French. and Jewish ancestry. she was motivated by a problem with one of her family members. and has dedicated her life to helping others in gratitude for the great blessing of American citizenship she has received. This year. Melachrine Karagounelis. president of the International Institute. has advised me that a 96yearold Italian immigrant. Dominick Colonna. of Hudson County. has received the prized Golden Door Award. Grace Bilotti Spinelli. past president of the International Institute. told me that Colonna. a successful businessman. is being honored because he opened his own golden door after landing alone. a virtually penniless immigrant at the age of 18. on the shores of the United States. Mr. Colonnas hardworking. forwardminded attitude can be summed up in the following passage from the museum at the base of the Statue of Liberty. which states: Before World War I. the crowded streets of New Yorks lower east side echoed with the manytongued cries of pushcart vendors and the squalling of newborn Americans. Life was hard in the teeming. squalid tenements but the immigrant generation endured hardship so that the next generation might enjoy the promise of America. At least there was hope and always the inspiring example of those who had succeeded by selfsacrifice and hard work. The Jersey Journal. in an excellent article written by Marion Courtney. traces the saga of Mr.
Keywords matched
immigrant