WILMINGTON, MA — At Monday night’s Board of Selectmen Meeting, the Wilmington Sons of Italy were recognized for their $100,000 contribution towards the construction of the Yentile Farm Recreational Facility. The organization sponsored the park’s pavilion area.
“Tonight we’re presenting a $50,000 check to the Town of Wilmington. This is the second installment to top off the $100,000 we pledged towards the pavilion at Yentile Farm,” Wilmington Sons of Italy President John Romano told the board. “We are estastic to present this check to the Town Manager to pay off our commitment that we made a couple of years ago for this beautiful facility.”
Romano noted that over the past 18-19 years, the Wilmington Sons of Italy has donated $1.5 million to $1.6 million to the town, various groups and agencies in town, and to the national Sons of Italy organization.
“Thank you and your organization for all your generosity for this project and for all you do for our community,” responded Selectmen Chair Greg Bendel. “For this wonderful pavilion. For all the uniforms for sports teams. For countless other ventures. We’re very grateful and so excited to accept this very generous donation.”
“Wilmington is fortunate in having so many groups that look out for the town and the Wilmington Sons of Italy are certainly at the top,” added Town Manager Jeff Hull.
Hull detailed some of the donations the organization has made to the town, including:
- police cruiser
- fire chief vehicle
- playground equipment for the North Intermediate
- ‘Welcome to Wilmington’ sign on the Town Common
- Bocce court at the Senior Center
- Elderly Services mini-van
- Renovations at Town Common Gazebo
- 2 thermal imaging cameras for the Fire Department
- green lenses on the Town Common lights to honor veterans
Selectman Bendel presented Romano — and his fellow board members Gerry Pupa, Alicia Johnson, and Lennie Malvone — with a citation thanking the organization for its most recent generous donation.
Romano noted that Sons of Italy’s next fundraiser is a “Dancing Through The Decades” fundraiser on Saturday, March 7, 2020, from 7pm to 11pm, at the Tewksbury-Wilmington Elks (777 South Street). The evening will include a DJ, dancing, raffles, and a door prize. Coffee and dessert will be provided. Feel free to bring your own food for the table. Tickets cost $20. To purchase a ticket, contact organizer Janet Engrem at 978-658-9324 or jknje[at]comcast.net. Attendees are encouraged to bring diaper donations as part of a diaper drive to benefit “Gifts of Love.”
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