POINTers IN PERSON Minutes
Chapter # 10 Central Texas/Austin
Marilyn MANISCALCO Henley (# 1653)
Lin ONOFRIO Brinkman (# 1388) opened the monthly POINTers In Person meeting at 6:30 pm Wed, Nov. 20, 2002 at the Round Rock Library with 17 members attending. Announcements included: membership dues to be collected in January; she has a variety of pens, bumper stickers and labels that she is selling for our group and the ICA; The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is collecting money for victims of the recent Italian earthquakes; on December 7, in the Rotunda of the Capitol Building, “Joy to the World” will be sung simultaneously in many native languages – last year there were 40 countries represented; and the annual PIP # 10 Christmas Pot-luck luncheon is on December 8.
Marilyn MANISCALCO Henley (# 1653) reported on the successful Texas State Genealogical Society (TSGS) Conference with Dr John P. COLLETTA as the primary speaker; she and Arthur were invited to dinner with Dr Colletta and the TSGS President and her husband.
Carol MAINA Roam (# 4623) reported on her New York trip where she toured Ellis Island and learned that her grandfather was in second class on his voyage to the U.S.
Sheila BAYHA Dugosh (# 4365) traveled to Virginia Beach, VA for her mother’s (Ann BAYHA) 80th birthday.
Jeannie MARSALIA (# 4251) and Ursula PASSAFUMA Rader (#4467) both returned from their recent surgeries and are doing well.
Pat OXLEY (#3713) reported that she is reading and enjoying “The Ghost of Hannah Mendez”, recommended by Sharon DEBARTOLO Carmack in one of her magazine articles. Pat and her daughter, Suzi, will give a Scrapbook and Preservation program at the November Williamson County Genealogical Society meeting. Pat and husband Don leave in December for a South American cruise.
Lynn LECROPANE (#4728) reported that she has entered the 80 new family members she found in Salt Lake City and that she is going to Ellis Island with her father for the anniversary of the aircraft carrier he served on in the military.
Joe MASTRANGELO (#2614) reported that he is writing letters to help solve answers in his genealogy that weren’t solved in SLC, including some background on a VETRANO cousin in Houston. He is also reading “The Etruscans”.
Bill Brinkman reported that the 1880 U.S. Census Index is on the LDS website and is searchable.
Don VILLONI (# 3985) reported on his and Shirley’s travels, since the attending the October POINT Conference. They included attending his 56 year high school reunion in Ohio, a 10 day cruise near Holland and Belgium, 12 days in Canada, and a cruise from Italy to France, 16 days in France, which also included a river cruise that sailed into Paris at nighttime. They purchased Tour de France shirts and wore them home in celebration of the Lance Armstrong victory. We were all exhausted listening to their extensive itinerary and wish we had that much energy!
While in France, Don and Shirley met with the VILLONI family with whom he has corresponded since meeting via an internet search. The family speaks excellent English, and they invited 14 of their relatives to meet Don and Shirley. Don learned that their family, who immigrated from Italy to France, was from an area near his Villoni family, in CASAPULLA, instead of Bellona as he originally thought. He learned that train service began in the 1800’s enabling more movement of Italians. Don’s was enthusiastic over the warm reception and the connection the families felt toward each other; he encouraged everyone to try to visit those people with whom you’ve corresponded.
Eugenia ASSIABENE Luken reported that she wrote to an ASSIABENE in Milan inquiring if they might be related and if they would like to correspond. She announced that her granddaughter is getting married in Houston.
Dorothy MANGO Lippincott showed a new photo of her grandchildren.
Lin reported that she received an email from a Pete VALENTI of Cape Cod, MD, searching for family information, also asking if she knew someone named Dorothy MANGO ONOFRIO. In replying to her response that Dorothy is her mother, he asked for some family information, which Lin promptly sent. He was overwhelmed – he and Dorothy are cousins and have not seen each other in 60 years.
The 2003 meeting schedule is now posted under Meeting Schedule.