CRANBERRY TWP — While St. Barnabas Health System commends those of national acclaim with the annual Hance Award, it was award recipient Rudy Giuliani who commended St. Barnabas Thursday evening at the 117th Founder's Day gala.

“St. Barnabas gives to people throughout the region. They care for people with compassion,” said Giuliani, 107th mayor of New York. “That's why they raise money for those who can't pay for their health (care).”

Giuliani was speaking of St. Barnabas Charities' Free Care Fund that provides financial assistance to elderly and physically challenged men and women. The fund has raised more than $100 million since its creation.

“What you're doing is helping people,” Giuliani said to St. Barnabas officials in attendance at the Pittsburgh Marriott North. “These are prime things we need in the world and Western Pennsylvania. You should be proud.”

The Founder's Day gala is the largest fundraiser for the Free Care Fund, said J.D. Turco, St. Barnabas senior vice president and chief financial officer.

“It (fund) means a lot to us,” he said. “It's been a huge success.”

Giualiani joined a list of nationally recognized individuals who have received the Hance Award in years past, including former U.S. President Gerald Ford, children's TV pioneer Fred Rogers, actress Debbie Reynolds and astronaut “Buzz” Aldrin among others.

“Looking at the list of recipients, I am very honored,” Giuliani said.

The award is annually presented to a person of national acclaim who “exemplifies Gouverneur P. Hance's ideals of benevolence, patriotism and service to others.” Hance was the St. Barnabas founder.

“He is a fantastic, outstanding individual,” Turco said of Giuliani. “He has done good deeds for others and is a worthy candidate and awardee.”

Giuliani was selected for his leadership skills during 9-11 and for his patriotism, according to St. Barnabas officials.

“I'm honored they (St. Barnabas) remember,” Giuliani said regarding 9-11 in a news conference before the award ceremony. “I remember it like it was yesterday. I still work with people involved in that. There is still a real bond.”

He said he credits people's “reflective glory” in leading the city through the tragedy that killed more than 3,000 people that fateful day.

“They knew I loved them,” he said. “I didn't just care, I loved them.”

Giuliani reflected upon his time as mayor during the award ceremony. He first ran for office in 1989, losing the vote by about 2.5 percent.

He said had he lost by a larger margin, he would not have run again the following mayoral election and instead would have continued practicing law.

Giuliani won the 1993 election, focusing on reducing crime, reforming welfare and improving the quality of life with his “One City, One Standard” campaign. He was re-elected in 1997 and led New York through the terrorist attacks.

“In eight years, we reduced crime by 60 percent and homicides by 65 percent,” he said. “We took over 600,000 people off the welfare rolls. The budget deficit at $2.3 billion, based on a $3 billion tax cut ... left us a $3.2 billion surplus because we collected more money from the lower taxes than we were collecting from higher taxes.”

Giuliani also touched on his six principles of good leadership. These included strong ideas, optimistic thinking, courage, relentless preparation, teamwork and communication.

“You have to be willing to grow and reinvent yourself,” he said.

Before becoming “America's Mayor,” Giuliani served as associate attorney general, the third highest position in the U.S. Department of Justice. He was selected to the position in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan.

He then became the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he prosecuted organized crime, drug dealers, white collar criminals and corruption among elected officials.

In the news conference preceding the award ceremony, Giuliani talked about receiving the award, Pennsylvania's opioid epidemic, his role as a cybersecurity adviser for the White House and President Donald Trump's time in his first 100 days in the Oval Office.

He gave Trump an A-plus for his presidency.

“He has accomplished or attempted to accomplish all the things he said he would do,” Giuliani said. “That's all you can really ask from a man or woman.”

As for the Commonwealth's problem with opioids, Giuliani said he had similar issues with trying to stop drug cartels and other organized crime doing business in New York, although not as much with prescription drug abuse like today.

He said education, prevention, treatment and enforcement are important steps in combating drug problems.

William V. Day, president of St. Barnabas Health System, presented the Hance Award to Giuliani.

“It is my honor and my privilege to present the 2017 Hance Award to a man you have seen on television many times and tonight in person,” Day said.

Day also said St. Barnabas continues to spend less than it receives, has no debt and gives $7 million a year to people through the Free Care Fund.