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It may only be April, but the Greater Rockford Italian American Association is already preparing for this year’s Festa Italiana! Michael and Paul Maffioli are with us tonight to chat about the history of Festa Italiana and how it is still going strong. Great Rockford Italian American Association also known as GRIAA was founded with the efforts to r...

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The Greater Rockford Italian American Association (GRIAA) held its annual hall of fame banquet Saturday. This event has gone on for roughly three decades and honors business and people for their work in the Rockford region. Each of the hall of fame nominees have gone above and beyond to give back to their community. Everyone who was nominated was d...

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The Greater Rockford Italian American Association held its annual Hall of Fame banquet Saturday at the Venetian Club. Inductees to Rockford's Italian Hall of Fame are nominated by the community and selected annually by the GRIAA’s Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Committee. Mike Doyle was the 2021 Italian Hall of Fame inductee. Mike has had a l...

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The Greater Rockford Italian American Association recently honored Frank Perrecone and Frank Fiorello at its annual Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Awards Banquet held at the Venetian Club. Perrecone, the principal at Ferolie & Perrecone law firm, was inducted into GRIAA’s Hall of Fame. Perrecone is a former chairperson of GRIAA and a long-tim...

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The Greater Rockford Italian American Association held its annual Hall of Fame dinner Oct. 13 at the Venetian Club. Nino Castronovo received the Special Recognition Award. GRIAA honored Castronovo’s Dress Shop, which was opened by Castronovo’s mother in 1937 and is still in operation today at 323 N. Main St. The GRIAA awarded the GRIAA Hall of Fame...

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Two of Salvatore and Maria Castronovo’s children were exceptionally talented musicians – Sam played the violin and Rose played and taught piano. So, it was only natural that the parents wanted Frances to follow in her sibling’s musical footsteps. But she had other ideas. She wanted to design fashions and open a dress shop. With $750 in seed money,...

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The Greater Rockford Italian American Association inducted three people into the Italian Hall of Fame for 2013 on Oct. 12 at Franchesco's Ristorante, 7128 Spring Creek Road. Inductees include Joseph A. Cavallero (posthumously,) Karen Cantele and John Canova. Lisa Trapani Frost received a special recognition award in the arts category.   Sou...

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The Greater Rockford Italian American Association recently held its Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Award Banquet. The organization inducted Louie Miceli into its 2015 Italian Hall of Fall and gave John Terranova special recognition for community service.   The ceremony honors Rockford-area Italian Americans who have made significa...

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ROCKFORD (WIFR) – She's well known in Rockford's Italian community and now the Ethnic Heritage Museum is making sure she's known by everyone in the city. Rosie Sheridan was honored today as the museum's Woman of the Year. Her grandparents came to the U.S. From Sicily and she's continued may of their Italian traditions. Sheridan is very active at...

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By Valeri DeCastris Publicity Chairman, Greater Rockford Italian American Association (GRIAA) Annual Hall of Fame awards were recently bestowed upon members of the Italian American community at Franchesco's Restaurant in Rockford.    Sponsored by the Greater Rockford Italian American Association (GRIAA), the awards recognize community...

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