2025 Grand Marshal Tonina Chieffalo

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Antonia (Tonina) Mammoliti Chieffalo was born in Italy, like many people in the Danbury, CT area. She was born in the Decollatura province of Catanzaro, Calabria, to Michele and Maria Mammoliti in 1937. When she was a young girl, her father was called to serve in WWII. At the end of the war, when her father came home, they contracted the measles. Tonina and her sister Louisa survived, however her brother Domenico died September 1, 1946. Domenico’s death devastated them greatly. After the war, her family moved to northern Italy, Valle d’Aosta, for her father to find steady work. Tonina and her sister Louisa also received a better education, including learning to speak French. Speaking French came in handy when they decided to move to Montreal, Canada, in 1955.

In 1956 living in Montreal, they found a nice “grouppetto” of “paesani” (group of Italians). Through mutual connections, she met her husband Salvatore Chieffalo from Norwalk, CT. In 1958, Tonina and Salvatore married and settled in Danbury, CT, and spent a wonderful life together with fifty-eight years of marriage. After fifty-eight years of marriage, Salvatore passed away on February 4, 2018. Tonina and Salvatore Chieffalo had three children, Francine, Domenico and Salvatore Jr.; three grandchildren, a set of twins, Maria LoStocco and Joseph LoStocco IV, and Parker Chieffalo; and one great grandchild, Lorenzo LoStocco Palmares.

In the mid 1960’s, Tonina worked at Davis and Geck in Danbury and had a career there for 30 years. She started as a piece worker, putting together surgical sutures and worked in all the departments there. After 5 years, she was promoted to group leader and was responsible for delegating work. Towards the end of her career, she was promoted to the night shift supervisor at a time when those positions were mostly occupied by men. She worked the night shift, sacrificing time with her family to provide a better life for them. She retired after a 30-year career and wanted to spend time volunteering in the community.

Up until 1990, the Danbury Lodge of the Sons of Italy was all men under the name Amerigo Vespucci Lodge. The women had their own smaller lodge called Colonna Lodge. Tonina was instrumental in helping to join the men and women’s lodge to form one lodge. In the early 1990’s the lodge had a real festival, with food, carnival rides, dessert and homemade pizza fritta. Tonina always took pride in running the pizza fritta stand for many years.

Tonina has been a member of the Amerigo Vespucci Lodge in Danbury, CT, for around 60 years and involved for 30 years of service. She held offices over the years, including Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. She also held titles of being the official delegate to the Italian Consulates in Hartford and New York, coordinator of cultural and heritage programs, and Chairperson of the House Committee of the Lodge. She was honored twice by the Amerigo Vespucci Lodge in Danbury at its annual Columbus Day Dinner Dance for her years of service to the lodge. She was also honored by the Grand Lodge in Hartford, CT (The Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy). Tonina volunteered her services to teach Italian classes at the lodge for five years. She organized countless trips for members of the Lodge, including a trip to the Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Metropolitan Opera House. She also organized the Lodge’s annual Columbus Day Dinner Dance and Christmas Party for many years, along with many other events to enjoy and learn about Italian heritage. 

Tonina also participated in all the Italian flag raising ceremonies at Danbury City Hall and enjoys hearing her granddaughter sing the American and Italian national anthems. Tonina was also given several mayor’s proclamations from the City of Danbury for her years of dedication to preserving Italian Heritage in the community. Tonina is now 87 years of age, and enjoys travel, good food, language, community service, her Italian heritage and most of all her family. 

Frank Peter Molinaro, of Bridgewater, CT, was born on the 11th of September 1940 to Frank W. Molinaro and Lucille L. Tomaino, and passed peacefully on February 12, 2025, at the age of 84. Frank was the oldest of three children, a sister Linda A. Molinaro, with whom he shared ownership of the Frank W. Molinaro Insurance Agency and a brother Peter A. Molinaro, who is a retired executive from Dow Chemical and lives in Oakton, Virginia.  Frank graduated from Danbury High School in the class of 1958 and attended the University of Bridgeport until transferring to Danbury State Teachers College where he met his future wife, Holly Jane Finley.  Frank and Holly married in 1963 and following a short stint in the army National Guard joined his father in his Insurance Agency.  Frank and Holly have one child and two grandchildren.

