The Cesare Battisti Lodge #27 of the Italian Sons and Daughters in America will honor Jon Biancardi as Member of the Year on Dec. 10 at the lodge’s clubhouse, Villa Cesare, in Schererville, Indiana. The grandson and son of lodge members, Biancardi serves on the board of directors and has spearheaded several new initiatives. In 2017, he launched an indoor bocce league that has grown from eight teams on one court to 24 teams on three courts.

That same year, he created, marketed and executed the lodge’s first Festa Italiana. The annual three-day celebration of Italian culture and spirit features food from local restaurants, live entertainment, a beer and wine garden, a spaghetti-eating contest and grape-stomping competition, a bocce tournament, pasta-making classes and more.