The Grapevine: Sharing Old Picture of Original West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival Board of Directors
By Rosalyn Queen on August 27, 2026 from The Grapevine
Last week Victor Folio approached me at church and advised me that he had come across this picture when going through some of his father’s things and thought that I might want it.
I said yes and immediately I wanted to share it with my readers. As I said in some of my previous columns there are many in the festival this year who were not here in1980. We had a very diverse Board and chose individuals who had expertise in the many different areas that we would need to have a successful festival.
Russ Bonasso, James Larosa, Frank Iaquinta head up financial committees. Joe Minard headed up the food set up. Sam Pauletta was in charge of security. Tom Kupek took care of our legal forms. Bernard Folio lead us in the set up,of our beverages assisted by Sam D' Annunzio, Louie Petitto handled traffic patterns. Merle Moore, Lenora Riley, Betty Audia and I took care of office functions, and marketing volunteer Victor Gabriel headed up fundraisers. Lou Petitto handled arrangements for entertainers. Russell Lopez assisted with fundraisers. Many others played a prominent role that may not be mentioned.
Let me assure you that the festival would never had gotten on the streets that first year if we did not have hundreds of volunteers, too many to mention here for fear of forgetting a few. Volunteers handled the parade, the queens court, the bocci games, the Mass and many of the dinners.
I hope that during this years festival that you will take a minute to think about this group and thank them for their vision.
Take care and see you at the festival. Be safe and until next week “Now You Have Heard It Through The Grapevine.”
Editor's Note: Pictured is the 1980 West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival Board of Directors. Seated, from left, are Louie Petitto; Russell Bonasso, President; Tom Kupek, Attorney; Betty Audia, and Secretary Rosalyn Queen. Standing, from left, Joe Minard, Russell Lopez, Loretta Romano Mazzie, Frank Iaquinta, Bernard Folio, James LaRosa, Merle Moore, Louis Spatafore, Victor Gabriel, Lenora Riley, and Sam Paletta.
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