Frank was a true leader in the Danbury community and we were proud to honor him at the 2024 San Gennaro Festival. 

The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano was installed as Fifth Bishop of Bridgeport on Thursday, September 19, 2013, at St. Theresa Church in Trumbull, CT. On February 22,

2014, he formally convoked the 4th Synod of the Diocese of Bridgeport, the first in 32 years, as an opportunity for renewal and pastoral planning. More than 8,000 faithful

turned out for the Synod Closing Mass Celebration at Webster Bank Arena on September 19, 2015. Under his leadership, the diocese has launched the Institute for Catholic Formation, ongoing Strategic and Pastoral Planning, and “A Call to Renewal” with its unique “Eucharistic Ambassador” initiative to welcome people back to the Church and revitalize the liturgical and pastoral life of the diocese.  Most recently he has launched “The One,” a movement within the diocese to support this mission of renewal by focusing all spiritual and operational resources on the need for all the baptized to proclaim the Kerygma and pass it on to the next generation through encounter and accompaniment. Born and raised in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn, he was admitted to Yale University in 1977, and transferred to Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception, where he graduated summa cum laude. 

After briefly working in the publishing industry, he was ordained to the priesthood on May

16, 1987 in the chapel of the Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston, Queens. A noted catechist, Bishop Caggiano was invited by Pope Benedict XVI to deliver World Youth Day talks in Sydney in 2008 and Madrid in 2011 and by Pope Francis to serve as a catechist at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, 2013, Krakow in 2016 and Panama in 2019. He also

preached at the Youth 2000 Summer Festival in Tipperary, Ireland. He presently serves on

several committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):

Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis; Chair of the Subcommittee on the Catechism; Ad Hoc Committee on Racism, Subcommittee on the Church in Africa, and the Committee on International Justice and Peace. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for CRS from 2019 to 2022 and most recently as the International Chaplain for Legatus. In October 2018, he was one of five American bishops elected by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to represent the United States at the XV Ordinary General Assembly: Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment at the Vatican.

Anthony M. Rizzo, Sr., was born in Italy one month after the death of his father. He began his life fighting an uphill battle to survive. At the age of 12, he was sent to America to live with his aunt and uncle whom he had never met. His mother would not arrive until one and a half years later. Unable to speak a word of English, he was determined to live the American Dream. This new home and family meant everything to him. They provided him with the love and support necessary to begin pursuing his dreams. Hard work, determination and a strong family network were the foundations to his success. College was not an option for him because his family made just enough to get by, but his uncle suggested the local trade school hoping that he could learn a trade and support his family.

Anthony M. Rizzo, Sr. is a 1958 graduate of the Electrical Department at Henry Abbott Technical School, receiving the award of “Student with the Greatest Personal Achievement.” At the age of 22, he and his wife, Joan, founded A.M. Rizzo Electrical Contractors, Inc. This year, the company celebrated its 60th Anniversary. 

Currently, the Rizzo Companies are entirely family-owned and also handle Construction Management, General Construction and Electrical contracts throughout both Connecticut and New York.

Tony’s community commitment goes above and beyond most. He has served on numerous committees such as:

 The H.A.T.S. Electrical Craft Committee

 Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Nutmeg Federal Savings and Loan.

 Board of Directors of the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce

 The Board of Directors of the Housatonic Development Corporation

 Chairman of the City of Danbury Commission of the Housing Authority

 Board of Directors of the Regional Hospice, as well as Chairing their Hospice Art Show for several years

 Previous member of the Webster Bank Advisory Board

Over the years, Anthony M. Rizzo, Sr. has received numerous awards for his exemplary service to the community. His greatest pride is in being an American citizen and to commemorate this, he created his own tribute to this great country called “Freedom Park” located at the corner of Triangle Street and Lee Mac Avenue in Danbury. Spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren is his greatest joy. At 82 years of age, he is still active in the community, has no desire to retire in the near future and still enjoys coming to work each day.