforts to make New Hyde Park and the surrounding community a better place to live. She said: "We of the Cellini Lodge are so very proud of all our members and our own Mike Balboni and Tom DiNapoli. And, we know of Dr. Virgilio for all these 26 years. This 40th celebration is special in that we attempt to raise needed monies for our beloved Scholarship/Charitable Benefit Fund. Our dinner dance is the social highlight of the year's events. As the Lodge president, I am appreciative of the support of merchants and sponsors for our journal ads, as well as of all those who attend our annual event in honor of Messrs. Balboni, DiNapoli and Virgilio." Owing to the great respect by the OSIA family members throughout the local and extended geographic areas, some 230 guests attended the event at Leonard's. New York State President for the OSIA, Nancy DiFiore Quinn and National First Vice-President Joseph DiTrapani, and other state and local lodge officials were in attendance.

Annually, the Cellini Lodge dinner dance is the singular occasion for raising funds for the children of lodge members who qualify, as well as for others who meet the requirements of local high school competitions. Program funds are also raised to assist the community-at-large which requests support throughout the year. The Souvenir Scholarship/Charitable Benefit Journal is created from those community advertisers and friend supporters who help with a published tribute to the honoree as well as for the past year's scholarship recipients.

Since the founding of Cellini Lodge in 1968, the Lodge has provided over 275 scholarships with over $250,000 collectively awarded. In the past few years, the Cellini Lodge/Foundation Scholarship Committee announced the creation of six new named scholarships, owing to the generosity of Cellini members, the late Anthony and Carmela Prisco, and Anthony DeBiase, now retired to North Carolina. In addition, senior level students at New Hyde Park Memorial, Herricks, Sewanhaka, Floral Park Memorial, Garden City and Great Neck South High Schools all benefit from a variety of Cellini recognition awards annually. As well, funds from the Journal are used for state charities supported by the NYSOSIA, such as: the Garibaldi Meucci Museum, NYSOSIA Commission for Social Justice, Cooley's Anemia, Alzheimer's, etc.

The chairpersons for the 2008 Scholarship Dinner Dance were Anna Zazzarino Mulea and Grace Serafini Ferrara. Assisting them was a committee consisting of many other Cellini Lodge members.

In speaking with Joseph Sciame, a past president of the Cellini Lodge and now an OSIA national/state past president and a driving force with the Cellini Scholarship Journal since 1968, he stated: "We are all proud of the Cellini Lodge: first, it is my own home lodge; second, it is one of the largest lodges of the OSIA in New York State; and third, it is a model lodge in its organization and many activities within the community of New Hyde Park and the surrounding areas. Cellini Lodge attracts members from other communities because of its very involvement in the fabric of our society, by promoting education, culture and charitable giving. That is why we are all so proud of this Lodge. And this year, we were especially proud of the Balboni-DiNapoli-Virgilio "honoree team," as they have all achieved great positions in our society and in the greater community. They are indeed our role models and we wish them well."