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Kogen Taiko recently received the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans Leadership Award for 2003 at the
Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Dinner. The dinner and event, which included Asian-American
entertainers, was held at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel, downtown Saint Paul. WCCO News Reporter Maya
Nishikawa served as the event emcee and the award was presented to Kogen Taiko by Senator Mark Dayton.
Other recipients of this year’s award were: Jasmine Dinh, president, Vietnamese Community of Minnesota; the Committee of Asian American Renaissance Festival and Dragon Boat Races; and Jody Tanaka of Tanaka Advertising. Also, men and women of public service were honored at the banquet including the three Yamamoto/Klepp brothers, all local firemen-paramedics (and sons of Kogen Taiko member Joyce Yamamoto); Michelle Stevens, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Gulf War of 1990-91; and Minneapolis Police Officer Duy Ngo. Kogen Taiko was both pleased and humbled to be recognized for community service and leadership in the Asian community. |
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| Joyce Yamamoto, with her sons, including, left-to-right, Jason Yamamoto who pulled double duty as a Kogen Taiko member and an honored firefighter, along with his brothers JR Klepp and Tomo Klepp |
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Last Updated on 5/14/2007