Monday, April 15, 2013
Five new people will lead the committees for Niles' sister cities in Poland, Ireland, Greece and Italy.
Student exchanges, art exchanges, travel, foreign visitors and Skying overseas may all be on the horizon as Niles' Sister Cities program continues to revamp. George Alpogianis, who was elected earlier this year to head Sister Cities' board, has announced that five people have agreed to lead the Niles Sister Cities'program committees to Italy, Greece, Ireland and Poland. Earlier: Niles Sister Cities brims with ideas They are: 1. Jolanta Walaszek, heading the committee to Limanowa, Poland. Limanowa is not far from the town where Walaszek, vice president and branch manager of Niles' PNA Bank, was born. Having come here at age 21, she still remembers many traditions in Poland, like the blessing of Easter baskets on the day before Easter. "…
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The new board is fired up with ideas to re-energize, branch out and possibly develop relationships with new Sister Cities in Germany and Korea. It also wants to become separate from the village, president says.
The recently-elected Niles Sister Cities board is brimming with ideas and fired up about taking the organization in new directions, said George Alpogianis, who was elected as president recently. The board also wants to make Sister Cities a non-profit organization separate from the village, and possibly add new Sister Cities in Germany and Korea. "We want to get the community involved," Alpogianis said, before ticking off a list of ideas for exchanges with Niles' four existing Sister Cities: Leixlip, Ireland; Nafplion, Greece; Limanowa, Poland and Pisa, Italy. Some of the ideas include: Earlier: Niles Sister Cities elects new board He expressed dismay that the organization had been somewhat disorganized for a few years, even though a few …
Friday, January 4, 2013
Criticized for being too closely tied to the village, the new group hopes to establish itself as a separate presence.
The Niles Sister Cities organization is reorganizing, hoping to get more residents to participate and be less tied to village government. A new board was elected Thursday at a meeting on the topic, with George Alpogianis, who has chaired the Greek component of the Sister Cities, elected president. Alpogianis, a former trustee, is also running for village trustee in the April 2013 election. Four other board members, including Dr. D. Laske, Julie Genualdi, Elizabeth "Cooky" Kraus and Hee Kim, were also elected. Earlier: Trustees ask questions, want to clarify Sister Cities' relationship to village Alpogianis said he wants to see more citizens get involved, rather than just people who have ties to village government. "I don't want this …
Friday, November 16, 2012
The extravaganza, with entertainment and food from Italian, Greek, Korean, Polish, Irish and American restaurants and more, is always a good time. Plus, there's a silent auction.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Pam DeFiglio
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Friday, November 16, 2012
One of Niles' most delicious and festive annual events, the International Taste of Niles, will be held Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at White Eagle Banquets. The event features food stations, offering appetizers, entrees and desserts, from many Niles-area restaurants. It benefits the Niles Sister Cities committee, which fosters exchanges of students, citizens, business people and officials between Niles and its sister cities. Earlier: VIDEO of "Taste of Niles Showcases the Whirled" They are: Pisa, Italy; Nafplion, Greece; Limanova, Poland and Leixlip, Ireland. Like Niles-Morton Grove Patch on Facebook for news, fun Hence, the Taste will have food, donated by the restaurants, from all those countries and more. This year, those serving food …
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Some trustees want to make clear whether it's part of the village or separate; attorney says it's a non-profit run by volunteers. Four delegates traveled to Pisa last month.
When four Niles citizens, including Mayor Robert Callero, went to the village's Sister City of Pisa, Italy, last month, two things happened. They discussed with Pisa representatives the possibility of student exchanges and cooperation on the business and cultural fronts. And at the June village board meeting, some trustees asked questions about the relationship between the village and its Sister Cities organization, and afterward, the village attorney explained some of the details. More will be clarified at the village's next Finance Committee meeting, tentatively set for July 18. Read More: Niles group visits Pisa June 14-18 Niles has four Sister Cities: Nafplion, Greece; Leixlip, Ireland; Pisa, Italy and Limanowa, Poland. Confusion …
Delegations from Pisa had come here, but Niles residents had not gone to Italy for five years.
