La Cleveland International Hall of Fame ha recentemente celebrato l’ingresso di Basil Russo e Jim Craciun nella rosa delle figure che si sono maggiormente distinte per il proprio operato. Russo è Presidente Nazionale della ISDA (The Italian Sons and Daughters of America), membro del consiglio di amministrazione della NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) e Predente del Justinian Forum, costituito da centinaia di avvocati e giudici di origine italiana. Craciun, italiano da parte materna e fondatore dell’impresa di pompe funebri Craciun, Berry and Corrigan Funeral Homes, è stato riconosciuto per l’ininterrotto operato in difesa dei diritti umani.
The Cleveland International Hall of Fame recently honored ISDA National President Basil Russo and Funeral Director Jim Craciun, a great honor for them and the entire Italian American community.
If it’s Italian, Basil Russo is involved. The Italian Sons and Daughters of America has achieved great progress since his election in 2014. Aside from his ISDA presidency, Russo is president of the Justinian Forum which consists of hundreds of attorneys and judges of Italian descent. He is a board member of the National Italian American Foundation and helped create the Bishop Anthony Pilla Italian American studies program at John Carroll University. His services are endless.
ISDA member Jim Craciun was honored for his community contributions. Son of a Romanian father and Italian mother, Jim has been a licensed funeral director working in his family business, the Craciun, Berry and Corrigan Funeral Homes, which he manages with his son, Jonathon, brother, Joseph, and niece, Alexandra. He was widowed by the untimely death of his wife, Marcy, in 2010. They had five children. He is also the grandfather of 5.
Craciun began his lifetime dedication to human rights in 1974 when he smuggled bibles and catechisms into Communist Romania. In 1977, he helped draft and sign a memorandum condemning the impact of the Helsinki Accords and its lies on the Soviet Bloc countries. A founding member of the World Union of Free Romanians in Geneva, Switzerland, he served as its Vice-President for 19 years. He was chairman of the anti-pornography campaign for the Holy Name Society and served as President of the Diocesan Union of Holy Name Societies encompassing eight counties and 245 churches in northeast Ohio.
Jim served as President of the West Cleveland Jaycees and board member of the West Side Ecumenical Ministry. He was co-chairman of the International Children Games in 2004 and Chairman of the Board of International Services Center, a United Way agency that resettles refugees. Other distinctions include his role as chairperson of Cleveland’s Folk Festivals, founder of the Cub Scout Pack #541 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, Vice President of the Cleveland Police Foundation and he serves on the ENT Council at University Hospitals. In 2007, the American Nationalities Movement honored him with the Freedom Award for his contributions to World Peace, Human Rights and dedication to community organizations. He’s always supportive of the events of Mt. Carmel Lodge of the ISDA and of the church where he served as a Lector. We are proud of Basil Russo and Jim Craciun for their many accomplishments and services as they continue to make our world a better place for all of us. God Bless!
