OSIA was the idea of Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro and five other immigrants from Italy who came to the United States during the Italian migration of the 1890's and early 1900's. OSIA has been involved in promoting immigration legislation, assisting in the assimilation process, supporting cooperation of trade and diplomatic relations between the US and Italy, initiating social and fraternal events, encouraging educational achievement through scholarships,serving local communities through a variety of cultural events and rasing funds for local charities, and providing low-cost group financial investments and insurance programs for the benefit of members nationwide. Today, OSIA is the oldest, largest, and most demographically diverse association of American men and women of Italian decent. Since the organization's beginning, men and women share equal status, as do individuals of all ages and professions. Charities supported by the lodge include many, including a golf tournament in September.
Membership is open to all of Italian decent and their families.
They came to a new world, a new country, penniless, ragtag in apperance, in steerage, poorly educated, not knowing or speaking the language, not even sure of admittance, tolerating relegious and ethnic jokes, segregated and insulted. Yet they came and persevered. They taught their children old world family values, hard work ethics, and the same time interegrated their values with new world concepts, choosing only those that confirmed and enhanced their own. They insisted their children seek education they were denied, thus achieving new heights in business, medical, scientific, educational, crafts, and professional fields. Today they are the vital threads in the fabric of North American society.