July 2020 Colombo Club Newsletter

print the newsletter (4 pages)

print the newsletter (4 pages)

Colombo Club birthday postcards mailed by the Club to members in 2020 may be exchanged for a free birthday or family dinner after the Club reopens.

Chairman’s Message

Colombo Club Finances

We are now entering the fifth month of the club being closed. Just like managing your budget at home, the Club must do the same. During these uncertain times we have made every effort to reduce our fixed costs. We have cut staff back to a bare minimum.

Before I review with you the Club finances I want to first thank Matt Moran (Club Treasurer and Chris Brady (Financial Secretary) who manage the finances for the Club. They both go above and beyond our expectations and do a great job with the Club’s finances. Currently the only other paid employee we have on the payroll is the House Manager.  The monthly payroll for these three positions including payroll taxes is approximately $2500. 

Insurance for the Club is $2850 monthly.  Currently, we are working with our insurance carrier in getting a rebate and reducing these costs. Other costs: water and garbage, alarm, pest control are approximately $2800. Property tax is $850/month. Web hosting and the phones are $560 and TV services are $150.  Printing and general maintenance vary but we currently are budgeting $1000. We were able to cancel the DMV parking fees of $1100 per month effective July 1 with the understanding that we can start using the lot when we reopen with the current contract conditions. The fixed costs to run the Club are approximately $11,000 a month. 

Currently in the bank we have approximately $300,000, which includes $120,000 in the Christmas and the scholarship accounts. These monies give the Club between 12-14 months of coverage for our fixed costs. This includes the building fund (incentive). If necessary and only as a last resort we may have to access some of funds from the Christmas and the scholarship funds. Note: these funds are managed by both the men’s club and the Women’s Auxiliary. 

Club member dues that come in 2021 will help replenish the Club’s bank account. I want to remind members your dues are $180 a year. That is only $15 a month. It is a real bargain for being a member of the largest Italian Club west of the Mississippi.  We continue to look at ways to tighten the belt but as with your home budget, costs continue to increase. We have no intention to raise dues, at this time, but know that we will inform the membership if we have financial issues. 

We welcome your ideas, suggestions input and comments. Thank you.  

Cyril Bonanno, Chairman, (925) 202-9576.

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President’s Message

Ciao, Ciao

It is still a very strange time. We cannot even predict when things will be back to normal at the Colombo Club. 

I am proud to announce that we had our very first high-tech board meeting.  On July 7, we had a virtual board meeting /assembly.  Board members who wanted to attend in person at the Club social distanced in the ballroom. The rest of the 52 attendees joined the meeting through a Zoom conference call. Video and audio were projected on the large screen and sound was pumped through the new sound system. I must say I was extremely impressed with the number of attendees and their ability to navigate the online system. Interesting that it happened in our 100th year. What a way to start the next journey to 200 years. Interessante che sia successo nel nostro centenesimo anno, che modo per iniziare il prossimo viaggio a 200 anni. At this meeting we welcomed 31 new members capping our membership at 1000 strong. I would like all of you to welcome the new members and show them, when we meet again, your appreciation and happiness with their new friends: Alexander Amoroso, Sean Ancelet, Anthony Bartenetti, Robert Biczek, Jimmy Blythe, Robert Carini, Dave Cecaci, Ron Cecaci Sr., Steven J. Cecaci, David Conti, Mark Cordone, Julio Corral, Richard Doppie, Clifford Drescher, Jonathan Drescher, Jon Feldhammer, Jim Gilchrist, Neil Bruce Goodhue, Matthew Guichard, Michael Henning, Charles Ingrao, Joseph Iovino, Marco Moroyoqui, Andew Peritore, Patrick Ramsey,  Anthony Scotto, Ron Stansbury, Lincoln Strong and Sandy Vergano. In the future we will have one large assembly meeting in November and the rest of our assembly meetings will be held on normally scheduled board meetings three times a year.  We will bring in new members at these meetings. 

This edition of the newsletter is highlighting our financial situation compliments of Cyril Bonanno. While we are not open and cannot drive income from dinner and parties, please go to the website (www.theColomboClub.com) and hit the merchandise button. This site is alive and well. You can now purchase:

Colombo Club Face Masks

Shirts

Hats

Golf Balls

the New 100 Year History of the Colombo Club (Cent Anni)

We will be adding new items daily. 

