[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 27, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY SERVICE HONOREES OF THE JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS 
                                 LEAGUE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 27, 1999

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to the Community Service 
Honorees of the Japanese American Citizens League. On Thursday, 
December 9th, the JACL will host a recognition dinner to honor these 
citizens' outstanding contributions to their community. I ask all of my 
colleagues to join with me in saluting this special occasion.
  This year's first nominee for service to the Nikkei community is 
Midori Hiyama. A long time faculty member and head of the English 
Department at Sacramento City College, she is being recognized for many 
decades of service to the Sacramento Japanese American community in the 
academic field. Along with Henry Taketa and others, she built up the 
Sacramento JACL Scholarship Program to the largest such program at the 
chapter level.
  Next, the JACL will honor Percy and Gladys Masaki. The late Percy 
Masaki and his wife Gladys have dedicated many years of service to the 
Sacramento JACL, especially during the early formation of the local 
chapter. Their contributions included providing many years of rent-free 
space and committing thousands of hours of volunteer time. Their 
volunteer efforts focused in the areas of coordination of community 
events and the publishing and distribution of the chapter newsletters.
  Another esteemed honoree will be Shigeru Shimazu. Known simply as 
Shig, Mr. Shimazu is being honored for his forty years of invaluable 
service to the Sacramento Nikkei community. He has remained a 
consistently active and productive member of the Japanese American 
community. Although he is not always openly visible during his 
participation in community functions, his contributions during the past 
decades have been outstanding.
  The Sacramento JACL would also like to recognize the contributions of 
the Union Bank of California. Union Bank will represent the corporate 
honoree at this year's Community Service Recognition Dinner. This 
financial institution has remained supportive of the JACL and many 
other Japanese American organizations in the entire state.
  The contributions of the Union Bank of California have extended 
beyond the JACL to areas such as various churches, tanoshimi kais, the 
Asian Community Nursing Home, Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of 
Commerce, and public television's Channel 6. Their policy of service 
charge free accounts to all non-profit organizations has been 
appreciated.
  In addition, Anne Rudin has been selected for recognition. The former 
mayor of Sacramento will be the only non-Nikkei honoree of 1999. She 
has been extremely active in the Japanese American community for the 
past three decades. Not only was she the first Honorary Chair of 
Matsuyama-Sacramento Sister City Corporation, but she has traveled to 
Japan several times as a delegate to the Japan-U.S. Mayors Conference 
and as a member of the Sacramento contingent to the Sister City 
conferences.
  The last nominee of this year's banquet will be James Maddock and the 
Sacramento Bee. Mr. Maddock of the FBI and the Sacramento Bee 
(represented by Howard Weaver) are being nominated for their support 
during the recent arson attacks on three Jewish synagogues. Because of 
their intensive and active support during the aftermath of these 
terrible events, the citizens of the Sacramento area have rallied 
together in opposition to such hate crimes.
  Mr. Speaker, as these exceptional people and organizations are 
honored by the Japanese American Citizens League, I am proud to give my 
heart-felt endorsement. These people and organizations have all 
contributed immensely to the betterment of the Japanese American 
community in Sacramento. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in 
wishing the honorees and the JACL continued success in the future.

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