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| Florami at left with yours truly |
by
Susan Palmes-Dennis
I'll
try to do some personal profiling of the past presidents of the
Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) and for
starters, I will talk about 2013 FACC president Florami Lao Cordero
Lee.
I
fondly call her President and why I call her that is a secret between
us. Her book of choice now is a book by US evangelist Billy Graham
entitled “Where I Am" and she reads as much as she can in her
spare time, aside from her volunteer work in her church.
A
little throwback to explain my Florami Lao Cordero Lee is a person of
interest to me: When I first came to the US a decade ago, fresh from
retirement from my journalism career in Cagayan de Oro City, I looked
for ways to continue the work I left behind to ease the boredom and
the new life in a new place.
It was
not easy then as I have a few friends to get information about the
community and events. But when I met Florami Lao Cordero Lee all my
qualms and questions were met and answered.
Aside
from being an interesting subject, she is friendly, courteous and
willing to answer my questions about the Filipino-American community
in Charlotte.
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| Florami (wearing striped blouse) works with children in Sunday School |
I
later came to know that her late brother was one of the original
signers of the Articles of Incorporation of the FACC back in the day.
Florami
had been in the US for 35 years now. She married Whatt Lee, a very
likeable guy who always wears a smile as a badge.
They have two
children named Dina and Kellen. Florami is a proud grandma of Kellen
Martin Jr. and is excited about a coming granddaughter.
She is
inspired to spread the word of God to children and is currently
involved with the Good News Club through the Children's Evangelism
Fellowship. Florami teaches Sunday School to 2nd to 5th graders at
her church.
Florami
is in-charge of the music, teaching hand gestures and songs to
children. On her free time, this petite past FACC president reads a
lot if devotional books.
Born
in Cebu City, Florami grew up in Quezon City but can understand a
little Bisaya since her late mother Naomi was from Danao City, Cebu.
She said her late mother talked to her in Bisaya while she grew up in
Manila.
Florami
recounted a story in which she, as a seven-year-old daughter was
asked by her mom to buy “ tam-is” or “kamay” in a sari sari
store. Despite her best efforts to say “kamay”, the store
mistakenly gave her a soap with the brand name “Camay.”
As she
cried while heading home, young Florami promised to learn different
languages.
To this date Florami can talk Tagalog and understand
Ilocano. Her late dad Higidio was from Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte.
Florami
also joined and volunteered for mission trips and true enough she has
been in out of country missions in countries in Nicaragua and in
other states in the US.
At times, she was nominated by the church for
these mission trips.
“I've
volunteered in a few local churches and hospices in Monroe. We
likewise serve and recognize the caretakers, feeding the homeless
people on the street and joined home evangelical missions," she
confided.
Florami said she immensely enjoyed the experience of sharing the word of God
to other people.
“I
went with a different church on my mission trip, namely Joy Church in
Matthews. I’m in the missions committee of my church, the Benton
Heights Baptist Church and serve in the Missions Committee with the
Union Baptist Association. But it is really my passion doing mission
trips that involve children," Florami said.
She is
now employed in the city of Monroe and spends time with the Filipino
American community and church. She is also a member of the executive
committee of Women's Empowerment in Charlotte and is also into Bible
study.
In
addition to family and social commitments, Florami finds time to
pursue another personal passion, namely dance. In fact Florami
founded the Philippine Cultural Dance Troupe of Charlotte years
before she took the helm of the FACC.
With
so much on her plate, Florami's enthusiasm and drive can be
infectious and I can only admire her dedication in pursuing what she
feels most passionate about like church. (For
questions and comments please email me at susanap.dennis@yahoo.com or
follow me on Instagram at carolina1girl)
