Thank you’s from 2019 Hall of Famers

I would like to express my deepest gratitude and congratulate Via Times, Mr. Joe Mauricio, and Ms. Veronica Leighton for another successful event! 25th Year Anniversary and Grand reunion of past awardees with almost 700 attendees! I admire all of the work in putting this together. It is well-organized!

Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor! I am deeply grateful and will forever remember this experience. I was just doing what I love. I have the opportunity to share my passion so I grabbed it. It started with little volunteering and opportunities just keeps coming! I know I can do more, and I want to do more! I am thankful for those opportunities that led me to where I am. Those experiences that made me stronger and a better person. And I wish to continue to grow, make a difference, and bring people together to build a much stronger, better community!

Luisita Dona Thompson

HOF Awardee, Community Service Leadership and Public Service (National)

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My highest and most distinguished achievement they have bestowed upon me in my lifetime, receiving the “Excellence in Community Service Leadership” award last 11/9/19 at the Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame gala awards event. Thank you so very much for the gracious honor. Feeling blessed to be a part of this momentous occasion, celebrating their 25th Silver Anniversary since its founding in 1994. Well-attended by 700+ guests from Chicago and out- of- state dignitaries. I was so overwhelmed and, of course, speechless through it all. Never thought in my life that I would be standing there and be acknowledged and recognized for my involvement in the Filipino community.

Thanking my guests (4 and 1/2 tables) and ad sponsors for their love and support they have given me. Meant so much to me!!! I will never forget this gala awards night. I would like to convey my gratitude to my besh, Chaziel Leizahc Patron for the nomination and for believing in me from the very beginning. Love you besh! To Tita Vero Leighton and Tito Joe Mauricio, thank you po for everything. To my hubby and mahal, Froilan, thank you for all the unending support

(and making me look good that night). I love you, mahal ! And, of course, the love of my life, my beloved Mom in heaven, Ellen, I know you were there in spirit cheering me on! I know, I was wearing your emerald necklace. We both now are Hall of Famers, like mother, like son. Again, thank you all from the bottom of my heart. God bless, each and everyone of us.

Leandro “Lindy” Tan

HOF Awardee in Community Service Leadership

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It was an experience of my lifetime. So organized, food was great and my guests enjoyed the party. Thank you HOF staff.!

Phoebe Z. Doruelo, RN, BSN,MPH,CRRN

HOF Awardee, Community Leadership

• food was great. Really liked the salad & the dinner entree.

• announcement for introduction was a bit too fast. Could’ve been way longer

• each awardee should have a quick 3-5mins speech

• during the given awards, it went way too fast less than 3mins or so. Didn’t have much time for awardees guests to take pictures with us. Should have at least 5-10mins to be able to give guest a chance to take pictures and videos with the awardee.

• i really likes the beginning interview layout for the awardee. Quick and concise. Did those footage got save somewhere? Was it live in the television?

• my guests truly enjoyed the meal as well. • Emcees should go back and forth from both sides of the table. Not just on one side.

• A little interaction with the awardees would’ve been great from the emcees.

Overall, the event was great and well put out together. Just little improvement from the perspective for awardees for more spotlight and time in regards to receiving the award.

Fritz Colcol

Awardee, Serial Entrepreneur

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It was a great award night last Saturday. It was an honor and a privilege to receive the Hall of Fame Award for Excellence in Community Service – National from the Chicago Filipino Asian American group on their 25th anniversary. I was the only one recipient from the state of Wisconsin. Thank you to my dearest family, friends and the Fil-Am community because without you, this prestigious award will not be possible. The event had almost 700 guests and the Phil Ambassador was our guest speaker who also received his award for Excellence in Public Service – International. It was a great night with great entertainment! I was given the privilege to introduce a surprise award that night and the Ambassador was cool enough to say YES when I requested him to present the award. Each Hall of Fame recipient was interviewed by ViaTimes. Kudos to the event’s planning committee for the excellent night. Mabuhay ang Pinoy!

Janette Jordee

Excellence in Community Service (National Award)

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Congratulations Veronica Leighton, Joe Mauricio, Via Times, Chicago Philippine Reports TV for a very successful Grand Celebration of the Silver Anniversary of the Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame 2019.

The 21 Awardees who excel in the various categories or specialties were given recognition of their achievements and contributions in the USA and in the Philippines. The awards given in the presence of the Philippine Ambassador to the USA, Jose Manuel G. Romualdez made the awards night most memorable.

The Via Times and Chicago Philippine Reports TV, over the last 25 years, have honored outstanding Filipinos, Asians and Americans for their achievements and contributions to local, national and international societies. They have highlighted and showcased the values, qualities and characteristics of the awardees that made them successful and worthy of emulation. They also have made the visibility of the Filipino heritage and culture well-known and admired. They have succeeded in portraying a true picture of Filipinos, hard working, productive, and happy people.

It is a great inspiration and pride to see talented, successful achievers work towards a common goal of excellence while fostering unity with other ethnic groups to contribute for the common good and betterment of society.

As one of the awardees, we the Ramos Family, are greatly honored and humbled to receive the Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame 2019 Model Family Award. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

We dedicate this award to our parents, Benjamin and Adelina Ramos, Ricardo and Lucia Santos, who have given us guidance, education and opportunities to become successful. We thank our teachers, professors and mentors for the knowledge and skills they have given us. We thank our relatives and friends for their encouragement and support. Our children, Jonathan, Paul, Andrew and Rachel,our daughter in law Joanne and our grandchildren Joseph and Julian, they are our lives’ inspirations.

To be successful, we should set our goals and priorities early in life. But most importantly is to make them happen. Education, hard work and perseverance are basic ingredients to become successful.

We should leave a legacy to make this world not only a better place but also a happier place for future generations to enjoy long after we are gone.

Again, Thank You. Maraming Salamat Po.

Drs. Ferdinand & Evelyn Santos Ramos Family

Model Family Award