On September 15, the community gathered at Island Breeze restaurant for the “Bye-Bye Bella Brunch,” to bid farewell to beloved Grovite Richard “Bella” Iorio, who is leaving us to live in Florida full time, after the end of this season. Bella is a veteran of many Arts Project of Cherry Grove (APCG) and Ice Palace shows and benefits.
APCG President Thom “Panzi” Hansen reminisced about working with Bella in the theatre, and about pranks, and other memorable moments. Demi-Tasse recalled when Bella had a temporary allergic reaction to alcohol. Ivanna Cocktail, like Panzi, related a story of Bella’s misadventure with raccoons at her house. Angelo spoke about the love we all have for Bella.
Parker Sargent showed Bella her new Cherry Grove Community Association, Inc. (CGCAI) star, to be placed on the Community House dressing room floor, and showed a filmed interview with Bella and clips from her Monday night Bella’s Dish Shows and special events, like “Bella’s Wedding,” at the Ice Palace.
Speaking beneath a “Bye-Bye Bella—thanks for the memories!” sign, Bella offered one last dish and said, “More than half my life, I’ve been here in Cherry Grove,” having come here first in her teens in the 1960s. She added, about the Grove, “Don’t take it for granted. Leaving this place is a very, very hard thing to do.”