LAS will be performing and participating at this year’s ACE at the Gwinnett Center on both Saturday and Sunday.  Please come out to see Lao dance, and a traditional Lao wedding procession.

This Year’s Hong Kong Association Dragon Boat Race is:

Saturday, September 11, 2010
7am – 4pm

We are still looking for more rowers and volunteers for this year’s race!  In past Dragon Boat races, LAS participation was made possible through generous sponsors and donations to cover the boat entrance fee, and food and drinks for the team, family and friends.  This year, we hope that everyone comes out again for a day of fun in the sun!  Even if you can’t row, we’re always looking for support at the LAS tent, helping with our LAS Natasinh dance team, or preparing the food and drinks.  The LAS team has always been multi-ethnic and open to all who want to participate!

Practice Times:

Sundays leading up to the event at Lake Lanier (Opposite side of the Race Venue/ at the Picnic Areas):

• Sunday August 8, 2PM
• Sunday August 29, 2PM
• Sunday September 5, 2PM

I know this seems like a lot, but I know some of us might not be able to make a practice or two. I would like to see everyone on the first practice Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 2pm so I can confirm those who will paddle for LAS Naga Fireballs. I don’t want to kill anyone by having too many practices, so we can discuss what we would like to do as a team on the first day of practice. I requested as many days as possible, so we can have these days if we want to utilize the reserved slots. PLEASE forward this email if you have others who will row with us, or simply let them know about our practice dates. I’ll see you all SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 2010 AT 2PM. If you have any questions or need to let me know anything, feel free to call me. 

Remember, the event is Saturday, September 11, 2010. Let your family and friends know so they can come out to support, eat, drink,  and enjoy the race! 

Serichanhto Noel Kenemanisoth
LAS Naga Fireballs Dragon Boat Team Organizer
770-906-7859
secretary@lasga.org

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Directions for the Event and Where we will be Practicing.

Lake Lanier Olympic Venue
3105 Clark’s Bridge Road
Gainesville, Georgia 30506

Site of the 1996 Summer Olympic Canoe, Kayak, & Rowing Events

Take 85North to 985North From 985North, Exit #24 (Gainesville)Take a left off of the exit (Jesse Jewel Parkway)Take a right at Limestone Rd. (The street sign is hidden but you will see a brown sign for Lanier Canoe and Kayak Rowing prior to the road). This will be at the second traffic light.Take a right at Clark’s Bridge Rd. (For reference, it will be the road right after you pass Winn Dixie and a shopping center with Domino’s Pizza on your right-hand side)Continue on Clark’s Bridge Rd. and you will see the lake and the venue on the right-hand side…and the boathouse will be on the left-hand side. You can’t miss it because you will see the Finish Line Tower at on the water’s edge and a huge balloon with a banner advertising the Dragon Boat Races.

NOTE - Travel time from the intersection of 400 and 285 is right at 50 minutes doing the speed limit.

ATTENTION: The deadline for the art, essay and achievement awards for students K-12 has been extended. The new deadline is Aug. 1, 2010.

Please see this previous post for more information on how to submit.

* Please note: The deadline for the college scholarship applications has passed. *

Education Award Ceremony and Student Recognition 2010

The Laotian American Society is excited to announce our annual Education Award Ceremony, which is a culmination of our student recognition program. Every year LAS recognizes outstanding Laotian (Lao, Hmong, Laotian-American) students  in grades K-12, as well as awards scholarships to college students.  Since the program’s inception, LAS has given out thousands of dollars in grants and awards.  Laotian students still rank below other minorities in terms of high school graduation rates, and we believe financial assistance as well as encouraging learning is pivotal to building a strong future for everyone.

