Italians of the year to kick off festival

Photo

Mirone

Photo

Calcagni

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s Italian Festival will get under way for the 15th year Thursday and will run through July 28 on the church grounds at 343 Via Mount Carmel.

The event will kick off Thursday with the annual Little Prince and Princess competition at 7 p.m. in the social hall.

Opening ceremonies, including man and woman of the year awards, will begin at 7 p.m. Friday.

Also on opening day, Scott Schulick, scholarship chairman, will present two $1,000 scholarships to Youngstown State University.

Man of the Year

Eugene J. Calcagni

Eugene J. Calcagni was born in The Hollow in 1924 and raised on the East Side of Youngstown, the son of Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Marianna Pesa Calcagni.

He was baptized and made his First Communion and Confirmation all at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, and he has been a lifelong member.

He is an usher, a member and past vice president of the Vestibule Club, was named to the Hall of Fame of the Youngstown Morra League, belongs to the church’s senior citizens club and is a member of ITAM Post 3.

He has been involved with the church festival since its inception in 1999. Calcagni graduated from East High School in 1942 and went into the Navy in 1943 during World War II. He was attached to the amphibious forces and saw combat in the South Pacific.

In 1946 after he was honorably discharged, he married the former Antonette Popio. They have three children, Jean Marie Wargo, Joseph, and an infant son, Joseph, who is deceased. They have five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Calcagni also is a member of LSM Association, PT Boat Association and LST Association. He was employed with Allstate Insurance Co. in the claims department and retired after 30 years as a property claims manager.

He and his wife live in Poland.

Woman of the Year

Elizabeth Mirone

Elizabeth Mirone was born and raised on the East Side, the daughter of Henry and Minnie Skarote. She graduated from East High School and is a lifelong member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, where she was baptized, made her First Communion and Confirmation, and was married to John Mirone on Aug. 11, 1956.

They moved to Liberty, where they have lived for the past 52 years and raised two sons, Dr. Paul (Priscilla) Mirone and Dr. Gary (Rolande) Mirone. They also have three grandchildren.

Mirone was active in the Liberty School District when her children attended. She has served as the advertising book chairman on the festival committee for 15 years.

Over the years she has served as chairwoman of numerous committees for the church and other community organizations. She is the chairwoman of the evangelization, bereavement Mass and new-member Mass committees, and organized greeters for special occasions. She is the chairwoman of the St. Joseph Feast Day and has been a member of the Mount Carmel spaghetti dinner committee for the past 24 years.

Mirone also volunteers for the St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen. She has co-chaired the Our Lady of Mount Carmel cookbook twice.

Tickets must be bought in advance and are available from area merchants. Admission costs $4 per person, but a book of four passes costs $6.

Tickets are sold at Rulli Bros. West and South, Jimmy’s Italian Foods in Liberty, Trolio’s in Poland, Cornersburg Italian Deli and Lariccia’s Italian Marketplace.

Tickets also can be purchased by mail. Send a check payable to Mount Carmel Festival, along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, and mail it to 35 W. McKinley Way, Poland, OH 44514. For information call Tony Trolio at 330-757-2779.