The Early Years

The Vermont Italian Cultural Association was established in 1983
as an organization which would share the rich cultural heritage of Italy.

"I think you preserve your culture by doing more than eating Italian food...we get hung up on our cuisine - which is the best in the world - and forget that there are other things that come out of Italy. There's history, literature, music, art, sculpture, poetry. There's all these things which make an identity to a people, that makes an identity different from another people."

William Tortolano | Former president

We are grateful to many of the early members, their families, friends and colleagues
for allowing us to collect and share their stories.

Special thanks to Albert Bernasconi, Frank Caruccio, Alfred Pellegrini and Janet Sisson for their contributions as early members.

The individual recorded interviews provide an invaluable glimpse
into the beginnings of our organization, the foresight and hard work of our founding members,
to whom we will be ever grateful, as we carry on their legacy.