Honorary Vice Consul for Italy in Trenton, Dr. Gilda Rorro and her daughter Dr. Mary C. Rorro, recently received back to back awards. Dr. Gilda Rorro was the recipient of a well deserved and impressive "Lifetime Achievement Award" given by Mayor Kelly Yaede, at the Stone Terrace in Hamilton for her dedicated service to the community and tireless efforts in promoting Italian culture and education.

Dr. Gilda Rorro has been instrumental in establishing courses in Italian history in schools throughout New Jersey and other states and the success of her program was featured on the TV show "Classroom Close-Up." She helped organize an Italian Congress at Rutgers University's Zimmerli Art Musuem which highlighted the work of New Jersey based Italian American artists and filmmakers.

Dr. Mary Rorro is a psychiatrist who blends music, poetry and the arts in caring for veterans at the New Jersey VA Healthcare System. She was one of ten individuals/organizations internationally to win the Planetree organization's "Spirit of Planetree Patient-Centered Excellence and Innovation Award," given by its President, Susan Frampton, at the annual Planetree Conference in Chicago.

The Spirit of Planetree Awards publicly honors individuals who personalize and humanize the health care experience and recognizes programs that show extraordinary achievement in patient-centered care. Dr. Rorro presented her "A Few Good Notes" program at the conference, entitled "Arts Medicine for Veterans: Exploring Creative Strategies for Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Dr. Rorro also performed at the Marine Corps Birthday event at Drumthwacket and for the Veterans Day Observance Service at Princeton University Chapel in November. In December, Dr. Rorro is invited to perform for Italian Royalty at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.