52^nd Anniversary Year

            The Arturo Toscanini Lodge #2107 was founded on the 11^th of March in 1960 in the hamlet of Commack, located in the Town of Huntington. Permission to use the name of Arturo Toscanini was obtained from his son, Walter Enrico Claudio Pietro Toscanini, by Charter Member Peter R. Zuzolo. Walfredo Toscanini, the son of Walter, and the grandson of Arturo was the lodge’s honoree at their 25^th Anniversary Celebration in 1985. The lodge was sponsored by the John Michael Marino Lodge #1389 of Port Washington. The founders whose names appear on the Charter signed on the 16^th of May in 1960 were; Francis Burzo, Robert Scutellaro, and Eraldo Colini.  The Lodge was the first in Suffolk County, and the third on Long Island, following the Glen Cove Lodge #1016, founded on May 2, 1920, and the John Michael Marino Lodge, founded on November 2, 1922. There are three Charter Members remaining: Gloria Ceo Bacta (now in Pompano Beach, Florida), Edith L. Zuzolo, and Peter R. Zuzolo.

    Lodge founder, the late Eraldo Colini, was very friendly with Robert David Lion Gardiner (16^th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner's Island). Robert spoke about Arturo Toscanini at a meeting since he had known him very well. (See "Life of Arturo Toscanini.") Robert also produced a family tree chart that indicated that although his family came to America from England, originally they had come from Italy. He served as a lodge Trustee in 1961. Eraldo tried unsuccessfully to negotiate obtaining a piece of property for the lodge from Robert, at the northeast corner of Pine Aire Drive and Sagtikos Parkway.

The Lodge was incorporated in New York State on September 21, 1967 with the assistance of Attorney Frank Corso, a lodge member. The certificate was signed by NY Secretary of State John P. Lomenzo. Over the last 52 years the lodge has been housed in several sites. Initial meetings were held in the old Commack Hotel at the southwest corner of Commack Road, and Jericho Turnpike. The lodge purchased a building on the east side at 151 Larkfield Road in East Northport under the Parma Proporties Corporation on June 13, 1966. It had to be sold on July 26, 1971 since it was not large enough to be utilized as a source of income. The lodge then met for several years in a small building on the south side at 3084 Jericho Turnpike in Elwood. This was followed by many years of meetings at the VFW Hall on Warner Road in Elwood. For the last 25 years the lodge has met in the St. Matthew RC Church in Dix Hills in Huntington. Edith Zuzolo obtained this meeting site in the late 1980’s. She was a dear friend of the late Monsignor Saverio C. Mattei who was then the pastor of St. Matthews. The Monsignor was a long-time member of the Order, and was the lodge honoree in 1993. He was the Suffolk County District I State Chaplain for many years.  During the construction of the new Monsignor Mattei Youth Center the lodge made a special three-year donation to the building fund that is recognized on the “Tree of Giving” in the lobby. Monsignor Macdonald was the lodge honoree in 2001.

Our lodge has been honored to have officers on both the state and national level. At the 2005 Centennial National Convention, held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, the Lodge was presented with the "Centennial Cities Award." Past President Rose Albertson served as a State Trustee, and State Corresponding Secretary. Past President Peter R. Zuzolo served as State and National President, and was on the State Golden Lion newspaper as Editor, Co-Editor, and other capacities from its inception in 1964 until June 2007. He was the first national president from NY State in over 51 years. Past President Edith L. Zuzolo has served as both State and National First Lady, Past Garibaldi Meucci Museum (GMM) Commissioner, and Past Museum Overseer Chair. Stanley B. Klein is serving as a GMM Commissioner.

On the state level: Brother Zuzolo received the 1996 Bene Emeritus Award, Joseph A. Tursi received the 1998 State Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro Award, Edith L. Zuzolo received it in 1999, Rose Albertson received it in 2006, and Natale A. Mannino recevied it in 2011. Past Presidents Joseph A. Tursi, Louis A. Lionetti, Rose T. Albertson, Edith L. Zuzolo, Richard J. Albertson, Anthony F. Lauto⁺, Stanley B. Klein, Anne G. Klein, and Salvatore Farina, Jr. have all served, or are serving as State Deputies. Past President Natale A. Mannino has been, and continues to be the State Photographer. The Lodge’s newsletter "Il Maestro" was awarded the NYS Convention Award for “Best Layout for Photography” in 1999, and 2002 with Editor Peter R. Zuzolo, and Presidents, Salvatore Farina, Jr. and Ann LoMeo, respectively. In 2009 and 2010, it was awarded the ”Best Newsletter” Award with then President, and Editor, Silvia A. Montemurro.

The Lodge is very active on the national, state, and district level in supporting worthwhile charitable and scholarship programs. (See Charities, and State and Lodge Scholarships) Examples are: the Arturo Toscanini Lodge State Scholarship, Cooley’s Anemia, March of Dimes-Birth Defects, Arthritis Foundation, Boys/Girls Town of Italy, the Children’s Inn @ NIH, Suffolk County Children’s Camp Day Care Center, the St. Francis Heart Gift of Life, the Gift of Sight, the World War II Memorial Monument, the 9/11 Attack on America, South East Asia Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund, and the Garibaldi,-Meucci Museum. On the community level, the Lodge supports: Meals on Wheels, the Salvation Army, Italian Language and Music Scholarship Awards to Huntington High School, Northport High School, Commack High School, Walt Whitman High School, Harborfield High School, and St. Matthew’s Church.