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Awards and Recognition from New Jersey House of Representatives

On March 29th (Saturday) at West Orange, NJ, the Dr. Zal Velez Civic and Welfare Association, in collaboration with ICEF, launched a fundraiser event to raise awareness on ICEF's projects and financial support for the iLEAD  program by awarding exemplary leaders in the community.There were about 180 attendees.  Most of the guests were political leaders from different cities, mostly from within the State of New Jersey: Representatives of Senators and Congressmen came to present the awards. Present were Mayors, Assemblymen, Freeholders, Council presidents, city officials, religious leaders, educators, ICEF members, and FFWPU members. Awardees were political, religious and civil society leaders. During the event, for their exemplary leadership and dedicated service, ICEF founders Dr. Christopher Kim received the Philanthropist of the Year award while Dr. Julia Kim, the Woman of the Year award.  Along with ICEF’s founders, there were ten other honorable awardees; Man of the Year for New Jersey Senator Richard Codey, Government Service Leadership Award for Irvington City Mayor Wayne Smith, Humanitarian Award for Bloomfield City Mayor Raymond McCarthy, Community Service Award Essex County for Freeholder President Blonnie Watson, Lifetime Achievement Award in Medicine for Dr. Bart De Gregorio and Dr. Joseph De Gregorio, International Religious Award for Imam Ameer P. Salahuddin, International Economic & Trade Development Award for Fran B. Close, International Business Award for Lance James, International Entrepreneur Award for Michael Leung, Dr. Eliane C. Condon Educational Leadership Award for Toni Marone, Sports and Entertainment Award for Commissioner Larry Hazzard Sr.  In addition, Dr. Christopher and Julia Kim both received Congressional Awards of recognition from Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. of the 8th District of New Jersey and an Assembly Commendation from the State of New Jersey by Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith in honor of their services and contributions to the society.
The event was beautiful - manifesting the spirit of the day.  The harmony of different political parties, religious affiliations and four races coming together centering on the message of peace and living for the sake of others echoed beautifully throughout the event.  Most notable and special for ICEF was one of the 5 awards of recognition coming from Mayor Wayne Smith of Irvington, New Jersey where he proclaimed March 29 as ICEF Day in Irvington, NJ.  Along with that, ICEF received Resolutions from the New Jersey General Assembly by the Speaker of the General Assembly, Mr. Joseph J. Roberts Jr., and the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders led by Freeholder President Blonnie R. Watson.  This was really a welcome debut for ICEF. 
At the end of the event, piggy banks where distributed to the attendees under the slogan “Feed Me… Feed the World.”  Funds raised through this campaign will go to support the iLEAD program.  The success of this event is proof that all the hard work of the Organizing Committee members did not go in vain.