Lin ONOFRIO Brinkman (#1388) opened the monthly PIP meeting Saturday January 17, 1998 at 1:30 p.m. at the Bank One in Round Rock, TX by announcing that the food was ready. After the 21 members and guests had feasted on Pasta Verde, salad, Italian bread and cookies Lin welcomed everyone, passed out a 1998 meeting schedule and expressed the advantages of being a POINTer member and receiving the quarterly. Everyone introduce himself as the membership roster and surname list were circulated for updating. She showed our club flyer that is on display at the various local research facilities. Lin announced a new surname for her family: PASCARELLO from San Prisco, Caserta.
Marilyn MANISCALCO Henley (#1653) reported that she was elected 2nd V.P. - - Program Chairman of the Austin Genealogical Society and that the next general meeting is Jan 27 and encouraged everyone to join. She told about assisting her daughter (who is an assistant archivist in Galveston) with research about the Italian sculptor, Pompeo Coppini at the Center for American History at the University of Texas and how the members should not overlook that facility for their own research. She mentioned that her daughter is searching UT for the 10 foot sculpture "Victims of the Galveston Flood" (of 1900) in case anyone knows its whereabouts. She passed around the Family History microfilm book, flyers for the upcoming Williamson County seminar, current quarterlies from the Houston and New Orleans Italian Federations and the NARA email address for obtaining forms via email.
Guest Maria Tonti Schultz, a native of Livorno, Italy, is teaching Italian to Lin and her mother, Dorothy MANGO ONOFRIO Lippincott. Dorothy told how she and Lin and Bill and their son Bob are traveling to Germany in March to see their other son Andrew, who's in the service, and his wife, Michele, and then onto Italy for 2 weeks.
Virginia MACRI Gerick (#2730) and husband Jim updated us on the Ethnic Festival next Saturday, Jan 24 at Concordia University from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Woltman Activity Center. Our booth will be decorated with posters of Italy and our new flyers. We'll handout Biscotti, Italian recipes and meeting schedules. Anyone wishing to come by and relieve the Gericks and Brinkmans during the day is welcome. Virginia brought an "Antique Journal" for Don Villoni for him to advertise for sheet music written by his grandfather.
Mary Onofrio (#3556) drove in from Dallas for the meeting. She reported that after a lot of encouragement from Bill Brinkman, she finally began ordering films at the Family History Center resulting in great success. She found her husband's grandfather's birth certificate and the great grandparent's marriage certificate. Shes had one certificate translated and looking forward to finding more information. She is also trying to determine the province of some of the family members.
Frank and HENRY (IANNARINO) (#3258) mentioned about POINTer Robert Pusateri also researching in Termini Imerese, Sicily. Frank displayed a linen with a colorful decorative map of Sicily that his daughter gave him for Christmas.
New member Vic Black told about his ongoing search for the last 5-10 years into his MONETA family from Trieste, Fuiuli and MISCALINI family, area unknown. He has been getting information from his 85 year old mother and talking with other family members. He bought the information packet from the workshops to help learn how to research.
Don Villoni suggested that the members ask other family members, especially the older ones, about photos (and identify them), old movie film, documents and other forgotten family papers.
Bill Brinkman gave an example of keeping communication open and making new contacts with family members. At Christmastime, he received genealogy reports from three people he had contacted last during a summer trip.
Joe MASTRANGELO( #2614) added his own story to staying in touch with family members. He finally got the missing link to the origin of the VETRANO family - CAMPOFIORITO, Palermo, Sicily in a note from a cousin, who didn't remember previously that she knew this information. He finished reading "The History of Poggioreale (Trapani)", English translation. He received a response from the Trapani State Archives that they didn't have records for Poggioreale for 1873; he responded asking where they might be found.
Guests Augie and Lory TROIANI, natives of L'Aquila, Abruzzi have recently moved to Georgetown; theyve lived in the U.S. for many years. Augie is interested in the Italian American experiences and said that he would share some of his finds in other meetings. He will bring a few books next month that will assist some of our members in their research.
Jeanette Green (#3555) showed everyone the genealogy related canvas tote bags made by her daughter with family pictures stamped on both sides.
Next meeting is Wednesday, February 11, 6:30 p.m.
Visit our homepage at: http:www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/3752/index.html