Dream of America Concert in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

"Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization."  So begins the Preamble of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the National Association of Realtors.  I was immediately impressed with this powerful prose which I read during one of my introductory courses.  I am equally impressed, and proud to be a part of, The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra's own celebration of our "land" on May 5, 2008 with its "Dream of America" series. 

Directed by Music Director and Conductor Mary Woodmansee Green, the orchestra will perform Peter Boyer's moving piece about Ellis Island which recounts the story of immigrants from seven different countries who arrived in America between 1908-1940.  The series will feature dramatic music, actors, and visual projections. Also on the program will be American classics by Adolphus Hailstork, Charles Ives, and George Gershwin.  The performance will take place at Hilton Head's First Presbyterian Church.

Following this theme and in keeping with the Symphony's mission to "reach" out to the community, in partnership with The Heritage Library Foundation headed by Bill Alstaetter, residents of Hilton Head Island, sister city Bluffton and the overall area were invited to submit family member, ancestor or their own stories of their personal "Dream of America".  Stories or essays were to deal "with some aspect of immigrating to America and were to involve life-altering experiences, challenges and/or relations/connections with special personages, either public or private who inspired the writers at some particular point in their journey."

Holocaust survivor Sophie Miklos was the winner of the adult division of the Dream of America Stories Project.  Her story, "My American Dream," was one of survival both from the Holocaust and the early struggles to survive in a new country. 

My story, "A Matter of Time," was voted second-place winner.  I recount the story of my father's "reunion" with a watch he lost, 60 years earlier, during the crash of his B-26 Marauder during World War II and my great grandfather's arrival in New York Harbor from Norway in the late 1800's.  Third place went to Barbara Baumgardner and honorable mentions to Richard E. Nelson, Roger Carlson and Leo G. Roell.
 
Ms. Miklos captured the spirit of this moving program which we are privileged to be a part of: "I am grateful to the United States for the icing on the cake on our American dream by enabling us to spend our twilight years on Hilton Head Island where beauty abounds."