The Sons of Italy Foundation® (SIF), the philanthropic arm of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America® (OSDIA), will be hosting its 32nd Annual National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala on Friday, May 28, 2021.

The gala will be held virtually and will recognize highly accomplished honorees, award scholarships to outstanding students, present a van donation to Help Our Military Heroes, and feature a special musical performance by “The People’s Tenor” Michael Amante.

The Polo Family, successful aeronautic manufacturers, will be honored with the prestigious National Education & Leadership Award. The other honorees will be Fashion Entrepreneur Yolanda Cellucci (Excellence for Business Award), Bob and Lisa Tramontano (Humanitarian Award), and Engineer/Professor/Designer/Inventor Joseph Mele (Lifetime Achievement Award). The recipients of the SIF’s 2021 Scholarship Program will be recognized for their academic achievements. For the 18th straight year, actor Joe Mantegna will serve as the NELA Gala’s Master of Ceremonies. General Peter W. Chiarelli (U.S. Army, retired) will serve as the NELA Gala’s second-ever Honorary Chairman.

During the program, the SIF will award over $75,000 in scholarships and commemorate its donation of $20,000 to Help Our Military Heroes with special video presentations. The donation provides a fully equipped, adaptive minivan to our country’s most severely wounded, injured, and ill service men and women who sustained their injuries while on active duty. The SIF will also recognize a past year of donations to several important causes—including $15,000 to The V Foundation for Cancer Research and $10,000 to Ronald McDonald House of New York.

The SIF’s annual NELA Gala has raised millions of dollars for such worthy causes and has hosted many distinguished individuals. Previous SIF honorees include President Bill Clinton; President George W. Bush; Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano; U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito; former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta; former Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne; science & medicine luminaries Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Robert Gallo, and Dr. Michael Sofia; entertainers Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Annette Funicello, and Gary Sinise; and sports legends Mario Andretti, Geno Auriemma, and the late Tommy Lasorda.

For more information about how you can support the Sons of Italy Foundation’s 32nd Annual NELA Gala through a sponsorship, commemorative journal ad, or tickets, please visit www.nelagala.org or email [email protected]