In Laurel since 1980 with over 100 members!
Non-profit organization holding monthly meetings with great food, entertainment and activities that support educational programs, disaster relief, cultural advancement, and medical research.
Salute Antonio Gatto!
The Antonio Gatto Lodge (AGL) has a very long history in Laurel dating back to 1980. It’s just one of more than 100 Lodges of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA) and 12 in Maryland. Its members cherish the importance of culture, tradition, and the contributions of shared ancestry. OSDIA started in 1905 with an overarching mission to promote culture and heritage through several branches. The Foundation promotes philanthropic efforts and to date, they’ve raised and given more than $164 million to scholarships, medical research, cultural preservation, disaster relief, and other similar causes. The Commission for Social Justice helps to fight racism, prejudice, and the stereotyping of all races, religions, and cultures.
Who was Antonio Gatto?
He was one of four children born to Guiseppe and Salomone Cologera Gatto. Born in Delia, Caltanissetta, Italy in Sicily on June 11, 1930. As a young man working in his father’s restaurant during WW II, Antonio would hear American soldiers talking about their country and was very fascinated. He began to make plans to someday leave for America someday. Then at the age of 14 he started an apprenticeship with his older brother Angelo, a tailor in Torino. He lived, studied and worked with his brother for 14 years, eventually graduating from the Prima Scuola Italiana Da Taglio. In 1958, he returned to Sicily and later that year, on September 6, he married Melina. On July 21, 1964, Tony's dream of coming to America became a reality. In 1968, Tony and Melina and their three children moved to Laurel. He became a successful businessman, and opened a men's wear store, complete with a custom tailor shop on Main Street. The young man with a "dream" had become a success, through hard work and the determination to succeed. He was a dedicated family man, who was also active in his church and community. On June 4, 1978, a tragic heart attack took Antonio from us.
