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Philippine
Cultural And Civic Center Building Update
By Dr. Ely Suson, May 2007
As in times past, on behalf of the PCCCF, Inc., I would like
to thank the President, Dr. Ray Ballecer, and the members of the Board of
Directors and officers of the PMA-W
for their continued commitment to support the Philippine Center and its
projects, notably the Free Medical Clinic (FMC). Lately, in addition to the
yearly grant, their most significant contributions were providing
recommendations and offering operational assistance to Dr. Violeta A. Singson,
our medical director. This will undoubtedly help relieve some of the burden of
running the Free Medical Clinic, the volume of patients having more than doubled
since our recent exposure on television and newspapers in the state.
On the same note, I would like to thank the PMA-W
Auxiliary for its continued interest in the Philippine Center, this year
donating $1,000.00 to the Free Medical Clinic. This will go a long way towards
serving many more disadvantaged members of our community.
Among the most important events of this year is Dr. Violeta
A. Singson’s winning the prestigious “Champions Among Us” award, specifically
the Meredith Children’s Champion Award presented by Johnson and Johnson in New
York City on May 9, 2007. This is in recognition of Dr. Violeta A. Singson’s
life-long service to under-privileged
children. She traveled to New York City with her husband, Dr. Juanito Singson
and Miss Erlinda Ramos, the FMC administrator, to receive the award. All travel
expenses and hotel accommodations were shouldered by Meredith Corporation. In
addition, the corporation donated $1,000.00 to the organization of Dr. Violeta
A. Singson’s choice, which naturally, will be the FMC. This event has
undoubtedly catapulted us into the limelight of charitable activities.
The quest for a Philippine Center Building of our own has
continued. At present, our interest is focused on the possible purchase of the
City of Greenfield Library located on Forest Home and Cold Spring in Greenfield.
In this regard, over the past few months we have been busy meeting a number of
people from different organizations who can help direct us where to obtain funds
for the purchase and operation of the projected Philippine Center. Once
formulated, we will present the plan to the City of Greenfield. Negotiations are
expected to follow soon. I have appointed a committee chaired by Linda Ravelo to
determine our approach to these negotiations.
Over a period of about two months we met the following people
who directed us to the appropriate foundations in order to obtain our diverse
funding needs:
1) Pat Wyzbinski – Fund Advisor, Nonprofit Management Fund (NPMF).
We met her as required by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. This developed into
a very interesting and productive meeting with Pat directing us to the different
people in different organizations for our varying needs.
2) Leo Ries – Program Director, Local Initiatives Support
Corporation (LISC). The corporation has helped nonprofits set-up,
organize, and gain funding for their projects. Leo advised us on meeting a legal
consultant to help prepare a proposal to Greenfield.
3) Teig Whaley-Smith – Legal Consultant, Community Development Advocates, assists non
-profit organizations for a fee. In the end we decided to employ the services of Atty.
Thomas McGinn, our legal counsel. My past experience with Tom’s competence and
reliability helped in making this decision. Tom is now a member of the committee
chaired by Linda Ravelo.
4) Beth Ridley – Program Officer, Greater Milwaukee
Foundation, briefed us on what and where to apply for our different needs. She
also recommended and guided us through the process of securing funding for the
salary of a part-time
executive director for the Philippine Center and an administrative assistant for
the Free Medical Clinic. She is setting up our meeting with their
development/donor relations team that can guide us on how to request for capital
funding.It has been an arduous and time-consuming
process but it has helped set us in the proper direction.
Brenda W. Quinn, our grant writer, has continued to do an
excellent job of acquiring donations from different organizations. To date, the
following have donated to the PCCCF:
Service Club of Milwaukee [grant]
$ 2,000.00
- Building Fund
PCCCF Foundation
200.00 -
FMC
Tinig Bayan
1,000.00 -
FMC
Barbara Knippel (RN, FMC Volunteer)
5.00
- FMC
Kim Elliott
25.00 -
FMC
PMA-W
Auxiliary
1,000.00 -
BF
United Methodist Women of CUMC
200.00
- FMC
FAAWIS
900.00 -
BF
The Prudential Foundation Matching Singsons’
100.00
- FMC
The Catholic Community Foundation
5,000.00
- FMC
Forest County Potawatomi Community Foundation 10,000.00
- FMC
Barbara Scudder, Dr. Juanito Singson’s Patient
200.00
- FMC
TOTAL
...............................................................$20,645.00
As of May 8, 2007, the account of the PCCCF, Inc. is as follows:
General fund…………………………...…. $198, 063.79
Free Medical Clinic Fund…………..…….. $ 23, 000.00
TOTAL…………….……...…….………...
$ 221,263.79
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