Palazzi Family Fund

Established by Dorothy Palazzi, this Donor Advised fund honors Miss Palazzi's parents, Ildebrando and Guerina Palazzi; and her sisters, Derva A. Palazzi and Norma Palazzi Pepe. When Ildebrando Palazzi arrived in the United States from Italy in 1911 at age 21, he came with only a few years of grammar school education. But Ildebrando, one of a large Italian family and the only one of his family to come to the United States, made his way in this foreign land. He worked hard as a stone mason and met and married Guerina Bassi who had come to America with her family in 1916. They settled in Derby and raised three daughters.

"My parents were very hardworking people," says Dorothy Palazzi of her parents who learned English here by reading the newspapers and listening to the radio. "They encouraged reading and wanted so badly for us to do well. Education was very important to them." Dorothy and her sisters always recalled the excitement and pride when her parents attained u.S. citizenship. " To them, America was truly the 'land of opportunity,'" she says.

With that in mind, in December 2004, Dorothy established the Palazzi Family Fund at $10,000, an endowment fund earmarked for education purposes. It honors her parents and two sisters, Derva and Norma, who have passed away.

"I think that if my parents were living, they would have been thrilled to see that I did something to honor the family name," says Dorothy, who is watching the fund grow slowly but surely. "Someday big things will happen with it. Hopefully we'll end up with something great."

The Palazzi Family Fund is a Donor Advised fund that will make grants for charitable purposes, with a preference for helping Valley students pursue their educations. Grants will be given to assist with tuition, books, tools and other supplies needed in furthering education for these students.