[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 81 (Thursday, June 23, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        TRIBUTE TO ITALIAN AID SOCIETY ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Italian Aid Society, of my home town of Rutland, which celebrates its 
100th anniversary this Saturday. It is a great day for Rutland and the 
State of Vermont, as we pay tribute to the wondrous Italian heritage 
that has long been such an enriching presence in our community.
  The society was founded in 1894 to lend support to Italian immigrants 
in Rutland and help them become part of the Vermont's larger community. 
They were drawn to Vermont to labor against the solid marbles and 
granite lodged beneath Vermont's scenic mountain landscapes. The 
society coordinated social services for many of the newcomers long 
before the enactment of such programs as social security, workmans' 
compensation, and civil rights protection.
  Perhaps labor against is inaccurate--for to view the master artistry 
crafted by these mortal hands is to know the presence of a labor of 
love; an intimate respect by man of nature. Today, the works of art, 
along with the thousands of tons of marble and granite assembled into 
some of our most revered monuments, stand as a testimony to our 
immigrant forefathers.
  There are numerous structures here in Washington that have benefited 
from the crafts of the members of the Italian Aid Society. The list 
includes the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Lincoln Memorial, the 
U.S. Supreme Court, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Andrew Mellon 
Library. In Vermont, certain cemeteries are sought out by tourists 
interested in viewing headstones uniquely crafted by the individual 
whose name it bears. Our towns are sprinkled with stout homes, 
libraries, and public buildings built of stone drawn from quarries 
carved by the Italian workers.
  These items and more are the work of Italian craftsmen, Vermont 
residents; American citizens. As we can see, the entire Nation has 
benefited from the influences of the Vermont Italian Aid Society.
  Today the society, 150 members strong, has weekly dinners and is a 
gathering point for families and friends to continue that legacy. 
Society members are our doctors, contractors, civil servants, shop 
keepers, neighbors, and friends. As a force of labor, the interests are 
now much more diverse. But as a thread in the fabric of our society, 
the Italian heritage in many ways binds our community. You cannot live 
in or visit Rutland without being touched by the heirs of those who 
founded the Italian Aid society. A familiar local greeting is simply 
``Been busy?,'' implying that any response in the negative runs 
contrary to the deeply ingrained work ethic of the community.
  My congratulations on a wonderful century to the Italian Aid Society. 
May its members enjoy a happy and most meaningful birthday.
  Buona fortuna to the Italian Aid Society.

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