When four Niles residents arrived in Pisa, Italy, June 14 for a short visit, they were greeted by familiar faces. Members of Pisa's Sister Cities committee had come to Niles in 2010 and 2011. Niles Mayor Robert Callero, his wife Rita Callero, Niles Village Manager George Van Geem and Niles Village Attorney Joe Annunzio all made the trip. Annunzio serves as the village's Sister Cities Committee chairman for Pisa, but has said he intends to resign that post. Read more: Niles Trustees Ask 'Who's Running?' Sister Cities Group "Aurora Cantini was our very gracious tour director. She came here last year with a group of high school students. She led us around to tourist sites and events (in Italy)," Van Geem said. Paolo Mancini, a Pisa city …
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Five students from Italy come here on a student exchange program; they decline offer to climb to top of tower.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Pam DeFiglio
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Wednesday, September 21, 2011
You can't get sloppy joe sandwiches in Italy, which is exactly why Vince and Julie Genualdi served them, along with other American food like hot dogs, chili and s'mores, to a group visiting from that country. The Genualdis hosted five high school students and their teacher, all from Pisa, Italy, during their Sept. 7 to 18 visit, which was arranged by Niles' Sister Cities Committee as a student exchange. Pisa is one of Niles' four sister cities. "We've been communicating (with Aurora Cantini, the teacher in Italy, who also visited last year) for six to eight months trying to develop this," said Genualdi. "Basically, the students from Italy shadowed five students here at Maine South High School." Earlier: Group came from Pisa a year ago High…
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Fundraiser provides opportunity to take stock of 2010 accomplishments.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Pam DeFiglio
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Visitors from Pisa, Italy, and Leixlip, Ireland, as well as a petition drive to provide more U.S. visas for Polish citizens made for a successful year for Niles' Sister Cities program, supporters said Sunday at the International Taste of Niles, its main fundraiser. Italian singer Enzo Incandela, Greek dancers and the Polish music of the Red and White Band provided entertainment at the event. Teresa Wywrot, a volunteer at the event, said 315 tickets were sold, and since White Eagle Banquets & Restaurant donated the hall and about 10 restaurants donated the ethnic food, most of the ticket sales represented proceeds for the Sister Cities. The funds will be used to develop more understanding among cultures, supporters say. "The Sister Cities' …
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White Eagle
6839 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL
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Monday, November 22, 2010
Locals gather at White Eagle Banquets to support the village's Sister Cities organization.
The village of Niles hosted the 6th annual International Taste of Niles on Sunday, an event that celebrates the village's diversity and raises money for its Sister Cities program. Niles has four Sister Cities: Pisa, Italy; Nafplion, Greece; Limanowa, Poland; and Leixlip, Ireland. Each has a committee of volunteers who run its program, and representatives of each community attended the celebration, along with hundreds of others who came to enjoy the food, entertainment and fun.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Mexican, Korean, Italian, Polish, Greek and other cuisines are on the menu to sample.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Pam DeFiglio
-
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Athenian chicken, Korean egg rolls, beef enchiladas...that's only the beginning of what the International Taste of Niles will offer Sunday. The annual festival, scheduled at White Eagle Banquets from 1-5 p.m., will feature dishes from 10 area ethnic restaurants. Last year, patrons filled the banquet hall eagerly sampling the dishes. Diners can also enjoy Italian songs from musician Enzo Incandela. Entertainment will also be offered by the Olympian Greek Dance Troupe of Chicago and the Red and White Band, which will play Polish music. The event is the year's main fundraiser for Niles Sister Cities program, which accommodates foreign visitors and sends delegations to the village's four sister cities: Limanowa, Poland; Nafplion, Greece; Pisa…
42.00543
-87.795239
White Eagle
6839 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL
/articles/ethnic-food-fest-will-raise-money-for-international-program
290278
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Paula
10:28 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
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