Happy Italian American Heritage Month & Columbus Day!

Hi Everyone,

It's been a little over a month since our last update and so much has happened!! I would love to share some news for you. 

First, I have been busy running around to other Little Italy's in the United States. Visiting each little district of a Little Italy I can't tell you how much support and advice was offered, along with seeing the one main foundation that built these districts, and it was the love and determination the local Italian Americans had to preserve the memory and heritage of that area. 

Second, we had a meeting with Invest DSM and the City Planners of DSM. WE HAVE THEIR FULL SUPPORT for our signage!! Here are our next steps that we will all need help on: 

Step 1: Get letters of support from business owners, residents, future business owners and organizations involved in the Italian-American heritage of Iowa or the Little Italy area. SO if you would like to write a letter of support for us we would love you to pieces if you did so! You can email your attached letter to caito-ellingson@littleitalydsm.org or if you need to mail it please let me know and I can give you the address. 

Step 2: We will be having meetings with the City Councilmen and Mayor with the letters and your signatures on the petition for them to meet in order for them to form their support for the signage

Step 3: Once the Mayor and council members say "YAY we love it"! Then we will be getting to work with an artist competition for the design of our sign!

Step 4: After all of the entries are in we will choose the top 3. From there we will turn back to you, our supporters, and ask for you to vote on what design you think best to represent our Little Italy District!!

Oh I am already excited! Thank you again for believing in us and I hope you all have an amazing Italian American Heritage Month.