Over the past year, Save Ellis Island has taken thousands of visitors to the south side of Ellis Island – the portion of the island closed to the general public. On these daily 90-minute guided tours, the public is immersed in the history and stories of the hospital and the 1.2 million immigrants who were treated there.
On October 1, 2014, Save Ellis Island opened the unrestored Ellis Island Hospital to the public for a 90 minute tour. Since that time, people from all over the word have visited with us on The Other Side of Ellis Island. Over 2,000 people a month walk through the corridors, wards and utility rooms of the hospital on a journey back in time.
Every day we meet people who ask how can they help us restore the historic buildings on Ellis Island’s south side. The answer is easy – donate. Any gift no matter how small is important and appreciated. In 2014 we opened The Ellis Island Hospital to the public for the first time in over sixty years. How did we do this? Again, the answer is easy – we did it with your donations. You are the reason we are able to take tens of thousands of visitors annually through the historic hospital buildings.
On September 22nd Save Ellis Island hosted Joe McNally, world renowned photographer for a one day Nikon Destination Workshop. Participants brought their own camera equipment and were given access to Nikon equipment – who wouldn’t want to try out all the latest Nikon DSLRs, lenses and Speed lights. The Nikon staff was on hand to assist with a selection of their equipment for use that day in photographing Ellis Island’s Hospital Complex.
Jamie Lee Curtis is a celebrated actress and best-selling children’s book author. She chose to launch her new book, This is Me: The Story of Who We Are and Where We Came From with the help of Save Ellis Island. “I can’t think of a more appropriate place than Ellis Island to host a reading for children about emigration, immigration, and the idea of leaving the old behind for the promise of the new” said Janis Calella, president of Save Ellis Island. In This Is Me a teacher tells her class about her great-grandmother’s journey from home to a new country, with nothing but a small suitcase to bring along. And she asks: What would you pack? What are the things you love best? What says “This is me!”?
Researched & Written by: Kerrie Bellisario, Chief Strategist Courtemanche & Associates
In the United States, we continue to drive our efforts in managing the spread of infectious disease. Infection prevention and control in the hospital setting is a focus in keeping patients safe. But what about managing the influx of disease from beyond our borders? This question has prompted public debate on contemporary immigration practices.