[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 15, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 15, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       TRIBUTE TO TONY CONSOLINO

                                 ______


                            HON. NICK SMITH

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 15, 1994

  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to announce to the House, 
with great sadness, the passing of one of Jackson's most devoted 
leaders, Tony Consolino.
  Many civic, business, and community groups have been enriched by Mr. 
Consolino's wise counsel. The new Foote Hospital was built with his 
fundraising help. The entire community benefited from his optimistic 
leadership as chairman of the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce 
during the dark period when Clark Equipment and Goodyear Tire and 
Rubber Co. left town. There is a trail for the blind at the Dahlem 
Center that is due in no small part to his help. Because of his 
tireless management, a small Jackson cleaning business--Aalen Aides--
grew into a multi-million-dollar enterprise that has provided a 
livelihood for dozens of employees. His contributions were so diverse 
that in 1992 the Jackson Citizen Patriot named him ``Citizen of the 
Year.''
  Mr. Consolino's most heartfelt civic involvement in recent years was 
the ``Tony Open,'' a golf tournament that has raised more than $900,000 
for the American Cancer Society. Rodney Budnick, executive director of 
the society's Jackson unit said, ``I can't think of another individual 
who has done as much for the American Cancer Society as Tony 
Consolino.'' That event was special to him because of his personal 
battle with lung cancer, a battle he appeared to have won. ``The 
greatest tribute people can pay would be to show support for the thing 
dad worked hardest at,'' said Phillip Consolino, one of Tony 
Consolino's six children.
  A man who devoted his adult life to hard work, charitable causes and 
his family, Tony Consolino will be missed by friends and family for his 
devotion to others which is evident in a statement he made: ``A 
community is like a business. You can't keep taking out of it without 
putting something back, or it starts to deteriorate.''
  You can multiply all of the good things Tony Consolino did many times 
over, for he was the patriarch of a large family. Whatever he was to 
the community, he was first of all an example to the six children he 
and his wife Emma brought into this world, and to the many 
grandchildren those children bore. His legacy and influence will 
continue through those children and grandchildren because of the strong 
values he left with them.

                          ____________________