It is linked to the initiative of American Sonora Smart Dodd, who, after hearing a priest’s sermon on Mother’s Day, took steps to ensure that fathers were also celebrated with their own day.
The first official celebration took place on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington. The event fell on this day because Dodd’s own father was born that very month. In fact, she originally proposed his birthday, two weeks earlier, as the day to celebrate.
In Italy, as in other Catholic countries, the day coincides with the day dedicated to St. Joseph, the putative father of Jesus and a symbol of the ideal father figure.
St. Joseph is also considered the protector of orphans and generally of the weakest and most vulnerable people in society. By virtue of this, March 19 was traditionally an occasion to do charitable works.
In Australia, Father’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in September, which is also the first Sunday of spring on the continent.
While hundreds of clubs, restaurants, reception halls and tens of thousands of families all over Australia were celebrating dads, Club Marconi of Bossley Park held its own tribute.
Thanks to women’s committee chair Giovanna Pellegrino, the club organised a wonderful evening in honour of dads during which, as has become tradition, the Club Marconi’s Dad of the Year for 2023 was announced.
The evening was held in the impressive La Boheme room (the gloriously renovated Auditorium) of the Marconi Club’s Doltone House.
Speaking before the guests was Giovanna Pellegrino herself who, after thanking those present and extending best wishes to all the dads at the party, announced the name of the dad of the year - Sam D’Alessandro.
After the customary photos, it was the turn of Club Marconi President Morris Licata to thank those present and extend heartfelt good wishes to all Marconi Club dads.
Licata then thanked Giovanna Pellegrino and her entire committee, which is always extremely active in organising excellent events.
Winner Sam D’Alessandro was born in Celano in 1953 and arrived in Australia in 1968. After attending school for only a few months he had to stop studying to help his family by working in the insulation installation industry, and then in a butcher shop.
Celano (Celanë in Marsican dialect), where D’Alessandro is from, is a town of just over ten thousand inhabitants and part of the province of L’Aquila in the Abruzzi region.
In 1974 D’Alessandro met the woman of his life in Sydney, Elisa, who became his wife and gave him two children, Sonia and Mark. The Dad of the Year has also been blessed with five beautiful grandchildren named Allissa, Chiara, Emilia, Marcus and Olivia, all of whom were present at Saturday night’s important event.
D’ Alessandro worked for many years with the youth sector of the club, coaching boys from 13 to 18 years old, winning numerous competitions.
When he was in charge of youth soccer the Marconi coaches were Frank Arok, Frank Farina and Les Scheinflug. Among the players discovered by D’Alessandro were Darren Iocca, Anthony Crea and Nick Bozinovski.
Together with the late Frank Arok, D’Alessandro ran the Marconi academy for a number of years and coached many players who went on to play for the Australian national team.
But in 1999 Sam was suddenly struck down by a severe stroke that unfortunately ended his career as a coach and talent scout.
Despite dashed hopes and dreams and having to stay away from the game he loved, D’Alessandro slowly recovered and can still often be seen among the scattered spectators attending Marconi games.
A better choice by the club’s Women’s Committee for Father of the Year could not have been made, and the announcement of his name for the coveted title was greeted with visible emotion by D’Alessandro and a roaring applause from everyone in the room.
The evening then passed in great merriment, enlivened by beautiful songs and dance music performed by the duo consisting of Tony Gagliano and Michael Riviera.
There was also the drawing of a rich raffle whose proceeds were donated to an organisation for the fight against dementia.
A number of directors were also present, including Sam Noiosi, Antonio Paragalli, Sam Vaccaro, Angelo Ruisi, Fernando Pellegrino and the Federation of Sicilians of Australia president Tony Noiosi, along with former parliamentarian Guy Zangari.
