SONS OF ITALY FOUNDATION CHOSEN

FOR SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

BY CHARLES EVANS FOUNDATION

WASHINGTON, DC, November 19, 2009 - The Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF), the philanthropic arm of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), has announced the creation of a new perpetual scholarship funded by an endowment from The Charles Evans Foundation. The new scholarship, to bear the name of the late Charles Evans, is added to the slate of 10 to 12 merit-based scholarships the SIF awards every year in its nationwide scholarship competition, the National Leadership Grant Competition.
 
Through the SIF and more than 650 state and local lodges, OSIA has awarded more than $47 million in scholarships to date. The gift from the Charles Evans Foundation will enable the SIF to further this tradition by rewarding an additional student of Italian descent for years to come.
 
The Charles Evans Scholarship will be presented for the first time at the SIF's 2010 National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala on May 26 in Washington, D.C.
 
"The Sons of Italy Foundation is profoundly honored to have been chosen as the custodial institution for the Charles Evans Memorial Scholarship," said Philip R. Piccigallo, Ph.D., SIF national executive director and CEO.   "We will do everything necessary to uphold and give tribute to his outstanding memory and legacy."
 
The Charles Evans Foundation chose the Sons of Italy Foundation for its reputable scholarship program and continual advancement and promotion of Italian culture. 
 
Charles Evans was a successful businessman, a U.S. veteran, and a lifelong philanthropist. He founded the fashion house Evan-Picone, which was later sold to Revlon. Afterward, he became involved in the real estate and entertainment businesses.  Among his career accomplishments, Evans was executive producer of the Academy Award-winning film "Tootsie." Turning personal challenges into positive outcomes, Evans crusaded for causes close to his heart, namely fire detection safety and Alzheimer's disease research, for which he served as National Director of the Alzheimer's Association. Though Charles Evans was not Italian himself, his business partner Joseph Picone was Sicilian, and Evans maintained strong working relationships with Italian-Americans all during his career.
 
To learn more about the SIF's annual scholarship program, please visit www.osia.org/students/scholarships. For more on the NELA Gala, the vehicle through which the SIF honors its scholarship recipients as well as other outstanding Italian American scholars, business leaders and humanitarians, visit www.osia.org/news/nela-gala. 
 

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The Sons of Italy is proud to announce the first-ever limited edition set of heritage cards honoring Italian American Baseball Heroes from the pioneer Buttercup Dickerson in 1878 to Dodger manager Joe Torre in 2009. This historic collectible box of 100 cards, made from original oil paintings commissioned specifically for this set, honoring Italians who contributed to making baseball America's game. For some, this is their first-ever card. For all, this is the most beautiful card set ever issued. Richly boxed and available just in time to make the perfect Christmas gift.



These cards are available as gifts for a small donation made to The Sons of Italy Foundation. The philanthropic arm of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), founded in 1959 as a private grant-making institution with the purpose of preserving Italian American culture, encouraging educational excellence among Italian Americans and improving lives in other areas. Your fully tax-deductible donation will help the SIF carry on its mission and will be acknowledged with a receipt noting the full deductibility amount.