ThaiChicagolandtemp.com: Asian Coalition

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Asian Coalition

Congratulations to

Vallapa Kongsri

for her "Community Service Award 2010"

Vallapa Kongsri is the current President of the Thai American Association of Illinois. She graduated as a nurse from Bangkok, Thailand and moved to the United States in 1975 to begin her career. Vallapa began her career as an ER nurse at Englewood hospital in Chicago, IL. From 1981, she held the position as nurse Manager of the Emergency Department. She was certified a trauma nurse specialist TNS, emergency nurse CEN, CPR instructor, and ACLS provider. Currently she is a clinical nurse in the critical care unit, CCU.

Vallpa has been recognized for her humanitarian leadership roles and contributions to health care for the community. In 2000 and in 2003 she joined the medical mission of the Thai Physician Association of America to provide medical care for those less fortunate in rural areas of Thailand.

Vallapa has been involved in various activities in both the Thai and Asian American communities and has been nominated to receive many appreciation and recognition award from the following organizations: the Thai Nurses Association of Illinois in 1999, the Thai American Association of Illinois in 2001 and 2003, the Thai Buddhist temple in 2002, and Nurse of the year 2005.

Vallapa's involvement in leadership roles has been ongoing. She served as vice president of the Thai Community Association of Illinois, and has served on the Advisory Council of Secretary of State in 2001 and was elected Vice President of Thai American Association of Illinois in 2002-2005. She served as a chair person for fund raising education for Thai students, and served as President of Thai American Association of Illinois and as member of Board of Directors of Thai Nurses Association of Illinois, chair person of Talent night to support activity and programs of next generation in 2008. She served on the Advisory council of Thai New Year Festival Corp. LA. California and as a chair person for the Thai Festival of Chicago in 2009, and this year she founded the Thai American Community Service Center in hope to provide services to Thai community and surrounding areas.

Her involvement, dedication and commitment include serving on the committees for the Asian American Coalition of Chicago Celebration, a chair person for the Thai American Association of Illinois Annual Gala Dinner and the King's Birthday Celebration.

Congratulations to

Putarut Suntharanund

(on right) from Thai Community

for her " Youth Who Excel Award 2010"

Purarut Suntharanund is a senior at Romeoville High School and is ranked in the tip one percent of her class. After high school, she plans on studying biomedical engineering. She was selected to attend the National Young Leaders' Conference in Washington DC and is an officer for the National Honors Society. Putarut captains the scholastic bowl and math team and plays varsiry badminton and basketball. She is her school's section leader in the marching band, pep band and pit orchestra and plays the clarinet, piano and trombone.

Putarut volunteers at the local food pantry, recreation centers and schools and is an avid member of the Thai Cultural and Fine Arts Institute whose goal is to preserve the Thai culture in first generation Thai-Americans and for the many generations to come. She performs Thai classical and folk dances along with showcasing Thai classical music. She has performed for the Asian communities in the Midwest, represented Thailand in the Caribbean, and danced at the National Theater of Thailand. She is a member of the International Ramayana Institute of North America where Thailand's drama troupe collaborates with India's and Indonesia's, to tell the story of the epic Ramayana. Whenever she gets the chance to promote the spirit of the Asian community, she does so with the pride that is instilled in her, which she believes is what is needed in all young Asian Americans in order to keep our community strong.

Ladda Tammy Duckworth

Ladda Tammy Duckworth was born in Bangkok, Thailand, to Frank and Lamai S. Duckworth. Her father (died 2005) was a former longtime member of the U.S. Military who traced his family roots in America all the way back to the Revolutionary War; her mother, a native of Thailand, is of Chinese ancestry. She has one brother, Tom. Her family moved around Southeast Asia due to her father's work with the United Nations and international companies, and she is fluent in both Thai and Indonesian.

The family settled in Hawaii when she was 16. She graduated with honors from McKinley High School in 1985, after skipping the ninth grade. She graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, and received a Master of Arts in international affairs from George Washington University.

Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran and former U.S. Army helicopter pilot whose severe combat wounds cost her both of her legs and damaged her right arm. She continues to serve as a Major in the Illinois Army National Guard along with her husband, Major Bryan W. Bowlsbey, a signal officer and fellow Iraq War veteran.

In the 2006 election, Duckworth was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives seat for the sixth district of Illinois which was being vacated by long-time Representative Henry Hyde. Duckworth lost to her opponent, Representative Peter Roskam, by 2% of the vote.

A supporter of the presidential election campaign of Barack Obama, Duckworth was given a prime-time speaking slot on the third night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

She spoke Thai fluently to me and to other Thai people in the room.
We are so proud of her.

Euna Lee

Euna Lee is a South Korean-born American journalist who has worked for Current TV since 2005. Lee and fellow journalist Laura Ling were detained in North Korea after they crossed into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from the People's Republic of China without a visa. The United States Government protested the sentences, and implemented diplomatic efforts in order to secure the release of both Lee and Ling. On August 4, 2009 Lee and Ling were pardoned by the north Korean government after a special humanitarian visit by former US President Bill Clinton.

It was really nice meeting Euna Lee in person. I admire her courage.

Governor Pat Quinn

He is very tall...

Celebrity Presenters including Joanie Lum from CBS2, Nancy Loo from Fox, Nesita Kwan from NBC5, Jan Jeffcoat from Fox, Judy Wang from CLTV and Rosie Tibayan.