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2024 USBF National Bocce Championship

Highwood players took center stage at the United States Bocce Federation National Championship Tournament at the Italia America Bocce Club in St. Louis, June 23-29, 2024, and had an exceptional showing.

Several gold medalists qualified to compete in the World Bocce Championships in Mersin, Turkey, this fall, including Courtney Strickland and Anthony LaBarbera in Mixed Doubles, Courtney Strickland in Women's singles and precision shooting, and Tom Holleman in precision shooting.

Thank you to the IABC for hosting an excellent tournament, and congratulations to everyone who participated in an exciting week of competition and sportsmanship.

2024 National Tournament Medalists

Men's Doubles: Gold Medalists Maurizio Perrelli and Anthony La Barbera.

Mixed Doubles (international qualifier): Gold Medalists Courtney Strickland and Anthony La Barbera.

Women's singles (international qualifier): Gold Medalist Courtney Strickland, Bronze Medalist Brigid Reidy.

Men's singles: Bronze Medalist Anthony La Barbera

Women's precision shooting (international qualifier): Gold Medalist Courtney Strickland.

Silver Medalist Lauren McDermott, Bronze Medalist Vanessa Garippo.

Men's precision shooting (international qualifier): Gold Medalist Tom Holleman, Silver Medalist Anthony La Barbera, and Bronze Medalist Todd Mikell.

Open Bocce Tournament: Silver Medalists -"I Amuse You Team" featuring Miles Russell and Anthony La Barbera, and Bronze Medalists "Highwood 7" Gordon Gruenes, Tom Holleman, Todd Mikell, and Tim Tolari.

Club Renovation Plans Rescheduled

Next Steps

In March, membership approved the plans to renovate our entryway, bathrooms, bar, and card room areas with an 80% majority. Immediately after that the board began worked with our architect to complete more detailed engineering specifications, select bar equipment, refine designs and complete the bid package. Five general contractors were invited to bid and one submitted a proposal.

The board voted unanimously to postpone our renovation plans until 2025. This decision was primarily based upon the following considerations.

1. Only one of the general contractors bid on our renovation plans.
2. The one bid we did receive was significantly over the $350,000 limit approved by the membership.

During the next 10 months we will work to obtain other bids so we enter next year with a firm understanding of costs and schedule requirements. We will further review those findings with the Membership, with plans to move forward in the summer of 2025.

This decision has many implications.

• Our bar, kitchen, and entire facility will be open throughout the summer with no interruption!
• We will be scheduling new member events and also taking reservations for private events.
• Renovation plans pursued in 2025 will require a membership vote if they exceed the previously approved $350,000 approved limit.

Membership Renewal

Membership Renewal Ends July 31, 2024

For all existing members, membership renewal for the 2024-2025 membership year runs from

May 1 to July 31, 2024.

Amounts are:

• Individual - $125
• Couple - $200
• Senior (80 years old +) - $25 (previously 85 years old)
• Junior (12-24 years old) - $50

Renewal Options

Please remember that this process is managed by volunteers, and we appreciate online renewals at highwoodbocce.com. This ensures that a digital record of your renewal is automatically recorded.

• ONLINE - Follow this link and renew with your credit card. This is the easiest option both for you and the Club!

Non-preferred renewal options

• CHECK - Make a check out to Highwood Bocce Club. Mail it to the Club (440 Bank Lane Highwood, IL 60040), drop it in the box on the office door at the club, or give it personally to Tom Holleman or Mary Ann Pedersen. No receipt will be provided. Make sure you include a note with your contact information (email and cell phone) so we can reach you if needed.
• IN PERSON - Pay using cash or credit card (MasterCard or Visa) at the bar and a receipt will be given to you. Please note, the Club prefers online payment over payment at the bar, as bar payments are more difficult to track. If you do choose to pay at the bar be sure to save your receipt.

Importance of Timely Renewal

The Club has a membership cap with a waiting list. If you do not make your payment by July 31, 2024, you will be put on the waitlist and will have to pay the initiation fee to rejoin.

Each year the Club seeks local sponsorships to help support court operations through banner and scoreboard advertisements on the courts. We want to extend our sincere thanks to these companies and encourage you to patronize their businesses!

Becks HVAC

Buffo’s

Pasquesi Plumbing

Core Advisors

Jar Corp

ABT (David Beresid)

Arrive Logistics

Bobber Teich and Pippin

State Farm Insurance (Brian Lock)

Carefree Comfort

Coldwell Banker (Carol DeGrazia & Brendan Santi)

D and D Insurance Agency (Danko Dykyj)

DiMaggio Law

Done Deal Promotions

Ekenberg & Ekenberg, P.C.

Etruscan Gutters and Roofing

Farmers Insurance (Brad Slavin)

Giannetti Artisans

IC Signs and Graphics

Italian Roots

Little Tommy's Plumbing

Compass Realty (Mada Hitchmough)

Media Designers

Menoni and Mocogni

Pasquesi Home and Gardens

Sarge! Book

Small Ball United

Sunset Foods

The Overpass Company

The Viti Companies - Insurance, Financial

Toadstool Pub

Wintrust Financial Corp.

Barney Hammond Hourihane

Rosebrook Pools

Midwest Mobility

Engel & Volkers (Tom Perrella)

Hunt and Sons Cabinetry & Millwork

Bank Lane Construction Complete

The City of Highwood has completed construction on Bank Lane. The infrastructure project included installing an improved sanitary sewer system to increase capacity and reliability and resurfacing the road. During the reconstruction, the Club upgraded its trash and recycling enclosure, an unglamorous but important improvement. The construction was made possible thanks to the efforts of Lupe Pancardo, Luciano Brogi, Lenny Innocenzi, and Walter Ori. Pictured below is Luciano in front of the new enclosure.

Code of Conduct

A reminder to all of our members, we have a code of conduct that we enforce. Please show respect for the Club, fellow members, and our guests.

All members and their guests will abide by the Club rules and the Bylaws of the Highwood Bocce Club. Members are responsible for the behavior and actions of their guests. The conduct of all members and their guests shall be in the best interest and welfare of all members, administration, guests, and staff while on the Highwood Bocce Club’s property.

Misconduct shall include but not be limited to:

1. Any action causing physical damage to the Club and its property.
2. Inappropriate or abusive language or physical actions which directly attack a person and/or group.
3. Default in payment of dues, initiation fees, or any other money owed to the Club.

Also a reminder no drinks are allowed on the courts at any time. Members are also forbidden from bringing their own liquor due to liability risks. Lastly, players must wear flat, clean, rubber-soled shoes other than the ones they came in with.

There is a waitlist in place for our membership now that there is a membership cap in place, and there are many individuals currently on this waitlist. For now new memberships are on hold.

The Club honors the memories of our members and their loved ones.

The bulletin board in the card room has space to place memorial cards, and

news of a loss can be shared with Peter Pieracci, who will share the information with our members.

Norma Bartolai

William Bernardi, Jr.

Loretta Castellari

Corrado Farioli

Roger Lunardi

Sara Bernardi Martinez

Leo Mordini

George Santi

Arnold Toni, Jr.

Officers

President

Tom Holleman

Vice President

Mary Ann Pedersen

Treasurer

Heidi Peddle

Recording Secretary

DeeDee Niebling

Trustees

Frank Bacci

Bruce Bertucci

Lenny Innocenzi

Frank Lomoro

Peter Pieracci

Miles Russell

Steve Thornberry