Italian Heritage Month 2021
Programming Announced
Villa Charities proudly celebrates Italian Heritage Month this June with a month-long festival dedicated to Italian culture and heritage. While unable to welcome the community to the campus, we will celebrate this cherished annual occasion with a series of engaging digital events and programming. The roster will once again showcase the artistry and talents of Italian-Canadian performers and our diverse community with a lineup that includes panel discussions, music concerts, heritage experiences, live culinary workshops, dance performances and more. Our aim is also to promote multigenerational experiences and so we encourage families to participate in these events together, to foster a communal sense of pride and belonging.
 
“Throughout June we will commemorate Italian culture and heritage with a month full of exciting programs and events,” says Giulio Recchioni, Executive Director of Cultural Programming. “As we continue to mark our 50th anniversary, we honour the contributions of Italian-Canadians to our diverse cultural mosaic and proudly celebrate virtually with our community.”
 
For complete information and to register for Villa Charities’ Italian Heritage Month events, visit villacharities.com/ihm.
 
Join us!
Villa Charities Commemorates Seniors' Month in Ontario
June is Seniors’ Month in Ontario, when we celebrate and acknowledge the contributions seniors make to our communities, and the lives they have impacted – across generations. We are committed to supporting the seniors in the Villa Charities community and recognize the efforts of everyone who has helped to keep them safe and healthy throughout the pandemic.
Milestone Anniversaries for Casa Abruzzo and Casa Del Zotto
June marks two milestones for our independent seniors’ apartments: Casa Abruzzo celebrates its 25th anniversary on June 12, 2021 and Casa Del Zotto turns 30 on June 23, 2021. To commemorate these occasions and as part of the Italian Heritage Month programming, Villa Charities is hosting outdoor performances by local Italian musicians throughout June for the residents to enjoy from the safety of their windows or balconies.
Don't Miss “An Immigrant Story” Online Presentation – Today!
In this special presentation today at 3:00pm, Sholom Wargon, the creator and developer of “An Immigrant Story”, will discuss the genesis, evolution and direction of the Immigrant Story project. Since its official launch last month, immigrantstory.ca has received an overwhelmingly positive response. An on-site exhibition of these immigrant journeys is planned for the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery as soon as health and safety conditions permit. Presented by Sholom Wargon Design and Pizza Nova.

IHM Event: Pirandello and “Six Characters in Search of an Author” - 100 Years After
Join internationally acclaimed and two-time Dora Award-nominee, Daniele Bartolini, Artist in Residence for Villa Charities and Associate Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre, and one of Toronto's most renowned slam poets, Luke Reece, for a discussion about Pirandello and his metatheatrical masterpiece “Six Characters in Search of an Author”, and their production of the play for Soulpepper’s series Around The World In 80 Plays. Montreal-based playwright and performer, Michaela Di Cesare, author of “In Search of Mrs. Pirandello”, will also join the conversation. The event will take place Tuesday, June 1 at 7pm and registration is required.
 
IHM Event: Festa della Repubblica | Italian National Day on June 2
This is a virtual ceremonial celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the Italian Republic in 1946, with greetings from Canadian elected officials, representatives of the Italian and Canadian governments, and community leaders. There will be also a historical segment explaining the history behind this date, and a cultural segment with poetry (Gianna Patriarca) and music (Rossano Sportiello on piano and Pasquale Grassoon on guitar). Video will be shared on June 2 at 12:00pm.
 
IHM Event: Serata Musicale: A Spotlight on Young Italian-Canadian Talent
Enjoy this video series featuring four concerts by young professional musicians in the Italian-Canadian community. The series will highlight exciting singers and musicians from Ontario and BC, performing a variety of genres including classical music, pop, jazz, country and Italian folk. Videos will be shared every Thursday beginning on June 3 at 12:00pm.
 
IHM Event: My Secret Venice with Sebastiano Bazzichetto
We are proud to present a second season of exclusive ‘behind-the-scenes’ episodes with Dr. Sebastiano Bazzichetto. This new four-part video series will take viewers on a cultural and visual journey to explore hidden gems in the Venetian countryside and pay homage to Dante, the father of Italian language. Don’t miss these stunning virtual tours of some of the grandest, palatial villas in the Veneto region. Videos will be shared every Friday beginning June 4 at 12:00pm.
 
