Archived News and Announcements

One of PAMANA’s mission is to foster unity and harmony among members and the community at large through participation in social activities. It has been a wonderful day for a dozen PAMANA members and friends as they got together on the first day of Fall for a road trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The group went to the EAA Aviation Museum and marveled at aviation innovations with a collection of more than 200 historic aircraft. They feasted on a Boodle lunch at Manila Resto — a first of its kind restaurant in the Fox Valley offering a fusion of Filipino, Asian and American dishes. After lunch, the group enjoyed the Paine Art Center and Gardens - a preserved historic estate listed on the National Register of Historic Places for a personal guided tour of the mansion and gardens, and taking a glimpse of the Louis Comfort Tiffany treasures from the Driehaus collection. Their trip ended with a quick stop at the Outlet Shoppes and a merienda of halo-halo to go from Manila Resto. Thanks to Manila Resto owner Marlo Ambas for welcoming PAMANA at his restaurant and the sumptous meal. Thanks to participants Rina Courtier, Mary Ann McGann, Romy Castillo, Janette Jordee, Tim Jordee, Nenita Marañon, Chris Santos-Lang, Jenny Ybañez, Noli Ybañez, William Elliott, and tour organizers Ruchelle Elliott and Marechiel Santos-Lang for the company and a fun day! Shout out to William for driving the the passenger van. The PAMANA Day Trip to Oshkosh is a project of the PAMANA Membership & Communications Committee.

Click Photo Gallery for more photos of the Day Trip.

Congratulations to the new officers of the 2018-2019 board of directors term of PAMANA!

President Janette Jordee

President-Elect Lynelle B Harrison

Secretary Al H. Gutierrez

Treasurer Jun Gonzales

PRO Marechiel Santos-Lang

Youth Representative Kayla Ylagan FASO Madison Co-President

Advisor 1 Joseph Barut Arcangel

Advisor 2 Romeo Castillo

Advisor 3 Rina N. Courtier

Advisor 4 Bobby Pagas Star DJ Music

Advisor 5 Charisa Conklin Stauffacher

Advisor 6 Marivic Valencia

Advisor 7 Jenny Dungca-Ybanez

Thank you so much to all PAMANA volunteers who worked the Athletes’ Check-in for Ironman 70.3 manning 4 of the 5 stations this afternoon. It was very busy and hectic but you all served with a smile and positive energy checking off names at entrance, explaining the forms and how to fill them, checking off waivers and filing and handing out goodie bags and athlete shirts. Combined, PAMANA put in 51 volunteer hours benefiting our association for a Foundation Grant to help fund our programs. Maraming salamat Al Gutierrez, Alfred Santos Braceros, Lynelle, Ebba & Torben Harrison, Chris & Marechiel Santos-Lang, Ruchelle Elliott, Ana Rose Doyon, Tom Mejia, Nyke Bedua and Emma Tomberlin-Burdulis for giving up your Saturday afternoon in support of PAMANA

Each year PAMANA awards scholarships to deserving graduating high school seniors of PAMANA members. Following an application process and the recommendation of the Scholarship Committee, the PAMANA board is pleased to award $700.00 scholarships each to Marianne Gale Pagas and Astrid Harrison.

Mariane Pagas graduated from James Madison Memorial High School.  She is the daughter of Bobby and Dolly Pagas. She is a PEOPLE scholar and a recipient of Student Achievement award presented by Optimist International.  She plans on attending UW-Madison to pursue a Nursing degree.

Astrid Harrison graduated from Waunakee High School. She is the daughter of Torben and Lynelle Harrison. Astrid graduated Summa Cum Laude and is a recipient of Chancellor Scholar at UW-Madison where she plans to take Civil Engineering.

In addition to their academic achievements, both of our scholars are active in sports and community services. When you see Mariane and Astrid,  extend your warm wishes as they both enter college life.

June 1 was a very productive Friday night for PAMANA board members as they held their in-person meeting. They debriefed on the successful Christmas party 2017, reflected on things to improve, approved this year’s venue & Dec 15 date, reviewed plans for the July 21 summer picnic, reported on the community volunteering efforts for Second Harvest, Brat Fest, IRONMAN 70.3 and IRONMAN Wisconsin, approved the scholarship awards, received updates on the social services efforts to help a Filipina whose home exploded in Beaver Dam, reported on our cultural education activities of Migration Story, FASO partnership and future activities, discussed membership, presented the preliminary plan for the Sept 22 Fall day tour to Oshkosh, reviewed the events calendar for the next two years and made preparations for the next board term. Thank you to the 2017-2018 board members for their leadership led by president Marechiel Santos-Lang, Jenny Ybanéz, Janette Jordee, Glenn Ruiz, Marivic Valencia, Lynelle Harrison, Jun Gonzales, Bobby Pagas Star Djmusic, Joseph Barut Arcangel, Al H. Gutierrez. Thank you to all our members, donors and volunteers! The board couldn’t have done it without your support.

Thank you volunteers for giving up your weekend to help Second Harvest fight hunger in Wisconsin by volunteering at this year's Bratfest. Close to $500 will be donated to the Second Harvest from your efforts.

Deadline to sign up is April 5 

Great news! The PAMANA Scholarship deadline for graduating high school seniors has been moved to April 15. If you or friends you know have a graduating high school senior, please encourage them to apply.  Questions? Contact Janette Jordee, Scholarship Committee liaison to the board.  Learn more.

Single mom with two young children lost home in Beaver Dam from chemical explosion

PAMANA has been requested to extend financial assistance to Jinky Couch, a single mom and her two young children who used to live in an apartment that had a chemical explosion in one of the units they lived in, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin on March 5, 2018. The fire department burned the remainder of the whole apartment building on March 14, 2018 for safety reasons.  Jinky’s family is physically okay but all of their items in the house were all gone. Residents were not allowed to retrieve any of their belongings out of their units. Jinky and her children are dependent on the help of her friends.

Jinky is originally from Bulacan and came to the USA in 2012.   Jinky’s two kids are 15 and 4 months old.  Her mother came to the States in October 2017 to help take care of her kids. Red Cross and Social Services agencies extended help during the first week after the incident but the donation was not enough.  Jinky and her family stayed in a Filipino friend’s house for one week after the explosion and are currently staying in a donated room of a Super 8 motel. She is currently unemployed and hopes to find a job when she moves to a new apartment.

On Saturday, March 24, 2018, the PAMANA Board approved a motion  to disburse $500 from the PAMANA Social Services fund to help Jinky in her time of need.  We invite our members and supporters to donate any dollar amount to assist Jinky.

To donate, you can either send a check or donate online.  Please write on the Comment box: Jinky Couch.

To send your donation via check, mail to PAMANA, P.O. Box 5013 Madison, Wisconsin USA 53705-0013. Please write on Memo line:  Jinky Couch.

To provide timely help, please send your donations no later than April 30, 2018. Thank you for your generosity.  

Questions?  Email pamana.madison@gmail.com.     

  

The Wisconsin Microfinance invites you to a night of delicious Filipino food, drink pairings, inspiring speakers and a silent auction at its annual Microfinance Gala to provide micro-loans to business women in the Philippines on Thursday, May 3, 2018, 6PM.  The gala will be held at the Harvest Restaurant on the Capitol Square, 21 N. Pinckney Street. The ticket costs $99 per person and funds one new loan!  To purchase tickets, click here. More information.  Here's the invite: WM GALA.pdf