Sam Tignanelli

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Sam Tignanelli has been the cheerful volunteer face behind the bar at the Davedi Club for many years. In the spring 2017 he had to take time off to recover from surgery and we were so glad to see him back!

Salvatore Tignanelli came to Canada from Pietrafitta. Cosenza, Italy in December 1965. He left behind his fiancée and 25˚ above weather, to come to cold North Bay and 25˚ below. Sponsored by his brother, 2 days after he arrived he was working at the concrete plant. Later, when he was established, Rosetta came to join him and they were married at St Rita’s Church. They are the proud parents and grandparents of Lucia (Kevin Connor) Alexandra and Kristen, Rita (Jason Paquet) Emma and Maxwell, Pietro (Melanie) Salvatore and Liliana. There is a story behind Lucia’s name. Sam’s brother Egidio had a bad accident where he was in danger of losing his eyesight. In thanks for his recovery, Sam and Rosetta called their daughter after Saint Lucia the patron saint of those with eye trouble.

 

“Thank God,” says Sam, “I was able to work all the time.” Sam worked at the concrete plant and for 23 years in construction for Domenic Mascioli. Rosetta worked at the Busciemi Bakery and the Civic Hospital. Together they bought a house and proudly educated their children for good lives in Canada so they were able to take advantage of opportunities in Marketing, Teaching and Construction.
Sam did not have English when he arrived, so his bosses and co workers had to take him by the arm and demonstrate what to do for the work they wanted. Sam, quiet then as now, sat behind everyone and listened during his lunch breaks to learn his English on the job. Now his cheerful greeting to everybody as he volunteers at the club is a hallmark of Italian welcome. Sam worked with many others to build the Davedi addition 30 years ago and to redo the roof. He started volunteering at the Davedi at that time and donned medieval costume to ride on the winning float for the Canada Day parade.
Thanks Sam for your consistent volunteer work on the teams for Summer in the Park, Ladies Auxiliary Spaghetti suppers, all the culture concerts and events, and at many Club functions. Thanks too to your wife Rosetta for her volunteer work in the kitchen.

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