IL PENSIERO “THE THOUGHT”
Office: 10001 Stonell Drive
Member of FUSIE (Federazione Italiana Stampa Unitaria all’Estero)
Ottobre 2025 THE ONLY ITALIAN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI
NUMERO 10
Celebrating Community at the 2025 Italian Heritage Parade & Festa on The Hill By Courtney Kamm-Finn
The Hill is about the people who make this neighborhood special, not just great food and tradition. This year’s Italian Heritage Parade & Festa honors three longtime community champions for their numerous acts of giving back. Grand Marshal honors go to Joe Vollmer, who represented The Hill as alderman for 22 years and even stepped in as Interim President of the Board of Aldermen in 2022. Joe has always been a steady voice for residents, making sure the neighborhood got the services it deserved. Outside of City Hall, he’s just as present— cheering on at bocce tournaments, stirring up the risotto cook-off, and welcoming everyone to Milo’s, his bar and bocce club that’s become a neighborhood hub. The Spirit of The Hill Award will be presented to Linda and Bob Traina for their dedication to preserving the neighborhood’s history. After longtime archivist LynnMarie Alexander passed, they took on the massive task of cataloging and digitizing The Hill’s archives. Linda also led the Pattison Avenue Project and continues to keep the past alive through rotating exhibits at The Center.
An Italian American Publication
This year’s honorees remind us why The Hill feels less like a neighborhood and more like a family. Be sure to join the celebration and cheer them on at the 2025 Parade & Festa happening October 12, 2025 at Berra Park from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Find more information about the event at hillstl.org.
5 Ways to Celebrate Italian Heritage Month in St. Louis By Courtney Kamm-Finn
October is Italian Heritage Month, and there’s no better place to celebrate than right here in St. Louis’s—The Hill neighborhood. From food to history, The Hill offers numerous ways to celebrate Italian culture and community. Dine Out—Enjoy a meal at one of The Hill’s iconic restaurants, from toasted ravioli to handmade pasta, and support family-owned spots that have carried on tradition for generations. Play Bocce – Bocce is a cornerstone of Italian culture. Stop by Milo’s or ItaliaAmerica Bocce Club to watch a match—or join in! Attend an Event – October is full of events on The Hill! Learn more on page 6. Explore Local History – Visit The Hill Neighborhood Center to learn about the families who built this community. Cook at Home – Pick up ingredients from a local Italian market, such as Marconi Mercato or DiGregorio’s Italian Market, and
St. Louis, Missouri 63123
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try your hand at classic recipes. What’s your favorite way to celebrate Italian Heritage Month? Let us know at courtney@ilpensiero.net.
Diamond of Dreams for Italian-Americans Submitted by Dan Taft
The eternal human quest for a better life for themselves and, more importantly, for their children has led umpteen millions of souls to uproot their lives, leave their ancestral homelands, and start anew in these United States. With them they brought their faith, their values, their language, their fashion, their music, their food, and, in short, their very way of life to this country. Often these were viewed as alien, or at the very least foreign—generally unwelcome by those who had come before them from other places and were already settled here. They were viewed with suspicion, seen to pose a threat to the existing order. Yet they persevered, launching into the arduous process of assimilation and acceptance while at the same time introducing a whole new flavor to the ever-evolving American scene. Such was the case for some four million Italians who came to this land of opportunity more than a century ago. They quickly took to life in the New World, adapting to new ways without ever abandoning the treasures of their own culture. One of the aspects of American life they embraced Continued on page 5