The Queen of the Southern California Italian community, the Historic Italian 
Hall, destined to be their heritage museum, will not much longer have to wear 
the shredded rags of her past decline nor will she any longer have to be held 
a prisoner of neglect. The active members of the Historic Italian Hall 
Foundation have tirelessly labored through the process of bringing the hall 
to the culmination of its design stage and they are currently looking forward 
to putting those architectural plans into action. To take them into the 
future, the foundation, in a collaborative effort between the Sicilia 
Culturale Society, an international organization, and 4 Points Press 
Publishing Company, spearheaded the foundations first Friendraiser Affair, 
making it a major fundraising success. 

While this affair, primarily an information and status presentation, was to 
inform the public, especially Italians of the local community, it however 
escalated into a fundraising success, as if it had suddenly taken on a life 
of its own. First and foremost of those who so generously responded to the 
hall's need of restoration were George and Reva Graziadio, the co-founder's 
of Imperial Bank, a bank whose integrity, as a financial institution, is 
respected the world over as well as within the Italian community, reflects 
the ideals of their heritage. 

Mr. Graziadio, a native of Connecticut, Calabrese by heritage, is truly a 
self made man in the old tradition. As so many of his times, the onset of the 
Great Depression forced him to quit school at a very young age and go to work 
to help with his family's finances. At the young, tender age of thirteen he 
had become a successful auctioneer. Inspired by his mother to travel to the 
west coast, where she herself had made many trips, he migrated from 
Connecticut to California at the beginning of WWII. There he took odd jobs 
eventually going into real estate, buying, building and selling commercial 
properties. From there he went into commercial banking with a partner forming 
the prestigious Imperial Bank. He and his wife Reva, whom he met and married 
in California, are philanthropists of the highest order, giving back to the 
community by contributing heavily to medical facilities and educational 
institutions. They have three children, two daughters and one son, seven 
grandchildren and three great-grandchildren to carry on their traditions. 

July 15, 2001, at Casa Italiana, of St. Peter's Italian Catholic Church, 
which is located on North Broadway, in Los Angeles, California was the 
appropriate scene for The Queen's first Friendraiser. The affair got underway 
at one o'clock in the afternoon, with over two hundred and fifty people in 
attendance, most of them representing their respective Italian organizations 
and societies. They continue their commitment to perpetuating their culture 
and preserving it for their future generations. The present example of the 
Friendraiser is an illustration of their dedication to preserving and 
perpetuating their heritage. True to their nature, they came out in force to 
support the Historic Italian Hall Foundation's efforts to reach the goals 
they had projected towards seeing the museum grow as the community's cultural 
and generational centerpiece. 

The recent Friendraiser was the first kick-off towards reaching those goals 
and the foundation is now well on its way. With the help and the good graces 
of God, the foundation's assisting organizations and the community's 
individual donors, the members of the foundation's coalition can forge ahead 
to bejewel the Queen in the gems that she deserves. 

The highlight of the afternoon, by way of a twenty-two minute video 
presentation, was a visual tour of the Hall in its present condition. The 
video, produced by 4pointspress, in collaboration with the Sicilia Culturale 
Society, both avid advocates for restoring the Historic Italian Hall, was 
well received by an appreciative audience. Cav. Andrew Asaro, president of 
Sicilia Culturale, first to appear on video, introduced Rosemarie Claro 
Lippman, president of the foundation, who narrated and guided the watching 
group through the first part of the video tour, gave her audience the 
historical background of the Historic Hall and elaborated on the proposed 
plans that will be in place for the restoration of the museum. Joining her 
mid-way in the video tour was the president of the Federated Italo-Americans 
Organization, Nick Costantini. His moving and dynamic message inspired the 
attendees to become involved in the Historic Italian Hall project. Because of 
the profound need to bring back the glory that was once associated with the 
Hall, the video, in its graphic presentation of the decline of the building, 
proved to have an intense impact on the audience. 

Again, leading the response of the Hall's needs was the single donation made 
by George and Reva Graziadio,made during the showing of the video. Quickly 
following their vanguard gift was a contribution of $5000, from the Order of 
the Son's Of Italy, which was presented by Peter Tubiolo, a life long member 
and the past, California state president of that Order. With a cheerful smile 
and pride in her voice, Marisa Antonini, president of the Antonini 
Philanthropic Fund, immediately matched their bequest, presenting the 
foundation with an additional gift of $5,000. Without delay, in an appeal for 
all organizations to come forth and support the foundation's efforts, the 
president of the South Bay Italian Club, Carmela Funicello and her husband, 
Frank, presented the foundation with a $1000 check. 

Captivated by the momentum, the attendees of the affair made many pledges as 
well. Although they are too numerous to mention here they were nonetheless 
equally responsible in furthering the success of the Friendraiser. Wearing 
their Milli Gratzie Wall badges with pride were the donors to that wall and 
their attendance was also one of the leading factors that helped to thrust 
home the need to help the foundation resurrect the fallen Queen. 

What do we do next? Look forward to more Friendraisers as the Historic 
Italian Hall enters her next phases of development. 

EDITOR'S NOTE:
We, here, at 4Points Press feel proud that we made as substantial a donation 
to the success of the Historic Italian Hall Foundation's Friendraiser as all 
those who served to committee it, attend it and donate funds to their event. 
Now, we move on to our next "Helping Hand" event, our own neighbor council, 
which kicks off its efforts to organize this month.