SPRINGFIELD – The Italian Cultural Center presented their Sixth Annual Golf Tournament fundraiser on July 15 at St. Anne Country Club in Feeding Hills.  The Italian Cultural Center works to promote Italian culture, traditions and art in the community.  

The center was founded in 1985, and has 386 members.  Though the center is in Springfield, according to Director Lucille Brindisi it’s the only Italian Cultural Center in Massachusetts.  Several members are Western Massachusetts locals, however the center has members who live out of state as well.

The event on Saturday cost each guest $125 for dinner and 18 holes of golf.  If dinner and a round of golf aren’t enticing enough, the Italian Cultural Center held different stations at several holes.  There was a limoncello hole that offered golfers homemade limoncello shots, a grilled Italian sausage hole, and a lemon ice hole.  Additionally, Carabas donated a lunch truck for the event for free.

“There were little skewers with tomatoes and mozzarella, mini meatballs, and more.  It was delicious,” Brindisi said, “It was a great event, and the weather was beautiful for it.”

The Italian Cultural Center puts on a series of fundraisers through out the year.  Brindisi mentioned cooking classes, Italian language classes, dinners, Italian cinema nights, seminars and bus trips.  Most recently, the center held a fundraiser for the Amatrice earthquake victims.

Similar to several groups, clubs and organizations, the summer months are slow for the center when it comes to holding events.  Once autumn rolls around the Italian Cultural Center will be gearing up for October, as it will be Italian Heritage month.