Just weeks before the onset of the Covid-19 closures of businesses and churches, a very special award was presented at Grace First Presbyterian Church in Long Beach to two special women in recognition of their service to their community.
One of the two recipients is a long-time Rossmoor resident, Mrs. Geri Kornmann. The other, Mrs. Ineke Rosier, is a resident of nearby Long Beach. This award is presently annually to individuals who serve others in their church and community with the same care and passion as the late Kimi Suigiyama, after whom the award was established by her late son, Dr. Raymond Sugiyama.
Kimi Sugiyama was a pivotal figure in the Japanese-American community in Long Beach, where she was instrumental in helping many Japanese workers who had little or no understanding of the English language and of American labor rights.
