A cobbler is a person who mends shoes, which is what Ralph Rotella does, but the word describes him only a little bit.

This Columbus Day, the happy cobbler was honored with the Pirro Family Santa Maria Award by the Columbus Monument Corporation during their Columbus statue wreath-laying and Columbus Day celebration.

Nick Pirro, the Columbus Monument Corporation vice president said, "It goes to somebody that excels at helping others. And Ralph certainly has exemplified that.”

The celebration came during a time of debates over the future of Columbus statues and the federal holiday itself.

“Everybody can celebrate their heritage," Pirro said. "We have no problem with it. We just ask people to let us celebrate ours. You celebrate yours. Together, we can work and be happy doing it. But let's not try to attack each other or make yours go away or ours go away.”

The Santa Maria award honors Rotella’s citizenship efforts and years of charitable work on behalf of the rescue mission.

Ralph Rotella, the Pirro Family Santa Maria Award recipient said, “This country of give me a lot of things, and that's why I want to get back to people too. Because I know a lot of people that got to have shoes to go somewhere. Everybody got to have shoes to go somewhere.”

Born in Calabria, Italy, Rotella traveled to America in 1970 at age 16. He opened his shoe repair business in 1975, and became a U.S. citizen in 1980.

Since 2010, Rotella has collected and repaired tens of thousands of shoes to help the homeless working with the Rescue Mission.

“We started many years ago," Rotella said. "The first year (of donations) was 35 pair, and I was so proud. The next year was 65. Wow. Not bad. Then following two years for over 300 pair, and after that took over 1,000 and 1,000 and 1,000."