[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18868]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       HONORING YOSHITO TAKAHASHI

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 29, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Clovis native 
Yoshito Takahashi. Mr. Takahashi is among the 34 recipients worldwide 
to win a Medal of Honor from Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs. The 
award is the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays for his 
contributions to improving the status of Japanese Americans and the 
promotion of judo. In this country, the award is typically given for 
promoting U.S.-Japan relations and community service. Fifteen people 
garnered the award in the United States.
  Mr. Takahashi has left an indelible mark on healthcare in 
California's San Joaquin Valley. He helped build the first hospital in 
Clovis in 1950, and more recently participated in building a newer one. 
This hospital is a state-of-the-art healthcare facility serving not 
only the Clovis area but also the nearby mountain communities, 
including Yosemite National Park. For his service to the community and 
to healthcare, he was given a proclamation from the Mayor of the city 
of Fresno. The Board of the Community Health Foundation, which Mr. 
Takahashi served on for nine years, also recognized him at their annual 
Community Circle dinner in 1996.
  Mr. Takahashi began his relationship with Community Hospitals of 
Central California (CHCC) when he joined the Board of Clovis Memorial 
Hospital in 1975. As a board member, he served on the Corporate Affairs 
Committee, the Long-Range Planning Committee, and the Physicians 
Relations Committee. Mr. Takahashi also served on the Audit Committee 
and the Quality Assurance Committee at Clovis Hospital. He continued to 
serve on the CHCC Foundation Board and until 1977, he was a member of 
the Foundation Committee responsible for Finance and Asset Management.
  As he left his formal association with Community Hospitals of Central 
California, he left a relationship that started with a 40-bed hospital 
in Clovis and ended with much more. He was responsible for policy and 
support to a Community Healthcare System with an annual operating 
budget of over $300 million and 1,000 beds, reaching out to people from 
Modesto to Bakersfield.
  Mr. Takahashi has also been active in numerous community 
organizations and held various leadership positions within them. He has 
been involved with the Clovis Chamber of Commerce, the Clovis Unified 
School District Foundation, and the Legacy Fund for the JCL. Mr. 
Takahashi was a Fresno County representative to the California 
Freestone Peach Association, served as past Director of the Clovis 
Rotary Club, secretary-treasurer of the Clovis District Coordinating 
Council, Director/Founder of Clovis Community Bank, and as president of 
the Clovis Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles and is an 
active member of the Fresno Buddhist Church, of which he has been a 
member for 50 years.
  Mr. Takahashi believes that participation in competitive sports is as 
important as community involvement. He has been president of the 
Central California Amateur Union and a life member of the Amateur 
Athletic Union of the United States since 1974. Mr. Takahashi also 
served on the Jr. Olympic Judo Committee for 20 years and was an 
officer of the Central California Judo Black Belt Association.
  Yoshito Takahashi has received numerous awards for his extensive 
community involvement. In 1977, he was named Clovis Citizen of the 
Year. Two years later, he was inducted into the Clovis Citizens Hall of 
Fame.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Yoshito Takahashi for his time and 
service to his community and for promoting U.S. and Japan relations. I 
urge my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Takahashi, his wife, and 
family, many more years of continued success.


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