We're Looking for Miss Fil-Am 2008

Sammi Jo Oberloh was an 18 year old senior at Shiloh High School when she won the Miss Fil-Am pageant on June 2, 2007 at the Hilton Atlanta Northwest. Sammi Jo was a scholar athlete, garnered Miss Scholastic Achievement Award, and was named Sophomore Princess and Senior Princess at Shiloh High School. A well rounded person, she enjoys the piano and soccer. Sammi Jo is the daughter of Nora O’Brien and step daughter to Hugh O’Brien of Snellville, Georgia. She has a younger sister, Kimberly.

Sammi Jo will relinquish her crown to the new Miss Fil-Am on Saturday, June 14, 2008 at the Waverly Renaissance Hotel. “Mutya ng Pilipinas” is this year’s theme and the grand prize is a Caribbean Cruise for Two and $500. All the other participants will receive $300 each. Candidates are still accepted till Wednesday, April 16, 2008. If you have a daughter, or know somebody, between 16 to 21 years of age, please call Fil-Am Social Director, Pam Peterman at 770-633-8520 or myself at the number below.

Willy Blanco
President
Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta
770-331-9540

2008 APAC Scholarship Award

Click on the link below to download an application and further instructions.
2008 APAC Scholarship Award Application

A Blessed Spring Picnic

The fun filled day was extra blessed with the presence of Honorary Consul General Ray Donato, PACG Chairman-Dr. Ludi Villanueva, PACCGA President-Sonny de Hitta, Saranai Club President-Grace Cabrera, PAWAG President-Lilani Evans, and Philippine Nurses of GA representative-Lilia Hagler, who extended blood pressure cholesterol testing services to the picnic attendees. We also had visitors from Compton Elementary School headed by Mr. Bob Yerzy of GNSA and JUST ONE BOOK campaign; the UP graduate school students who attended the Association for Asian Studies conference in Atlanta (April 3-6), Sarah Domingo, Joyce dela Cruz and Wennie Berganio. Also present was Ms. Glinda Chambers-Hawkins of Sun Trust Bank, a major sponsor to the June 12 celebrations and Ms. Fil-Am Pageant on June 14, 2008.

Food was in abundance and pleasing to the taste buds. The lechon (donated by David & Nancy Beja, Neal & Jocelyn Peterson and TJ & Doddy Ward) of course was the number one choice, but the dish to die for in my book, was #1 the “binagoongang baboy at talong” by Nancy Beja and #2-chicken curry by Letty de Guzman. We had games galore for the young ones and the young at heart alike, although it seemed to me that the latter had more fun the former. The sun never really came out but the faces of everybody were all shining with joy and laughter as they mingled and played as one family. The seemingly innocent kids “tag of war” ended up like a riot when all the parents from both sides and more, joined in, pulling from each end of the rope, never really having the strength to pull as everyone was dying of laughing, partly because they were embarrassed of, and could not believe they were doing it.

Yes, lots of fun and laughter we had which drew admiration both from our American visitors and student visitors from the Philippines. They said that it could not be denied the love and care shown for each other like one family. So therefore my heartfelt gratitude to all those who made all these to happen; the dedicated board of directors of Fil-Am for their untiring efforts in planning and preparations and most specially the general membership and friends, whose attendance and participation make our efforts more rewarding. For those, who for one reason or another failed to come, we’ll see you in the next picnic. (I call on the Saranai Club, Sarong Bangui and Fil-Am Northwest and other organizations to join the Filipino-American Association of Georgia and PACCGA and plan for a real community picnic this coming summer.)

THANK YOU – “Maraming Salamat”!

Willy Blanco
2008 President
Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta