A letter from the President
Have you ever met anyone more proud of their heritage than an Italian? Most of us Italian Americans know, “there are the Italians and those that wish they were.” The food, the language, romance, Italia? Well, we welcome you. We are the Italian American Club of the CSRA (IAC), so come be a part of who we are.The IAC of the CSRA strives to continue that great pride in our heritage. Each year, the IAC organizes events such as the Pasta Festival, Christmas party, and other family oriented functions. With your club membership you will also receive our newsletter mailed or e-mailed to you every month.
The newsletter has articles on Italian history and personal family backgrounds, Italian recipes, and stories that highlight our members and their backgrounds. The newsletter is the people you meet through the IAC.
People you want to have a glass of wine with, people that have a tendency to speak with their hands. People who work hard at the Pasta Fest but still have a smile on their face. This is what The Italian American Club of the CSRA is all about; continuing the pride in our heritage.
Thank You,
Regina Weitz
2022-Present IAC President
Our Story
First organized in 1951, the Italian-American Club of the CSRA drew many members from the workforce of local operations of large national employers, such as Fort Gordon and the Savannah River Site. However, many members of the Club belong to families with deep roots in the CSRA Records indicate that merchant Ferdinand Phinizy of Parma, Italy, was operating a lucrative retail store in Augusta, Georgia as early as 1790. It was, also, the skill of Italian stone masons that lead to the creation of Augusta’s Lake Olmstead.The Club seeks to unite into one organization people who wish to work together for the preservation and deepening of the Italian-American friendship and relationship. It is the purpose of the Club to foster and disseminate an appreciation of the Italian culture and customs, to maintain a continuing interest in Italian heritage, and to provide an association with other Italian-American Clubs in nearby areas.
A major initiative of the club is to give back to the community through functions that enable us to establish scholarships for deserving students of Italian decent and provide donations for local charities. Our yearly function for fundraising is our annual Pasta Festival.
Our club meets on the second Thursday of each month, August through May, with the exception of December. At these meetings the club members enjoy many themed meal events during these months together. Meal themes include Pizza night, Spiral Ham dinner, antipasto night, and many more. In December we have our annual Christmas Party. The last meeting of the year in May is our Installation Banquet. There are many other functions we plan throughout the year such as River boat trips, and the popular Bocce Ball Tournament that is held in Hilton Head, SC by a fellow Italian American Club (We are the reigning champions for 2010 & 2011) We also host a yearly White Elephant Auction which benefits the American Heart Association.
We encourage members in our community who have an Italian heritage to come and share their customs and experiences with us so that we can all gain enrichment from our culture and be able to share and continue traditions from our families together. If you aren’t a member please go to our membership page and fill out the membership form or use the contact form below to get in touch with us. We can’t wait to hear from you and will get back to you.