The assembly was held in the community lounge at Stewart Street in Wollongong.
More than 50 members were present.
Before electing the new committee, the group listened to the financial report, read by the treasurer alongside summary reports read by the president and manager.
Neil Reilly, acting president in place of Gerardo De Liseo who was forced to leave his position mid-year for motives of work, welcomed those present and summarised the organisation’s achievements over the past year.
Following the report, as is protocol, the outgoing committee was confirmed and the new president was unanimously elected to be Alex Frino, while Fathers Angelo and Salvatore were nominated as “patrons” of the organisation.
For more than 40 years, Fr Angelo has taken care both spiritually and socially of the needs of the Italian community of the Illawarra.
Since the organisation’s founding in 1971, Fr Salvatore has been the mentor and driving force behind a cooperative that with modest resources, a lot of enthusiasm and the work of many hundreds of volunteers, has become the best of the best in Italo-Australian initiatives.
ItSoWel is frequently held up as a prime exemplar by other Italo-Australian organisations in the region.
The organisation experienced its most important year this year.
It finally succeeded in acquiring 60 per cent of the property that it has shared with the NSW Land and Housing Corporation since its founding.
With the support of state authorities, ItSoWel was exempted from paying Stamp Duty in acquisition of the property.
The year also saw the official release of the Home Care Package Program, having received accreditation earlier this year.
An increase in work in the centre saw employment of new staff, including a full time coordinator who directs the Home Care Package service and Community Home Support Program, a part time Client Liaison Officer and a part time Social Support Group Coordinator.
The number of Care Support Workers who speak Italian also increased; currently nine of these provide in-home care.
To the new president Frino, the committee and the director Cardamone, the staff and the wonderful ladies from the Ladies Committee, the one hundred volunteers, the teachers of Italian courses for adults and children and to all those who, in one way or another lend a hand, a heartfelt thank you for a job well done!