LAS Educational Award Ceremony

Saturday, August 14th, 2010
Time: TBA

Place:
UPS Headquarters
55 Glen Lake Drive
Atlanta, GA

——————

2010 Scholarship Application
For Undergraduate Applicants

POSTMARK DEADLINE

JULY 24, 2010

Send all application materials by Mail to:

LAS Scholarship Committee
P.O. BOX 48432
Atlanta, GA 30362
scholarships@lasga.org

2010 LAS College Scholarship Application (PDF)

2010 Student Award Nomination Form (Grades K-12)

The Laotian American Society would also like to recognize the achievements of elementary school, middle school and high school students.  If the child meets any of the below criteria and would like to be recognized, then they will need  to submit proof from their school:

• Straight A’s
• GPA 3.0+
• Perfect Attendance
• Athletic Recognition
• Community Service
• Extracurricular Activities

There are a different set of rules for submissions for the Arts & Crafts and Creative Writing Contests:

• Art & Crafts and Creative Writing Contests

Please contact Meiling Arounnarath for more information: education@lasga.org

Thank you to all of our previous sponsors!

UPS
Ken Lee Foundation
NKK Design
Chopstix for Charity
Walmart
Chick-fil-A

_________________________________

Neo Praseuth – President
president@lasga.org

The Board of Directors and Members named Neo Praseuth the seventh President of Laotian American Society. He is responsible for operation and management.

The Laotian American Society is a 501c3 non profit that provides extraordinary opportunities and resources for Laotians in Georgia.

Neo Praseuth was born in Vientiane, Laos, who previously held the position of Vice President of Laotian American Society and is the first Executive Director to implement a focus college grant program.

As he enters a new phase of his career with LAS, Neo is looking forward to helping write the next chapter of LAS along with the LAS Executive team members.

Neo attended Arizona State University and the University of Mississippi and earned his bachelor in finance with a concentration on Southeast Asian studies as well as a life long fan of great writers from Mississippi. Neo is excited and inspired by members of the LAS Executive team.  Currently Neo is taking time off his graduate program and business venture in Laos to focus solely on LAS activities.

Noy Bozarth – Vice President
vp@lasga.org

Noy has been involved with LAS since 2003, first as a volunteer and then served as Treasurer in 2008.  Currently Noy is seeking her under-graduate degree in Business & Management and is working for United Parcel Service (UPS).  This year marks her 15th year with UPS!  Noy has held various positions at UPS and is currently a Project Manager.  She has also been involved in company programs such as establishing the Women’s Leadership Development (WLD) program in 2008, which helps to develop female employees, and participating in the Diversity Leadership Development (DLD) Pilot in 2010.

In her spare time, Noy enjoys working with the elderly and has previously volunteered for Meals on Wheels (2004 – 2006) in Clayton County, Georgia, which provides assistance for the elderly living alone in their homes.  She continues to be involved with the community through UPS, the United Way and LAS.  Noy is proud to be Lao and works toward encouraging younger generations to reach high for their goals.  Noy lives in Alpharetta, GA with her husband, John, and three children, Greg, Emily and Lance.

Noel Kenemanisoth – Secretary
secretary@lasga.org

Serichanhto Noel Kenemanisoth currently serves as Secretary for the LAS board.  She graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Early Childhood Education. Noel currently teaches 2nd grade in Cobb County and she has been active in the Adopted Teens Empowerment and Mentoring Organization mentoring  adopted teens ages 12-19 for three years.

She is excited to be a part of the Laotian American Society, volunteering and helping out in her community, networking, and learning more about her culture and its history. She looks forward to helping LAS with its mission and hopes to be a role model for the next generation.

Dao Malaythong was born in Laos and came to the United States in 1976 with her family of 12 siblings. She has lived in Atlanta for over 20 years, she has two daughters, Indy and Tila. She is a community activist and is involved with four Wat Lao temples in the metro Atlanta area.  Her recent work for the 2010 US Census Bureau as a Partnership Specialist Assistant has helped spread awareness of the importance of being counted in the hard to count community. Dao is also the Chair of Laotian Complete Count Committee for Census 2010. Besides being active in the community, Dao is an Associate Broker for VICI Real Estate and Georgia Center for Foreign Investment Development (GCFID).  She also works as a Lao interpreter for Culture Connect, JF&CS, and various clients. She served on the steering committee of Georgia Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition (GAAPIC),  a member of NAAAP Atlanta, Board Director of Asian Real Estate Association of America and Public Relations for Laotian American Society (LAS). She is passionate about promoting the Lao Culture and Heritage, especially educating others in the struggles of having come from the refugee camps and humble beginnings.

