[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 166 (Tuesday, December 4, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO DR. GENNARO J. DiMASO ``2001 MAN OF THE YEAR'' COLUMBUS DAY 
                              CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. BONIOR

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 4, 2001

  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, each year the Italian American community 
celebrates Columbus Day, with festivities including a weekend of food, 
music, and fun, as well as an annual Columbus Day Parade and Banquet. 
With organizations and committees dedicated to promoting and preserving 
the Italian-American heritage through language, culture, music, and 
social events, the Columbus Day Committee is no exception. Honoring 
distinguished Italian-Americans who have shown outstanding service in 
their local communites, each year the Columbus Day Committee selects 
individuals who demonstrate these qualities. On Sunday, October 7, as 
the families and friends gathered together at their annual Columbus Day 
Banquet, they recognized Dr. Gennaro J. DiMaso as their ``2001 Man of 
the Year''.
  As past president of the St. John Guild and recipient of the Guild's 
Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Gennaro J. DiMaso has demonstrated 
outstanding dedication and commitment to both the Italian and American 
communities. Dr. DiMaso has truly dedicated his time and efforts to the 
care of generations of children. With an unconventional, but 
warmhearted approach, Dr. DiMaso, ``the doctor in blue jeans'' has 
devoted his life and profession to providing patients with the highest 
standards of quality health care. Understanding that the ``only 
treasure on Earth we have are kids'', he has worked tirelessly for 44 
years to meet the needs of his young patients, and never refused care 
to an impoverished child.
  Dr. DiMaso instilled in his young eastside patients the importance of 
hard work and commitment to the community. As a young boy, he dreamed 
of becoming a doctor and helping others while he worked with his father 
to sell vegetables in their Brooklyn neighborhood, growing up in an 
area where going to high school, let alone medical school, was unheard 
of. He has passed along this tradition of perseverance and community 
service to his four children and six grandchildren.
  I applaud the 2001 Columbus Day Committee and Dr. DiMaso for their 
leadership, commitment, and service, and I urge my colleagues to join 
me in saluting them for their exemplary years of leadership and 
service.

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