UFT Treasurer Mel Aaronson, with a Lifetime Achievement Award, is flanked by George Altomare (left), the founder of the committee; UFT President Michael Mulgrew; and UFT Italian American Committee Chairperson Patricia Filomena.

Enjoying the event are (from left) Denise Verde of PS 186 in Queens, Patricia Urevith, the journal editor for the Association of Teachers of Social Studies/UFT and retiree Nina Zimmerman.

Retirees Tony Giardina (on left) and Robert Klein flank Sasha Greene, the director of retiree social services for the Retired Teachers Chapter.

Salvatore Emanuele, a guidance counselor at Francis Lewis HS in Queens, with his daughter Barbara and Armando Mandes, from the Bronx Alternate Learning Center.

Committee Chairwoman Filomena speaks about honoree Mel Aaronson’s lifetime achievement award and his many contributions to the union.

Altomare, a founder of the committee and of the UFT, shares stories about Aaronson’s involvement in the union’s first strike, which led to its first collective-bargaining agreement.

There to honor Aaronson were (from left) Alice Cooper-Jackson, a Bronx district representative; Dana Falciglia, a Bronx educational liaison; Diane Mazzola, a special representative in the Grievance Department; Margaret Borrelli, a Bronx special representative, and Mona Romain, the UFT assistant treasurer.

Mulgrew presents the award while Aaronson looks on.