Kim Ting Pathammavong – VP of Culture

Kim recently served the 2nd half of the year as Secretary for the LAS 2007 board.  She has also enjoyed teaching the LAS dance team traditional Laotian Folk dances.  This year alone the LAS dance team has performed in more than 10 events for over 12,000 people.

Kim graduated from the University of Milwaukee in Wisconsin with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Allied.  She relocated to Georgia in 2002 with her husband Keck Pathammavong and two beautiful daughters Arianna age 10 and Mollie who is 7 years old.  Teaching and coaching the dance team has brought Kim a lot of joy and she hopes to continue her efforts with LAS for many more years to come.

Mino Sundara – VP of Marketing

Mino Sundara was born in Bangkok, Thailand in 1983 within the refugee camps. He spent his youth between the years of 1984 and 1994 in Florida after his family emigrated to the United States from Laos. Mino spent most of his teen years in Atlanta, Georgia where he pursued his college education in Information Technology Systems with a focus on Multimedia and Graphic Design. Mino is currently pursuing his second degree at Gainesville State College in Communications. As an entrepreneur, Mino owns his own business as a full time freelance designer working with titan Fortune 500 and Inc 500 companies on a daily basis.

As a young and aspiring professional, Mino is actively involved within the Asian community, artist community and the non-profit sector. He is also associated with NAAAP – Atlanta (National Association of Asian American Professionals) where he is part of the Marketing and Communication Board of Directors.  During his spare time, Mino enjoys volunteering in the community, mentoring children and young adults, traveling, golfing, running competitions, and enjoying time with great friends.

Meiling Arounnarath – Director of Education

Meiling Arounnarath, Director of Education for LAS, is currently a full-time 2012 MBA Candidate at Georgia State University. From 2008-2010, she provided tech support and client services at MEDITECH, a home health care software company. She was a reporter and staff writer from 2005-2008 for the metro daily newspaper “The News & Observer” in Raleigh, N.C., where she covered local schools, local government, community, youth culture and diverse groups within the communities. Meiling was a volunteer writer and editor for the national “Lao Roots Magazine” from 2007-2009. She was co-vice president of print for the North Carolina chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) in 2008 and is the current treasurer for the Atlanta chapter of AAJA. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Print Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Georgia, where she also minored in Comparative Literature.

Meiling was born and raised in Atlanta, Ga., and she enjoys cooking, traveling, volunteering and dancing. She looks forward to inspiring Laotian youth to pursue higher education, and she is excited to help the Laotian community gain more exposure as well as help the community strengthen and build more solidarity from within.

Ann Rithmyxay – LAS National Rep

Ann was born in Laos and immigrated to America as a refugee in 1981 with her parents when she was 13.  She works for the Fortune 500 companies that provide leading logistic transportation services worldwide as a Customer Support/Inside Sales Representative.  She received her Associate of Arts degree from Clayton State University in 1988. She is attending DeVry University to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and anticipates graduating in 2010.

She is passionate about community work and is grateful for her parent’s influence to embrace Laotian roots.  She believes a future without knowledge of one’s origin is like a person lost without direction.  She is motivated to make a difference in society.  She served as a co-chair on the 2010 U. S. Census Asian Complete Count Committee of Georgia.  She was the Annual Chair person of fund raising for education in 2005, and 2006 for the underserved Laotian community.

Ann served a two year term as board officer with LANA (Lao-American National Alliance). She took actions to collaborate with other national leaders to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina and promote Hepatitis B awareness as well as other shared causes.  Ann was an active member of NAAAP-Atlanta and OCA Georgia Chapter.  She is known as one of the co-founders of LAS (Laotian American Society) nonprofit 501c3 organization and served as president in 2004/2005.  Ann is an honored citizen in the Asian community for her leadership roles and continues to promote culture and education no matter where she goes.

