“Give Hope To Orphanages In Southeast Asia”
Friday, July 23, 2010 marked a seminal moment in the brief history of the Le Hoang Foundation. At Kim Son Restaurant in Houston on that date, the Le Hoang Foundation held its inaugural “Give Hope To Orphanages In Southeast Asia” fundraiser and it was a smashing success. Over 650 people were in attendance, including honored guests that came from throughout the United States as well as from foreign countries like India. The gala event honored various members of the community for their tireless work towards helping needy children throughout the world. The evening was marked with live music provided by the famed CBC Band and punctuated with performances by the legendary Vietnamese singer Thanh Tuyền. The Le Hoang Foundation is proud to announce that due to the boundless generosity of all of the participants, over $40,000 USD was raised for orphanages throughout Southeast Asia.
The Le Hoang Foundation would like to extend a special thank you to Kim Son Restaurant and Commerce Park Floral & Craft Wholesale along with Con Trau Fashion, Lizzie London, and Danny Nguyen Couture for their hard work in making the fundraising event such a successful one. During the evening, I was asked to say a few words about the mission of the Le Hoang Foundation. The message I was trying to convey that night was what I believe to be a universal truth, one that sometimes gets overwhelmed and overlooked in the clutter of everyday life. I hope that the words below will allow you a moment to reflect on how grateful we are for each and everyone of you.
It’s funny how life can turn on a few simple words. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I didn’t want to change the world–heck, I can’t even change the tire on my car. I did believe, though, that I could make a difference in my little part of the world. It was those simple words by Gandhi that spurred me to action and became the genesis for the Le Hoang Foundation.
I had made a couple of trips back to my native country of Vietnam as part of Operation Smile to provide much needed dental care for children. It was during that visit that I came to the realization that I could change the lives of these kids, one small child at a time. I knew that every journey begins with a first step, and if I could only help one child, then it was one less child that had to go through a life of poverty and hopelessness.
During the past 2 years, I believe that the Le Hoang Foundation has made a difference. We have completed 3 missions back to Vietnam, and in the process contributed over $50,000 USD worth of much needed materials and supplies to various orphanages and schools. We have also established an ever-expanding network of contacts and volunteers in Southeast Asia that are helping us achieve our vision of helping needy children. Our next mission is right around the corner in August to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.
None of this is possible, however, without your generous donations and support. Without you, the Le Hoang Foundation is just a name made up of three words. Without you, there is no action. Without you, there is no change.
I once again want to thank you for your presence here tonight in support of the Le Hoang Foundation. No, we are not the American Red Cross. No, we are not the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Yes, we are a small group of people who believe that we can make a difference in the lives of children.
