Page 16 - Italian American Herald - March 2022

16 ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM | MARCH2022 ITALIAN-AMERICANHERALD IT'S ALL GOOD
Like a fateful bocce-ball victory, some things are just meant to bee
By Charlie Sacchetti
Fall has always been my favorite time of the year. I find the crisp air, the array of colors
and the bright skies of autumn both lovely and invigorating. Additionally, since 2013, I have another reason to look forward to this time of year, because October of 2013 was the first time that my friend Bill Winarski and I attended the annual Al Pisa Memorial Bocce Tournament held at the Pisa residence in the Bunker Hill section of Dunmore, Pa. We continue to enjoy annual attendance each October. As I explained in my story, headlined “Sorry, I’ve passed on but meet some friends of mine,” (August 2016, IAH), a chance phone call I made in 2012 led me to enjoy a wonderful friendship with Al’s closest friends and family, especially his son, Carlo, and Carlo’s son, Alfredo. Carlo faithfully continues this bocce tournament, a tradition of love and friendship that Al started many years ago.
Al’s vision was to host this annual
get-together at his home, which meant he would do almost all of the cooking and preparation. Of course, the guests rarely come empty-handed, usually bringing Italian specialties such as roasted peppers, eggplant marinated in olive oil and spices, pepperoni, sharp provolone, wine and crusty Italian bread. All of these, however, are merely pre-meal snacks to be enjoyed with beverages under Carlo’s large grapevine. The real
dinner begins after the bocce tournament. This feast is where our host shines as the provider of various pasta dishes, meatballs, hot and sweet sausage, chicken, salad, and whatever else he deems fit for the occasion. Dessert is the specialty of one of the guests, Dave “The Mailman” Evanko, a master baker who prepares the most creative and delicious pastries imaginable.
And then there is the bocce tournament! It’s important to note that I use the term “tournament” in its loosest form. There is very little structure; No officials or judges preside, and sometimes a half-hour may pass between games as the competing pairs fuel up on Chianti or Merlot. Rules are loosely followed, probably because no one really knows what they are. When someone makes
As Kenny took a step and swung his arm back to release the ball, he was stung by a bee right on his hand. The pain of the sting forced him to release the ball prematurely, so it traveled only
a few feet.
a good shot, everybody yells. When a guy makes a bad shot, everybody gives him the business. It’s all about fun and camaraderie. The first year that we attended, we were dubbed “The Jersey Boys.” Bill and I had never played bocce in our lives, but we
won the tournament, primarily because we made a couple of lucky shots, bouncing the wooden ball off of the railroad ties which still serve as court borders. No skill was necessary. In October of 2014, we chose to make a grand entrance, carrying jugs of wine and reminding all of our buddies that we were the defending champs. We lost miserably, barely winning one game out of the six we played. Our cockiness soon faded. In 2015 and 2016, we gave similar performances as we, and every other team, fell victim to a bona fide bocce star.
In 2015, Ken Gaughan, one of the guys and a yearly attendee, brought along his 15-year-old son, Kenny Jr., to the festivities. As partners, they crushed all their opponents. Pop was good, but Kenny was amazing. Almost every shot he took came within inches of the pallina, a small ball that is the target at which you shoot. The closer your larger ball gets to it, the higher your score. Kenny was untouchable that day. He and his dad whipped everyone again in 2016, but
he was such a nice kid that I found myself rooting for him. Not the least bit arrogant, Kenny just annihilated all opponents.
But fate would pay a visit to the Pisa bocce court in 2017.
That year, Bill and I actually played well and defeated three teams. Kenny and Ken
were still alive, and – as luck would have
it – we would face them in the final game
of 21 points. I was rolling against Kenny;
Bill was to take on his dad. With the score tied at 18, the match-deciding game came down to Kenny’s final throw. If he put his shot inside of mine, they would win their third consecutive championship. If not, the bragging rights would again belong to the Jersey Boys. As 25 guys watched, Kenny intently studied the court. He saw a path to victory if he could roll the ball between three others. Having seen Kenny easily make that shot many times, I was certain he’d do it again. As Kenny took a step and swung his arm back to release the ball, he was stung by a bee right on his hand. The pain of the sting forced him to release the ball prematurely, so it traveled only a few feet.
Game over. The Jersey Boys were back!
After shaking hands (gently) with Kenny and his dad, Bill and I retired to the grapevine and treated ourselves to a few pieces of provolone and pepperoni. That was where we started the rumor that we had brought the bee with us from Jersey to be tactically released at the most critical moment.
I think most of the guys believed we
were kidding, but it’s never too early to start playing head games on your opponents at the Al Pisa Memorial Bocce Tournament. IAH
Charlie Sacchetti is the author of three books, “It’s All Good: Times and Events I’d Never Want to Change;” “Knowing He’s There: True Stories of God’s Subtle Yet Unmistakable Touch,” and his newest, “Savoring the Moments: True Stories of Happiness, Sadness and Everything in Between.” Contact him at worthwhilewords21@gmail.com.
Kenny Gaughan Jr. shows his style at the annual
Al Pisa Memorial Bocce Tournament in Dunmore, Pa.
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Belcastro in Calabria, close to the Ionian Sea and the mountains of the Little Sila, is one of many ancient towns offering homes for 1 euro.
By Jeanne Outlaw-Cannavo
to become homeowners in various locations across the country. The trend began in 2008 as an initiative by the government, mostly in rural towns and villages, to give new life to areas, which were experiencing sharp declines in population.
have lost so much of their population that they offered homes for free and even financial incentives for people to move there.
you will need the permit. Finally, you will need to open an account in an Italian bank. Well, this almost sounds too good to
be true and in a way it is. The payment of 1 euro is a good faith offer but the caveat
The sale of thousands of Italian homes
for the paltry sum of just 1 euro has sparked international interest in recent years. Italy has long been a top tourist destination, ranking in the top five visited countries worldwide and in the top three for those who live in Europe. Each year millions travel to Italy to experience its fascinating culture, its beautiful landscapes and artistic sites and delectable cuisine. Some visitors return numerous times because of their heritage and familial ties
and other because they fall in love with the country and its lifestyle.
Now Italy is giving many of these tourists an opportunity to become an integral part
of the country’s charm with the opportunity
The aging population and the large exodus of younger inhabitants in search of better jobs in larger cities or in other parts
of Europe, led to thousands of uninhabited houses which began to fall into ruin. The mayor of Salemi, a small town in Sicily, was the first to propose the initiative when he introduced the idea of selling homes that
had lain in ruin since a 1968 earthquake to anyone who would agree to renovate them for just 1 euro. Since then, hundreds of towns have set up these initiatives. Some towns
Of course, there are some regulations you must meet to purchase property. First you will need a passport just to look at properties and you will need to establish residency if you do not have Italian citizenship and plan to spend more than 183 days a year in your home. You also need to apply for a Codice Fiscal, which is comparable to a national insurance number and required to make any transactions and pay taxes. If you are buying a permanent residence, you do not have to worry about applying for a Codice Fiscale because the estate agent will get you one that does not also need a residency permit. However, if you are buying a holiday home
is that whoever purchases one of these houses must submit plans for renovation
to the town council and complete the work within a specific period. Some towns, such as Sambuca in Sicily, specify a minimum
of 15,000 euros for renovations and others may require insurance deposits of up to 5,000 euros. Each municipality has different requirements so that could make a difference in where a buyer might purchase a house. The cost will also depend on the size of the
How to buy an Italian home for 1 euro
Trend to revitalize rural sites presents unique opportunity
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JANUARY 2022
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