by Kent Pierce

The Italian American Stars on Franklin Avenue is just one of the Italian social clubs you'll find around Hartford. One of many. "Sure, we have about 80 clubs in the greater Hartford area," according to florist John Tornatore.

In any one of those clubs, you will hear the stories of how tough immigrants had it when they first came to America. Frank Panioto went to school all day and had a full time job. "I had to do it because I was by myself here, me and my brother," Panioto said. "My parents were still in Italy. We had rent to pay, gas, utilities."

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Source: http://wtnh.com/