Cookie Morey
Sean Sakprasit
Boon Vong

LAS Past Presidents

2007-2009 Cookie Morey
2006-2007 Amy Yang
2005-2006 Sean Sakprasit
2004-2005 Ann Rithmyxay
2003-2004 Malay Surivong Wu
2002-2003 Kasy Khaikham

Tired of complaining about Atlanta’s traffic, public transportation, or shrinking workforce?  Worried about the aging population, air or water quality?  Do you want to improve the way Atlanta looks, i.e. streets, sidewalks…etc? Then you need to be part of the Plan 2040,

Atlanta’s long range plan for land use and transportation.

 ________________________________________

Put your complaints into good use! Your views are valuable &

Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) wants to hear them.

WHO: The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC)   has been going around Atlanta conducting well over 80 meetings with various communities for their “PLAN 2040” Neighborhood Forums.

WHAT: PLAN 2040 is the metro Atlanta area’s plan to accommodate economic and population growth sustainably over the next 30 years. 

WHEN: Thursday, July 8th (6:00 pm – 8:00 pm). Networking and Dinner will begin @ 5:45 pm.

WHERE: ARC reps will be coming to US! They will be at the July 8th GAAPICC Meeting to listen to Atlanta’s Asian communities. Come and share your vision for Atlanta in 2040. Let our voice be heard – ALL representation is vital. CPACS  – 3760 Park Avenue, Doraville, GA 30340

WHY: This meeting will be crucial for Atlanta’s next 30 years.

Click Here to RSVP

**This event is open to the public. Please help spread the word .**

(Click for Larger View)

The Laotian American Society will host an arts and cultural summer camp for children K-12 from July 12-16.  LAS will subsidize materials for special projects.  The program will charge $95* per child.  This summer camp is geared towards educating children in the Asian arts, creative writing, cultural education, Lao language, traditional musical instruments, and individual and group activities to promote social skills and team building.

Registration begins June 21, 2010 and closes July 9, 2010.

Wat Buddhakhanti** – 4052 Zoar Church Road, Snellville, GA 30039

Please contact Neo Praseut at president@lasga.org or (678) 412-5509

*Fee includes lunch allowance
Parents are responsible for dropping off/picking up.  Transportation assistance can be provided by LAS if needed.
**Main location will be at Wat Buddhakhanti but various kid friendly field trips will be taken throughout the program.

Photos from Past Summer Camp

LAS board members had a wonderful opportunity to get an inside look of the CNN building and its operations this past Sunday, June 20. This wasn’t just the typical CNN tour for tourists, though! Scott Bounsouk, a very talented engineer at CNN and a friend of LAS, was gracious enough to take us around on a real insiders’ tour of CNN.

Some members of the LAS board with Scott Bounsouk in front of the famous CNN sign

We were able to see the studios where they film HLN (Headline News) and the main CNN broadcasts. We saw how they receive different feeds from all over the country and from all over the world, for that matter! There were separate departments for CNN International, for CNN Radio and for CNN Español, among others. We learned how the cable news giant handles editing the visual and sound quality of the feeds at lightning speed before they air for the rest of the world to see. We even got to see some of the sports staff working, goofing off and joking around with each other — looks like they know how to have a good time at their jobs!

Scott also took us into the main server room — what an amazing experience! There were so many plugs and wires and computers that make up the main control room for all of CNN’s programs, including those coming from its New York office, international outposts … you name it.

An interesting tidbit we learned: CNN is in the business of buying and selling news. Did you know that? We sure didn’t!

LAS board members and Scott Bounsouk stand in front of CNN's wall collage of photos

Thank you, Noy Bozarth (LAS vice president), for reaching out and connecting our board with Scott Bounsouk! It was definitely a great learning experience that, no doubt, opened our eyes a little more to the world around us and a different kind of career — where your day-to-day tasks as well as your overall vision can have long-lasting, far-reaching effects. Sounds like something all of us at LAS already have been aspiring to do!

CNN: We strive to be a leader like you.

Mission & Goals

Vision

The Laotian American Society is committed to being a resource to all people of ethnic origins native to Laos or has ties to Lao culture and heritage.

