About Us

Bilotti Lodge

is an organization serving Italian immigrants in America. We plan different cultural events and gatherings to our members and strive to make flourishing connections for every Italian. We hold member appreciation dinners to strengthen camaraderie and relationships. Our organization focuses on the collective well-being of our members. Our membership brings together Italians and extends to those inspired by their heritage in support of Italian culture.

Who We Are

Bilotti Lodge was chartered on March 11, 1983, it was called Mesa Lodge #2540 and had 28 members. John Suardini was instrumental in getting all the OSIA Lodges in Arizona started including the Mesa Lodge which eventually grew to 111 members.

The first President was Louise Martiniano. She was President for only one month because the family was transferred back to New York, so Vice President Frank DeRosa became the President. Since our first President, we have had 17 Presidents. Mary Lass was the longest-serving President having served for twelve years. Elaine DeCarlo served as the Recording Secretary for at least 16 years. Lorraine Bilotti served as Recording Secretary for 15 years.

The Lodge was very active. They annually participated in the Phoenix Columbus Day Parades, winning first prize for their float in 1988/89. From 1987-1992, the Mesa Lodge decorated the Sons of Italy Christmas tree at the International Tree Trimming at the Valley Bank in Phoenix. When Jim Aiello served as President, he organized three Festas at Pioneer Park. All the members worked hard and the Festas were successful.

They held lunches, dinners, pasta dinners, card parties, and bocce tournaments. The annual Installation Dinner, Anniversary Dinner, and Christmas Party were festive occasions. Columbus Day, the main holiday of OSIA, was celebrated at fancy dinners/dances. Today, we continue many of those traditions and have added a few more i.e. LaBafana, Pasquetta, Carnevale, Membership Appreciation Dinner, Cucina Bilotti, the Italian Festival, and the Colazione as well as many others.

The Lodge has always supported many charities including Sunshine Acres, Cooley Anemia, the Statue of Liberty restoration, and contributed to the bronze statue of Columbus. Since the OSIA Lodges did not have a permanent spot for the statue, it was donated to the Italian American Club in Phoenix and can be seen there today. Bilotti Lodge also supports many local charities as well as the Arizona Grand Lodge Scholarship Fund.

In 1989, Albert Bilotti was elected President of the Mesa Lodge. Albert was a charter member of the Lodge and had worked tirelessly for the Mesa Lodge and OSIA in Arizona for many years. He had to resign his position shortly after he was elected because of health reasons and he passed away in April of 1990. At the time, the Mesa Lodge was in the process of changing its name. Several new names had been suggested, one of them being Albert Bilotti Lodge. When the membership voted in October 1990, the name selected was the Albert Bilotti Lodge in honor of Albert.

Lorraine Bilotti, the widow of Albert, maintained her membership with the Bilotti Lodge for thirty-three years until her death in the fall of 2016 at the age of 91. She continued to work for the Lodge as tirelessly as her husband. One of the very few meetings Lorraine ever missed was that meeting in October 1990. Lorraine did not attend that meeting because she wanted the members to vote their choice and did not want her presence to be an influencing factor. If you asked, she would tell you that when she received the call that the lodge would be named after her husband, she was overwhelmed and broke into tears.

Through the years, Bilotti Lodge has seen many changes. Our meeting date and location have changed several times. We have gone from evening meetings to afternoon meetings, back to evening meetings. The membership, like all Lodges, has been a rollercoaster ride, it goes up, then down, then comes up again. No matter what changes there have been, the things that always remain the same, are our pride in our Italian heritage, our pride in our ancestors’ contributions to the American way of life, our love of our culture and traditions and our desire to pass these on to the future generations.

History

Originally called Oridine Figli d’Italia, the Order Sons of Italy in America® (OSIA) was established in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City on June 22, 1905, by Vincenzo Sellaro, M.D., and five other Italian immigrants who came to the United States during the great Italian migration (1880-1923). Their aim was to create a support system for all Italian immigrants that would assist them with becoming U.S. citizens, provide health/death benefits and educational opportunities and offer assistance with assimilation in America. In 2017, the Order Sons of Italy in America was renamed the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America® (OSDIA).

Highlights in OSDIA’s history:

In its early years, OSDIA established free schools to teach immigrants English and centers to help them become U.S. citizens.
The first OSDIA lodges established orphanages and homes for the elderly, life insurance and mortuary funds, credit unions, welfare societies and scholarship funds to aid members in need.
During World Wars I and II, OSDIA members bought war bonds and war stamps to support the war effort, and lodges competed with each other to contribute the most money to the Red Cross.
In World War II, the OSDIA Supreme Council (national officers) issued a resolution urging members to donate one day’s salary to the national defense.
To date, OSDIA members have given more than $164 million to educational programs, disaster relief, cultural advancement and medical research.

Bilotti Lodge Board Members

Mike Palmisano - President
Rose Leonard - Vice President
Marianne De Palma - Immediate Past Pres.
Ann Rock - Orator
Donna Valkos - Recording Secretary
Tony Gallina - Treasurer
Vince D’Antonio, Judy Palmisano, Jeanette Wagster - Trustees
Gordon Letizia - Master of Ceremonies
Ken Bilotti - Guard