People, Events, Places (PEP)

  by Susan Palmes-Dennis ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina—After being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual ‘Simbang Gabi’ or ‘Night Mass’ will be held anew at the St. Thomas Aquinas Church on Dec. 17 at 7 pm, Friday.  Lota Mascarenas, a parishioner of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, said their ‘Simbang Gabi’ is now on its 11th year after it was started by the church’s Filipino parishioners. This year’s Simbang Gabi is sponsored by the Couples for Christ and North Rosary Group, Mascarenas said.  Father Matthew Codd, pastor of the St. Thomas Aquinas Church, is the celebrant of the Mass. Members of the St. Thomas Aquinas Filipino community will serve as choir.  The Hymn Halina Jesus, a common Tagalog church song, will be sung at the processional to start the Holy Eucharist.  The song ‘Unang Alay’ will be sung as the gifts are prepared as is the song 'Ang Kr isto Ay Gunitain' during the acclamation. The first 2009 'Simbang Gabi' at St. Thomas Aquinas Church The Fi...

Maria Lynn donating her hair to her cancer-stricken friend Eva Berdon Rhyne by Susan Palmes-Dennis Rockingham, North Carolina—Maria Lynn is unable to celebrate her birthday on Dec. 20.  Instead Maria’s family and friends will bid her a final farewell as she will be laid to rest on Wednesday, Dec. 15, at the South Chapel of the Greene Funeral Service whose address is 1503 S York RD, Gastonia, NC 28052.  When I saw a Facebook post detailing Maria Lynn’s untimely demise due to a heart attack, I was stunned like her friends at how her death came so suddenly. My mind went back to the days when I met Maria Lynn, specifically on the 2017 Spring Picnic organized by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc.  Since there was already a program for that event that was held during my incumbency as FACC president, I had to decide favorably on Maria Lynn’s request to allow her to shave her long hair  in front of all attendees. She did this in support of her friend Eva B...

by Susan Palmes-Dennis   Rockingham, North Carolina—To Filipino-Americans in the Carolinas, please show your love and support to Dance Team Philippines 2021 as they compete in the much awaited Asian Festival (Search for the Asian Festival Performing Arts) on Saturday, Oct. 23. Tonette Asay, overall chairperson of Dance Team Philippines 2021, made this announcement as she disclosed that their contingent will perform a Royal Dance, a form of Singkil that recounts the ordeal of Princess Gandingan who was kidnapped by a diwata (guardian spirits) while traveling. The ‘Singkil Dance’ shows the dancers getting entangled with vines, bamboo or anything in their path. The dance was popularized by the Bayanihan Dance Troupe of the Philippines.  Philippine legend said the dance is adapted from the Maranao people that lived in the shoreline of Lake Lanao. The dancers skillfully manipulate the fan which represents the wind while the scarf represents the waves of the lake. The clacki...

by Susan Palmes-Dennis ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina---It was a nice early autumn afternoon at Morning Glory Farm where the wedding of now Mr and Mrs. Patrick Hang (née Genevieve Megan Cordery) was held last Oct. 2. And do I have stories to tell:  For starters, the wine served as toast to the newlyweds was gifted by the bride to her Dad about 15 years ago. The story went like this; On the bride’s 13th birthday, the Cordery family took a trip to Biltmore House/ Estate at Asheville, North Carolina. Genny had some money to spend but instead of buying something for herself, she bought wine for her Dad Richard.   Of course she was asked if she was old enough to drink. But the smart girl that she is, Genny simply told the clerk she wanted to buy wine for her Dad. Genny’s gesture showed just how much she loves and knows her father who loves wine.  ‘For you Dad,’ Genny told her father Richard who replied that he would drink it when she got married. The promise was made at the b...

By Susan Palmes-Dennis Rockingham, North Carolina---The heavens agreed and the angels came out playing their lyres and blaring their trumpets to welcome the happy union between Genevieve Megan Cordery and Patrick Hang. The couple said their ‘I do’s’ last Saturday in the presence of family and friends.  The chosen wedding venue, Morning Glory Farm, was perfect for the occasion not because of the present pandemic situation but to allow the attendees to commune with nature while listening to the beautiful music selection played as a prelude to the ceremony.  The stage was adorned simply with just the top and side columns with flowing white cloth. The trees and the pond in front of the guests made for the perfect backdrop for the occasion.  Genny, a beauty title holder and model looks radiant as she marched with her left arm hooked to the arms of her doting father Richard ‘Rich’ Cordery to the tune of ‘Somewhere In Time’. Genny carried her bouquet on her right arm and everyon...

Anthea Neri-Best in the Broadway production of 'Oliver!' by Susan Palmes-Dennis To all my friends: I’d like to introduce an American actress whose paternal grandparents, father and the father’s sibling are personally known to me as neighbors and schoolmates in elementary and high school back home in Tagoloan town, Misamis Otiental in northern Mindanao, Philippines.  Anthea Neri-Best is the granddaughter of Iyo Dodo (Arestotelis Neri) and Nang Emma. Her father is Andy Neri who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. The other day Anthea Neri-Best messaged me which read thus:   ‘Tita Susan!!! I know your'e super busy, but I wanted to share the news and would love your help! We launched the crowdfunding campaign for our film, FACE ON. If you could follow the campaign, that'd really help us out: https://seedandspark.com/fund/faceonmovie#story And if you're able to contribute, that would really go a long way towards helping us reach our goal as well.  It only takes one person ...

By Susan Palmes-Dennis Rockingham, North Carolina—It was slightly just a week ago, or August 14, when the Filipino-American Community in the Carolinas (FACC) managed to hold its annual summer picnic at Park Road Park in Charlotte, North Carolina despite the threat of the Delta variant of COVID-19.  The FACC’s summer picnic was the first event staged by the group after nearly 180 days of hiatus caused in no small part by the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to COVID-19, all activities scheduled last year and early this year were canceled due to federal and state mandates.  In his welcome message, FACC President Ro Lawsin called on everyone who attended this year’s summer picnic to reflect on the blessings in their lives during the pandemic including having the chance to secure the facility at Park Road Park for their annual event. Anyway, on to the program. The first part was a Zumba exercise program led by Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Onia that delighted the crowd, some of whom either joined t...