Honoring Typhoon Haiyan Victims and Celebrating Filipino Culture at the
2014 Philippine Summer Festival
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —The public is invited to attend the 15th annual Philippine Summer Festival, hosted by the Philippine American Society (PAS) of Palm BeachCounty, on June 7, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival will be held in YesteryearVillage at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, Florida. This year’s festival, with a theme of “Barrio Fiesta,” is dedicated to the 16 million Filipinos who were affected by Typhoon Haiyan (known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines). The storm was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, and was the deadliest to ever hit the small island nation.
Festival attendees can watch traditional dancing demonstrations, see heritage clothing worn by local Filipinos, taste authentic cuisine, listen to Filipino music, hear speeches about the country’s culture, and take part in a special dedication and moment of silence for the 6,200 victims whose lives were lost in the typhoon. Children can watch and participate in traditional Filipino games. Admission is $5.00 per person, with children ages five and under admitted for free. Funds raised from the gate fee will go to ongoing typhoon relief and financial aid scholarships.
Filipinos around the world will celebrate the country’s Independence Day five days after the festival on June 12, 2014. This year’s festival also gives recognition to this important part of the Philippines’ history.
Marlyn Sepanik, President for PAS, personally visited the affected area in the Philippines to participate in typhoon relief efforts in April 2014. While there, she presented donations to DivineWordHospital in the typhoon-wrecked Philippine city of Tacloban, on behalf of PAS. “Seeing the damage firsthand was horrifying,” Sepanik said. “But it gave me a greater understanding of how deep the need continues to be in our mother country.”
“We are proud to continue to support our people, many of whom are still suffering the after-effects of the storm,” she continued. “Every year, we strive to make the summer festival a family-friendly, fun event that celebrates our heritage and shares our rich culture. This year in particular, we aim to unite all Filipinos and community supporters under the same goal of assisting typhoon victims.”
To date, the PAS has given more than $25,000 to typhoon victims, through the help of personal donations by concerned local Filipinos in the Palm Beach County community, and multiple fundraisers, such as an auction, garage sale, fun-run and Zumbathon. Vendors and sponsors for this year’s festival are still welcome, and sponsorship information can be obtained by contacting Mercy Abellana at (561) 315-2316. For information about the festival, contact Marlyn Sepanik at (561) 289-0837, Christina Regino at (561) 723-9323 or Conchita Mateo at (561) 386-1209.
Dropbox link to images from the 2013 Philippine Summer Festival, and images of Sepanik presenting a donation to the DivineWordHospital nuns: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ibntsl81s7gkggz/SoHZZX1G-m
About the Philippine American Society, Inc.
The Philippine American Society, Inc. (PAS) is a Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of Palm Beach County whose mission is to promote the Filipino heritage, culture and traditions to Filipino-Americans future generations and to people of all cultures.
PAS is a community-centered organization that exists to promote and enrich the Philippine culture through educational, civic and charitable programs in unity with other Filipino organizations. And in the pocess, Filipinos are empowered and enabled to be bold leaders in the world.