Supporting Organizations
The two organizations whose representatives were most instrumental in bringing the Association into being were the Knights of Columbus (K. of C.) and the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) . The celebrations were and are conducted in cooperation with the National Park Service. Later two additional national organizations became more intimately involved in the celebrations: the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), which collaborate in the sponsorship and administration of the national student essay contest on Columbus.
The reading of the winning essay by its writer is a feature of the annual celebrations at the national Columbus Memorial. NIAF also provided for some social functions in connection with the annual celebrations. In addition, the Washington-area Lido Civic Club became involved in providing for the printing of quality covers for the annual program books, and in co-sponsoring (with the Knights of Columbus of DC) the annual religious celebration the Sunday preceding the civic holiday. The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation has since 2002 scheduled their annual awards dinner to follow our Columbus Day ceremonies at the Columbus Memorial. A number of other national patriotic societies (and local branches as well) have also been participating as wreath-presenters since the mid-1990s, as listed in the program book for each year’s celebration.
Knights of Columbus Supreme Council
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
National Italian-American Foundation
District of Columbia State Council Knights of Columbus
Virginia State Council Knights of Columbus
Maryland State Council Knights of Columbus