To the Editor:

You know you live in a very special town when not one but several merchants read in the paper that the public high school is hosting 20 foreign exchange students and they contact you to see how they can make the visit a more special experience. On behalf of Princeton High School and the Pettoranello Italian exchange students, we would like to thank Carlo and Raoul Momo, Adriano DiDonato, William Lettier, Angela Baldino and the Baldino family for their enormous generosity and exemplary civic mindedness.

Over 40 students were treated to after school tapas at Mediterra, picnic fixings from Bon Appetit, and a hometown pizza dinner at Contes restaurant.

The students spent a morning touring the Grounds for Sculpture with a special tour of the Foundry thanks to Maria Lo Biondo, Rena Perrone and Charles Haude. They were given private tours of the public library, Engine Company No. 3, and a special welcome from members of the Princeton Council and our esteemed mayor Liz Lempert. They enjoyed tours of the Princeton University Art Museum and campus. Thank you to Princeton University professors Pietro Frassica and Fiorenza Weinapple who took time out of their day to welcome our guests.

Special thanks goes to Ellie Pinelli for her tireless work on behalf of Dorthea’s House, the Princeton/Pettoranello Sister City foundation, and the Italian American Sportsmen Club, which hosted the students for a luncheon and a farewell dinner with a disc jockey. Ellie put her heart and soul into making sure each of the daily itineraries provided our guests with the fullest American experience and we are enormously grateful for all of her work and leadership.

Mary Stange

James Court