The Pratolana Society was founded in 1939 by a group of Pratolani who emigrated to Hartford, Ct. More about the club coming soon.

For the past 81 years,we have kept our Pratolana traditions alive in America, a country not even exist when the first Festa was celebrated in  Pratola centuries ago. It is importante that we keep these traditions alive so that our grandchildren and their grangchildren can continue to experience their great culture and heritage in America.

It is unfortunate that many Americans of Italian descent forefathers came from in the rarly 20th century.No Italian should ever foget their roots or where came from. However, we Pratolani are in a unique position, since many of us came to America in the 50"s and 60's. With our economic and community spirit as strong as ever,we are now in a position to keep our traditions alive in a way that the Italian immigrants in the early 20th century had difficulty accomplishing. When the early 20th century immigrants opened up Societies,they became difficult to sustain afterthe founding members passed away. Their children were to busy fighiting in wars and trying to earn enough money to go to college and buy they first home. These Societies also experienced prejudice and suspicion that made resenful when they celebrated traditions from the old word> The3 Pratolana Society has been sustained because of the courage and dedication of our Founders and the continuing migratios and support of all the Pratolani who came to America throughout most of the 20th century,

The difference between now and then, is that today,we Italians no longer experience the pressure to give up our traditions and culture in order to assimilate in America society the way descendants of early Italian immigrants dit.We can celebrate our differences insteead of shunning them.We can show our children and grandchildren how we celebrated in the old world, We can share with them the stories ofour youth,and struggles and sacrifices we made to became suyccessful in America, We can even thake them to Pratola and show them where we grew up. Most importantly,we must all take advantage of the opportunity to bring them to events like the Festa and the annual picnics, Christmas parties,and banquets to show them how we celebrated in the old world. While many of you have already done these things with your own children,it is very important that we remain strong and unified as a community and continue to communicate the significance in attending these events to everyone in our family,especially for our grandchildren . Theseevents will allow them to appreciate and experience our traditions so that they too will continue to bring the heritage of Pratola to America, In the process,we can give them agreater understanding of their remarkable culture and give them a source of pride and admiration that will last for many generations to come.

Since ancient times, the Peligni Valley has been home to highly civilized populations. Our valley gave birth to Italy;s ancient capitol Corfinium and we gave Western Civilization one its greatest poets.Ovidio. The History of our contryside in tied everlastingly to Fra Pietro da Marine, who took the name of Pope Celestino V. Today, our beloved win Montepulciano D;Abruzzo and pasta are appreciated all over the world,but it also economically,one of the richest. As   Pratolani,we must have over 2,000 years  to be proud of as Italians, our history and civilization is the envy of the would be lost whitout the contribution on Italy.And today,Italy is not only one of the most visited countries in world,but it is also econimically,one of the richest. As Pratolani, we must be proud to come from a land that has givin the would so much as food, art,music,science, literature and business. We ruled the would as Romans,reated the Renaissance,and discovered the New Would,for even America was named for an Italian.

Bruno Tedeschi

Tresuary of Pratolana Society and Club Manager