By James Beaty

Talk to Karen Condit for a few minutes about her family and it's obvious she's beaming with pride about her Italian heritage. Her heritage includes stories about her grandmother, who, as an 8-year-old child, cared for her three younger siblings while crossing the Atlantic during an ocean voyage from Italy to the United States.

The family's heritage is about to be publicly recognized. Donnie and Karen Condit are the newest Italian Festival royalty, set to be crowned Re and Regina for the event set for this weekend. Plans call for the festival to be held from 9 a.m. until dark Saturday and from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday at the Southeast Expo Center and Pittsburg County Fairgrounds west of McAlester. Donnie and Karen Condit are scheduled to be officially crowned at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on the outdoor stage close to the main Italian Festival Food Tent.

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Source: http://www.mcalesternews.com/