You will be directly supporting the Club and helping the Club drive revenue without being open by buying products that we have in stock. Although you are not able to attend Club functions, you can still proudly display the logo of the best Italian club in the world.

Till next time, please be safe and pray this is over soon so we can see each other again at the Club, and congratulations again to all the new members of the Colombo Club. Fino alla prossima volta, si prega di essere al sicuro e pregare che questo è presto finito in modo che possiamo vedere l’un l’altro di nuovo al club, e congratulazioni ancora a tutti i nuovi membri del Colombo Club.

Celebrare Cento Anni,

Nick Nicora, President
nnicora@comcast. net

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Colombo Club Auxiliary President’s Message

SIX LITTLE STORIES WITH LOTS OF MEANING   

Author unknown

(1) Once all villagers decided to pray for rain.  On the day of prayer, all of the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella.  THAT IS FAITH.

(2) When you throw babies in the air, they laugh because they know you will catch them. THAT IS TRUST.

(3) Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but still we set the alarms to wake up. THAT IS HOPE.

(4) We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future. THAT IS CONFIDENCE. 

(5) We see the world suffering, but still, we get married and have children. THAT IS LOVE.

(6)  On an old man’s shirt was written a sentence “I am not 80 years old; I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience.” THAT IS ATTITUDE.

Have a happy day and live your life like these six stories. Remember…Good friends are the rare jewels of life–difficult to find and impossible to replace!

I felt that this article covered a spectrum of feelings that a lot of us are experiencing during this pandemic. We must continue to have Faith, Trust, Hope, Confidence, Attitude and Love. We should also remember to cherish our Italian friends because we are hard to replace.  Keep in contact with each other and pray we can all spend time together soon.

Sylvia Jesuit, Colombo Club Auxiliary President

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In Memoriam

Frank Pappalardo

Golden member since 1968

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Sunshine Corner

Our condolences to the family of Golden Member, Frank Pappalardo, who passed away in June. 

If you know of a member who is ill or passed away, please let Gordon Bowman,Sunshine Chair know. Call him at (925) 449-5549.  

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The Club’s 100th Anniversary

The uncertainties of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have forced the Club to rearrange its schedule of events. The decision has been made about rescheduling the Club’s anniversary dinners to 2021, but be assured that if you have reserved a space for any of the anniversary dinners, those reservations will be honored in August 2021 when we celebrate 100th + 1 Anniversary Celebration.

In the meantime, Cent Anni: A 100 Year History of the Colombo Club book, will be released next month. This 8 ½ x 11 hard cover book is a wonderful time capsule of photos, documents and historical accounts that will give you a picture of what life was like for the founders of the Club and the members’ 100-year mission to preserve and celebrate Italian cultural traditions, customs and heritage. See page 4 for distribution date information.

Vino

The Club has 50 cases of red wine for sale at $75 a case. You can pick it up on the same days as when the book is being distributed.

Reservations for The Club’s 100th Anniversary

If you sent in a reservation for any of the Club’s Anniversary events in August, please expect an email or a letter over the next few weeks from the Club’s Anniversary Reservation Committee regarding the option of carrying your prepeid reservation over until 2021 or receiving a refund.

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Cent Anni: A 100 Year History of the Colombo Club will be available in August

This 8 ½ x 11 hard cover book is a wonderful time capsule of photos, documents and historical accounts that will give you a picture of what life was like for the founders of the club and the members 100 year mission to preserve and celebrate Italian cultural traditions, customs and heritage.

Those of you who already purchased a copy as well as those of you who would like to purchase a copy can come by the Club on one of three different days from 10 am until 3 pm: Tuesday, August 4, Wednesday, August 19 or Saturday, August 22.  Tables will be set up in the Ed Basso/ Isabella room.  Everyone entering the room will be required to wear a mask.  Social distancing will be observed.  Any purchases can be made by credit card, checks made out for the exact amount to the Colombo Club or exact cash. The cost of the book is $35.  Money raised from the sale of the book will go to offset the monthly expense that the Club is experiencing during the shutdown. Once the Club reopens, anyone who has pre-purchased a book or anyone who would like to purchase a book can do so at any Club event. When our website sales become available, copies may also be purchased from the website with an extra shipping charge added to the cost of the book. Since there is a limited supply of books, the books will be sold on a first-come first-served basis.

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