ABOUT US

     The St. Francis Society is a mens Italian religious organization and was founded in 1927.  This not-for-profit society originally had 43 charter members which immigrated from Oriolo, Italy. The society helps other local organizations with funding which is given to them for charitable causes.
    The St. Francis Society operates almost identically as it did over 75 years ago when it started.  The society has continually grown  and has more than 200 members today.  Because of this, the society has been able to expand its facilities since its inception.
    Our original chapel was built in 1927 which was small and modestly made from wood.  In 1947 a beautiful new chapel was built from  stone and the masonry accomplished by some of our members. This chapel is a real work of art not only because it is made from stone but because there are two hand painted murals of scenes from Oriolo, Italy.  The story was told that a man named Carter (last name) painted these murals and was locked in the chapel because this was the only way that they could get him to finish the job.  Today both chapels are scrupulously maintained and the inside of the original chapel remains as it was over 75 years ago.
     In 1980 the society built a new club house which contains a social center for its members and dinner hall with a newly renovated kitchen.  An outside pavilion was built in 1985 mainly for our outdoor festivities such as our yearly festival which gives praise to St. Francis of Paola.  Our grounds also contain an outdoor monument of St. Francis of Paola and another of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.
      Our yearly Festival which honors St. Francis of Paola has been running since the clubs inception and runs for two days.  The festival begins with a  procession from our chapel to the Our Lady Queen of Appostles church for a small service and then the procession heads back to our chapel.  On return the nightly entertainment starts and has in the past featured talent such as La Banda Rossa and Main Event from Utica, N.Y. and the Frankfort High School jazz band among others.

       <TO BE CONTINUED>