A famous Italian song, went like this … "Eravamo quattro amici al bar che volevano cambiare il mondo....(We were four friends in a bar who wanted to change the world...) "…..these were the words to a famous Gino Paoli song, set at the Roxy Bar in 1991.
We were four friends in a bar, not at the Roxy Bar, but at The Pastiz (Montagnoli Pastry Shop) in Arsago Seprio one Sunday morning, in the spring of 1989. Four friends, passionate about the mountains, not as individual’s, but in the company of others. Giovanni Bellosi, Danilo Benetazzo, Massimo Montagnoli and Pierluigi Poletti.
They chat and talk about the mountains, their discussion leads to the C.A.I. In which Poletti is the only member, signed up to the Val Vigezzo branch.
"It would be nice to have a C.A.I. branch here in Arsago" says Benetazzo. "I’ve also been thinking about that" replies Poletti. "Let’s do it" everyone agrees. "Get on with it Pierluigi, you are good at organising things". Poletti had been screwed!!
Not that he didn’t want to do it, he just knew that it wasn’t going to be an easy task. After studying the procedure and formalities of the constitution on opening a C.A.I. branch in Arsago, it was decided that a sub branch was more appropriate.
One evening, Poletti went to the C.A.I. branch in Somma Lombardo and asked for information on opening a sub branch in Arsago, dependance of their branch. He asked for information on how to go about it. After a little bewilderment and scepticism, all rules and regulations about C.A.I. were presented with a leaflet. We were then asked to attend a meeting in the conference room in Via Garibaldi. All mountain enthusiasts from Arsago were asked to attend, where everything concerning the constitution on opening a sub branch for C.A.I. would be explained.
The participation was far superior than the expectations. So, a new branch was ready to be launched. Anyone who hadn’t already a subscription with C.A.I. had to do so at the branch in Somma Lombardo. Also 63 names had to be found and presented, to form the new sub branch.
The following year, on the 26th January 1990, all members of the C.A.I. for Arsago, were summoned to assemble. They were now dependents of the C.A.I. branch in Somma Lombardo. The regency council was now approved and formed.
The board was composed of:
Pierluigi Poletti, Giorgio Moalli, Loredana Bruno, Massimo Montagnoli (‘57), Giovanni Bellosi, Mario Lunardi, Angelo Mocchetti, Giuseppe Golucci, Roberto Pinato, FlorianoDal Soglio, Mauro Lunardi, additional accountants: Alessandro Burato and Rosita Battaglia.
The first board meeting took place the 9th February 1990. The following positions were assigned:
Pierluigi Poletti: President, Giorgio Moalli: Vice President, Loredana Bruno: Secretary, Massimo Montagnoli: Treasurer, Giovanni Bellosi: Excursions Supervisor, Angelo Mocchetti: Skiing Events Supervisor.