The annual scholarship award night was held recently at the Appian Club in Stoneham. The club awards recipients based on their application that gets reviewed by the scholarship committee.

Above Ralph A. Barile of the Barile Family Funeral Homes in Stoneham and Reading awarded Cara Mancini the Luanne Barile Memorial Scholarship Award. This scholarship is in honor of Ralph’s wife Luanne, who passed in May of 2017. Luanne was sadly diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in her early 20’s. Luckily she went into remission for over 40 years. In 2017 a different, more aggressive form of Lymphoma came back known as Non Hodgkin’s double b-hit lymphoma. She fought it with such bravery and courage and never once complained.

“We are honored to be able to award Cara Mancini with the scholarship in honor of Luanne”, said Ralph. “It is comforting to know that Luanne’s memory will live on by awarding this scholarship.”

The Appian Club was established in Stoneham, Massachusetts in 1982 by a small band of men. It began as gatherings in various locations. Guided by a sense of being, the Appian Club was established as a non-profit, charitable social organization, governed by a constitution and bylaws, and guided by a mission statement that holds true today from its original inception. Cara’s grandfather, Nic Ciamarra, is a member of the Appian Club and participates in many of their activities and meetings.

The purpose of the Club is as follows:

1. To encourage, solidify and glorify the sanctity of family life


2. Individually, and as a group, to reflect moral excellence, goodness of character, generosity and kindness


3. To preserve and promote Italian language and culture


4. To patronize and help one another to succeed, encourage good conduct, come together in social activities, sponsor works of charity, maintain an awareness of our Italian heritage, promote love for our country (USA), families, friends, and to become the best that we can be.