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Family emphasized at Positive Image Awards
By Andrew Amelinckx
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
GREENPORT — Three local Italian-Americans were honored by their own Sunday in Greenport. Frances Marie Gulinello, Robert Galluscio and Gary Graziano were the recipients of the Positive Image Award given by the Columbia County Sons and Daughters of Italy #659.
The event was held at the organization’s lodge on Bridge Street in Greenport.
“It’s about presenting a positive image of Italian Americans,” said Phil Abitabile, past president and chairman of the Positive Image Award. “It’s about respect.” He said that the recipients of the award are respected members of the community who are positive role models.
The organization has been giving out the award for the past 12 years said Abitabile, with the first recipient being Carl Florio.
“You get respect by giving it,” said Assemblyman Marc Molinaro, R, C, I-Red Hook, in his remarks. He said the honorees had all done that and that they all understood the importance of family. “Family comes first,” he said.
He presented the three with citations from the state of New York and the Assembly.
The first honoree, Gulinello, was born in Corona, Queens and came from a family of butchers. In 1968 the family moved to Germantown and opened a butcher shop and wholesale business called the Towne and Country.
Gulinello eventually took the reigns of the business, which she helped expand and continues to oversee.
Her uncle, Leon Yarusi, who came up from New Jersey for the event, said that Gulinello’s family “worked exceedingly hard” to accomplish what they had, and that Gulinello was the “legacy of what they achieved.”
Gulinello said that receiving the award was “very meaningful” to her.
The second recipient of the award Sunday was Galluscio. He was born in the Bronx and also settled with his family in Germantown in 1968. According to him he knew he was going to be an accountant since “the second or third grade” and that Abitabile, the chairman of the event, was his first accounting teacher. “Phil helped make it come true,” he said.
Galluscio attended Fordham University in the Bronx, as his father had, and is a partner in the accounting firm of Shallo, Galluscio, Bianchi and Fucito. He is the past president of United Way of Columbia County, the Hudson Jaycees and the Columbia County Association. He currently serves as a member of the Columbia County Industrial Development Corporation.
“I’m very proud I have had Bob as a friend for all these years,” said Columbia County Judge Paul Czajka, a past recipient of the award, who went to school in Germantown with Galluscio.
“I’m honored...and overwhelmed,” said Galluscio. “I’ve had about 200 people congratulate me in the last few days.”
Graziano, the third recipient, was born and raised in Hudson. He was the executive vice president for Valley Oil Company from 1982 to 1994 and is currently the vice president of human resources and operations for Ginsberg’s Foods, Inc. He is active in both civic organizations as well as politics. He was appointed the Police Commissioner for Hudson and was elected Republican City Chairman. He is also Molinaro’s Chief of Staff.
“If you would have asked my father 40 years ago whether I would ever win this award, he would have said ‘no’,” Graziano said accepting his award.
He said he grew up in a family where “right was right, wrong was wrong,” and was taught the difference by the example set by his parents.
According to Graziano his parents always took care of family, even taking in or caring for relatives in need — without hesitation. “We lived that, “ he said.
He said he hoped he had instilled the same attitude in his children that his parents had instilled in himself.
Sunday his children Ryan and Kelsey gave emotional speeches about what there father means to them.
Kelsey Graziano said her father has been “a positive force” in her life and taught her “family always comes first.”
“He’s had a tremendous impact on the community and his family,” said son, Ryan Graziano during the event. He then remarked that his father was a “handsome devil” and was probably the person he got his looks from. The crowd burst into laughter at the remark.
To reach reporter Andrew Amelinckx please call 518-828-1616, ext. 2267, or e-mail aamelinckx@registerstar.com.
GREENPORT — Three local Italian-Americans were honored by their own Sunday in Greenport. Frances Marie Gulinello, Robert Galluscio and Gary Graziano were the recipients of the Positive Image Award given by the Columbia County Sons and Daughters of Italy #659.
The event was held at the organization’s lodge on Bridge Street in Greenport.
“It’s about presenting a positive image of Italian Americans,” said Phil Abitabile, past president and chairman of the Positive Image Award. “It’s about respect.” He said that the recipients of the award are respected members of the community who are positive role models.
The organization has been giving out the award for the past 12 years said Abitabile, with the first recipient being Carl Florio.
“You get respect by giving it,” said Assemblyman Marc Molinaro, R, C, I-Red Hook, in his remarks. He said the honorees had all done that and that they all understood the importance of family. “Family comes first,” he said.
He presented the three with citations from the state of New York and the Assembly.
The first honoree, Gulinello, was born in Corona, Queens and came from a family of butchers. In 1968 the family moved to Germantown and opened a butcher shop and wholesale business called the Towne and Country.
Gulinello eventually took the reigns of the business, which she helped expand and continues to oversee.
Her uncle, Leon Yarusi, who came up from New Jersey for the event, said that Gulinello’s family “worked exceedingly hard” to accomplish what they had, and that Gulinello was the “legacy of what they achieved.”
Gulinello said that receiving the award was “very meaningful” to her.
The second recipient of the award Sunday was Galluscio. He was born in the Bronx and also settled with his family in Germantown in 1968. According to him he knew he was going to be an accountant since “the second or third grade” and that Abitabile, the chairman of the event, was his first accounting teacher. “Phil helped make it come true,” he said.
Galluscio attended Fordham University in the Bronx, as his father had, and is a partner in the accounting firm of Shallo, Galluscio, Bianchi and Fucito. He is the past president of United Way of Columbia County, the Hudson Jaycees and the Columbia County Association. He currently serves as a member of the Columbia County Industrial Development Corporation.
“I’m very proud I have had Bob as a friend for all these years,” said Columbia County Judge Paul Czajka, a past recipient of the award, who went to school in Germantown with Galluscio.
“I’m honored...and overwhelmed,” said Galluscio. “I’ve had about 200 people congratulate me in the last few days.”
Graziano, the third recipient, was born and raised in Hudson. He was the executive vice president for Valley Oil Company from 1982 to 1994 and is currently the vice president of human resources and operations for Ginsberg’s Foods, Inc. He is active in both civic organizations as well as politics. He was appointed the Police Commissioner for Hudson and was elected Republican City Chairman. He is also Molinaro’s Chief of Staff.
“If you would have asked my father 40 years ago whether I would ever win this award, he would have said ‘no’,” Graziano said accepting his award.
He said he grew up in a family where “right was right, wrong was wrong,” and was taught the difference by the example set by his parents.
According to Graziano his parents always took care of family, even taking in or caring for relatives in need — without hesitation. “We lived that, “ he said.
He said he hoped he had instilled the same attitude in his children that his parents had instilled in himself.
Sunday his children Ryan and Kelsey gave emotional speeches about what there father means to them.
Kelsey Graziano said her father has been “a positive force” in her life and taught her “family always comes first.”
“He’s had a tremendous impact on the community and his family,” said son, Ryan Graziano during the event. He then remarked that his father was a “handsome devil” and was probably the person he got his looks from. The crowd burst into laughter at the remark.
To reach reporter Andrew Amelinckx please call 518-828-1616, ext. 2267, or e-mail aamelinckx@registerstar.com.
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