Italy At Home Film Festival on TLN TV
Villa Charities is a proud supporter of the “Italy at Home Film Festival” on TLN TV. Enjoy a specially curated month-long TV event, from May 24 - June 17 every Mon - Thurs at 9P/et, featuring 16 ALL NEW Hit Films from Italy, and all from the comfort of home! A spectacular lineup of English subtitled films and documentaries from some of the most acclaimed names in Italian cinema.
Virtual Community Open Forum Scheduled for June 24
We invite all members of the community to join us for a virtual public meeting to discuss highlights from the Villa Charities Annual General Meeting on Thursday, June 24 at 6pm. The meeting will be hosted on the GoToMeeting platform and will include a brief presentation and Q & A for Villa Charities Inc., the Columbus Centre and our seniors’ apartments. If you would like to participate, please RSVP by Tuesday, June 22 to csimpson@villacharities.com and we will send you the meeting link to use.
Read June’s Book Club Selection, "Seta / Silk"
Our online book club is an opportunity to explore and discuss contemporary
Italian literature while learning Italian. Join us for our June session, where
we will embark on literary adventures with extraordinary works by acclaimed prize-winning authors. The next workshop is on Wednesday, June 23 at 7:00pm as we read "Seta / Silk" by Alessandro Baricco.
 
Villa Charities Sponsors Italian Contemporary Film Festival
Villa Charities is a Film Sponsor of the 2021 Italian Contemporary Film Festival. The ICFF will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with the best of Italian contemporary cinema from June 27-July 17 at Ontario Place, along with the Canada-wide ICFF at Home online program available July 5-13.
 
Book Your Virtual One-on-One Meeting for Friday Chats with the CEO
You can have a virtual meeting with Marco DeVuono, Acting President and CEO of Villa Charities Inc., for a one-on-one conversation to answer any questions or to share your thoughts on our programs and services. These informal chats with Marco will be held using GoToMeeting on the 2nd Friday of every month, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Appointments are 20 minutes each and must be scheduled in advance. The next Friday Chats is scheduled for Friday, June 11. Contact us today to schedule your virtual meeting – call 416-789-7011 ext. 240 or email csimpson@villacharities.com.
Calling all Artists: Outdoor Painted Mural Project
Villa Charities and Columbus Early Learning Centres are seeking proposals from artists to create two murals located in outdoor play spaces at the Casa Del Zotto Childcare Centre, located on our campus. The deadline for proposals is June 1, 2021.
 
Register Now for the
Ital-Canadian Golf Open at Eagles Nest Golf Club
Join us for the inaugural Ital-Canadian Golf Open on Monday, August 30, 2021. The CIBPA Toronto, ICCO Canada and Villa Charities Foundation are coming together to celebrate our community and give back in a meaningful way. Proceeds from the Golf Open will support programs provided by CIBPA Toronto, ICCO Canada and Villa Charities, as well as scholarships and bursaries for students across the country.
 
New Painting Masterclass Announced
Join professional artist and multi-award recipient Sam Paonessa, for a Tuscan Landscape painting masterclass in celebration of Italian Heritage Month on Thursday, June 17 at 6:30pm. Sam will guide you on creating your very own masterpiece, while enhancing your understanding of specific panting techniques. Workshop is suited for students with prior painting experience.
 
Tennis Courts at the Columbus Centre Have Reopened
Please be advised that our outdoor tennis facilities are now open for member use following strict guidelines and booking schedules. The on-site indoor operations for Columbus Centre Athletic Club continue to be suspended. Register for outdoor tennis now! Games can be played in doubles. Book the court now and get your body moving! Contact fitness@villacharities.com to learn more.
 
Virtual Group Fitness Classes Continue at the Columbus Centre
The Columbus Centre Athletic Club continues to offer Live Virtual Group Fitness classes. Our certified instructors are offering courses six days a week! Check out Wednesday's class – Total Body Challenge. This class targets all major muscle groups in the body. Each circuit includes three or four exercises that alternate between upper body and lower body as well as bilateral and unilateral for a unique quick-paced workout. Monthly membership fees are only $24.99 + HST and include access to our full fitness class video library. For more information, visit our website and register today.