Mission

The purpose of the Laotian American Society shall be to engage in, provide and organize social, educational, cultural and other related activities and services, which activities and services;

1. Improve the quality of life, health, welfare, and education of persons of Laotian ethnic ancestry and persons of other ethnic origins native to Laos (all collectively referred to herein as “Laotians”)
2. Promote knowledge and education about the Laotian culture within the general community and within the Laotian community in America.
3. Promote communication and cooperation between the Laotian community in America, and other ethnic communities and the general community.
4. Promote knowledge and education about issues affecting the Laotian community and Asian-American community within the Laotian community and the general community
5. Improve the quality of life, health, welfare, and education of persons in the Laotian community and promote knowledge and education about other Asian-American cultures within the general community and the Asian-American community.
6. Engage in other activity permitted under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as may be changed from time to time (the “Code”). Notwithstanding anything stated to the contrary herein, the purpose of Laotian American Society shall be limited solely to charitable purposes within the meaning of the Code, as further described in Article II herein.

Commitments

Improve the quality of life for Laotians in Georgia and the metropolitan Atlanta area by organizing and sponsoring education, health, social and economic activities.

Promote cultural awareness and foster communication with the Asian American community in the metropolitan Atlanta area and Georgia.

Goals for 2010

1. To promote health, welfare, and education of persons of Laotian ethnic ancestry and persons of other ethnic origins native to Laos (all collectively referred to herein “Laotians”) in Georgia
2. To promote knowledge and education about the Laotian culture within the general community and within the Laotian community in America.
3. To promote communication and cooperation between the Laotian community in America, and other ethnic communities and the general community.
4. To promote knowledge and education about issues affecting the Laotian community and Asian-American community within the Laotian community and the general community
5. To promote knowledge and education about other Asian-American cultures within the general community and the Asian-American community.
6. To engage in other activity permitted under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

____________________________________

Download a Membership Application and Volunteer with LAS: We are looking for serious, selfless people willing to work together to fulfill our dreams of a united and growing Laotian American community in Georgia and abroad.

LAS Membership Form

Laotian American Society (LAS)
P.O. Box 48432
Atlanta, GA 30362
www.lasga.org
info [at] lasga.org

SEATTLE-AREA PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT HONORED FOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE MEDICAL EDUCATION IN RURAL LAOS

American Academy of Physician Assistants Names Phoumy Bobby Bounkeau, PA-C, PhD, Humanitarian PA of the Year

ATLANTA — Phoumy Bobby Bounkeau, PA-C, PhD, of Seattle, Wash., received the American Academy of Physician Assistants 2010 Humanitarian PA of the Year Award at the organization’s 38th Annual Physician Assistant Conference in Atlanta yesterday. Bounkeau, of Lao and Thai descent, co-founded the CME training project, a program that provides funding for rural Lao health workers to travel from their villages to the large city of Luang Prabang to participate in much-needed continuing medical education.

“My roots are in Laos and Thailand, and I know all too well that, especially in rural areas, this part of the world is often underserved by modern health care,” said Bounkeau. “By extending a hand to those who have the desire to learn and serve, we broaden the reach of the best health care practices across the globe. I am honored that AAPA has chosen to recognize this important and necessary work.”

Bounkeau’s CME training project provides curriculum on patient history, physician assessment, emergency medicine, ultrasound technology, reproductive health and pediatrics, as well as medical leadership for hospital administrators and medical English for hospital workers. The program, which is funded in part by the PA Foundation, provides Lao health workers an opportunity to strengthen and update their clinical skills.

Bounkeau is a Distinguished AAPA Fellow, former president of the Washington State Academy of Physician Assistants and co-founder of AAPA’s Asian and Pacific Islander PA Caucus, and is currently employed by the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System. On weekends and evenings, Bounkeau volunteers at Seattle International Community Health Services providing culturally competent health care services to patients speaking Southeast Asian languages.

AAPA is the only national professional association that represents PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the majority of U.S. territories, the armed forces and federal services. Founded in 1963, AAPA works to increase the professional and personal growth of the entire PA workforce by providing comprehensive support and advocacy for physician assistants so that they may, in turn, provide patients with increased access to quality, cost-effective health care. Learn more at www.aapa.org.