Anthony Buccino receives UNICO National Americanism award

The William Paca Award is presented in recognition of historical research and in recognition of the contributions of the many unsung heroes whose lives were expended in making our country the beacon of freedom in the world today.

Buccino is a writer by profession and avocation. While attending a town-wide effort by local veterans to rehabilitate Nutley’s war memorials, he was struck by the fact that he didn’t know anything about most of the men whose names appeared on the plaques.

Along with his college-age daughter Andrea, he researched old newspapers, government files, and the like, to learn about the soldiers from Nutley and the neighboring community of Belleville where Buccino grew up, who paid for our freedom with their lives.

The result was two books: “Nutley Sons Honor Roll – Remembering the Men Who Paid for Our Freedom” and “Belleville Sons Honor Roll - Remembering the Men Who Paid for Our Freedom”.

Steve Mairella, president of the Nutley Chapter of UNICO, which nominated Buccino, said the research project fit the Americanism profile perfectly.

Criteria for the William Paca Americanism Award:

 For researching facts and contributions made by our founding fathers and t he many unsung heroes who have given their lives for our country, and whose sacrifices have helped to shape the destiny of the United States of America.

 For his desire to acquire more knowledge and a better understanding of the American Constitution, its designers and those people who have upheld it.

Maryland resident, and later governor, William Paca signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Representatives from 128 chapters and 16 states participated in the UNICO mid-year meetings of the Board of Directors and National Committees, held mid-March at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,

National Award Committees judged applicants for UNICO’s annual awards recognizing outstanding individuals for their accomplishments and contributions in their respective fields. The awards ceremony will be held at the UNICO annual meeting in August.

UNICO, which means unique or one of a kind in Italian, was founded in Waterbury, Conn., by Dr. Anthony P. Vastola in 1922. Members work to support charitable, educational, scientific and literary projects while promoting Italian heritage and combating negative stereotyping.

The Nutley Sons Honor Roll paperback has reached 290 pages in its third edition compared with 162 pages in the first edition and 250 pages in the second edition.

The latest edition includes more information on Nutley in the American Revolution, Nutley Civil War veterans, WWII survivor and POW stories, and additional details throughout.

Prior to this project, begun about four years ago, there was no one place beyond the local monuments to the fallen and many years’ worth of microfilm where anyone in town could learn who were the men who paid for our freedom. Now, in one source, beyond the names of the Nutley sons are their stories as best as can be collected.

For information on the Nutley Sons and Belleville Sons project, visit Nutley Sons

For further information, contact UNICO National at 1-800-877-1492, or Unico

- April 2005

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Paterson Literary Review, U.S. 1 Worksheets, Rattlesnake Review, Medusa's Kitchen, Voices In Italian Americana, Edison Literary Review, Journal of New Jersey Poets, CHEST, The Idiom, Fox Chase Review, Up & Under, Caduceus, South Mountain Poets Anthology, MEWS, LIPS, More Sweet Lemons, The Poem Factory, On The Quiet Side, PowWow Review and other places, too!

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A FATHER'S PLACE - An Eclectic Collection

SISTER DRESSED ME FUNNY

RAMBLING ROUND  Inside and Outside at the Same Time

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