For Community Contributions and Dedication  

       Paolo Longo Awards

PAOLO PUPELLO LONGO AWARD

The Paolo Pupello Longo Award was established in 1987 to honor a dedicated past member who spent his entire life perpetuating Italian traditions and heritage in Tampa.  Mr. Longo’s dedication to L’Unione Italiana and to the Italian Community in Tampa was boundless.  He became a member of L’Unione Italiana in 1912 and until his death in 1985 – 73 fruitful years – he was a staunch supporter of, and tireless worker for L’Unione Italiana.

Among his many accomplishments, Paolo Pupello Longo originated the Columbus Association, serving as its president for many years, he was a Venerable for six years of the Nuova Sicilia Lodge 1251, Grand Venerable of the Florida Grand Lodge of the Order of the Sons of Italy, Worshipful Master of Universal Lodge 178, member of the Advisory Committee of Hillsborough Community College, and an Honorary Member of Circulo Culturale Italiano at the University of South Florida.  He received many awards, one of the most outstanding of which was the Star of Solidarity presented to him by the Italian Government in recognition of his determined efforts to maintain the prestige of members of the Italian Community in Tampa.  He initiated fundraisers to aid the families of disaster victims in various parts of Italy, for which he was presented a bronze medal, and he was named to the Who’s Who of Italian Colony of America.

Paolo Pupello Longo was a gentleman in the finest sense of the word, he was a loving and loyal family man, an inspiring community leader, and a benevolent, charitable humanitarian … the sort of role model the world sorely needs today.

In the hope of strengthening the ideals exemplified by this outstanding man, it is with great pride that L’Unione Italiana established the Paolo Pupello Longo Award in order to recognize those Tampa civic leaders who have worked toward the enrichment of the Italian culture in Tampa and who have reinforced the fervor of our Italian heritage.

For additional information about the Longo Awards please contact the Committee Chair.