A Send-Off Fit For A King Or - Consul General

How do you wish an admired consul general goodbye? Give him a plaque. Maybe 10 or 12 of them.

There we were - a cozy several hundred of us gathered last week at the Philippine Consulate, speaker after speaker paying tribute to Philippine Consul General Jaime Bautista, his wife Maria de la Concepcion (Conchita) and children Miquel, Elena, Daniel and Gabriel.

After four years in Seattle, the Bautistas are leaving for a new post in Chicago. And friends and colleagues want to be sure the Bautistas knew they would be missed - so they gave them plaques of all shapes and sizes.

``It's a loss for us,'' Wes Rollolazo, president of the Eastside Filipino-Americans Association, says. He credits Bautista, dean of the Seattle Consul Corps, with creating a spirit of unity among the several Filipino associations.

Hand the Bautistas a plaque.

``I'm going to miss Conchita so much. She formed our club,'' says Paula Hubbard, wife of a Canadian consul and member of Consular Wives of Seattle.

``We love them,'' says Trudi Weder, wife of Switzerland's Honorary Consul Hans Weder.

``She was the first person I found here who spoke Spanish,'' says Corina Lopez-Lira, wife of the Mexican consul general.

Hand them another plaque.

``I regret I will not be able to follow in the consul general's footsteps,'' says Korean Consul General Heung Soo Kim, who will be acting dean of the consul corps until he and his wife leave for Korea in July.

Someone is snapping photos, handing the Bautistas another plaque.

All six of the Bautistas stand graciously acknowledging the accolades, leading the gathering in a toast to both the United States and the Philippines, on the latter's 92nd independence day.

They toast President George Bush's birthday.

Washington Outstanding Filipino American awards (medals and certificates) are given to Gussie Jagod, John Ragudos, Tacoma city manager Ray Corpuz Jr., high-school student Christine Gabunton and University of Washington electrical-engineering student Monica Caoili.

Someone hands the Bautistas another plaque.

Bautista expresses good wishes to Mayor Norm and Dr. Constance Rice, ``all our friends in the consular corps, the Filipino community, the Rotary Club, the media and the Chamber of Commerce.''

More plaques.

Louella Alcoba, who as deputy consul will be in charge of the consulate until another consul general arrives next month, said the family ``may have to increase the shipping allowance'' to accommodate the plaques.

As far as I'm concerned, a better tribute to warm and gracious people than all that enscribed wood and metal might be a trip to Paris instead.

Bravo awards

Twenty retirement-age volunteers were honored recently at the annual Bravo! Senior Volunteers event at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers.

The honorees were nominated by the organizations they serve under the Senior Services of Seattle-King County program and were given plaques and treated to a cocktail hour in their honor.

The Sheraton donated the room and food for the event.

Leo Desclos, chief executive officer of Senior Services, said honoring the volunteers is a way of thanking them for their dedication to the community.

In addition, Jean Veldwyk, Senior Services trustee, was given a citizen's award for her efforts in organizing the South Seattle Crime Prevention Council. In March, President George Bush honored her at a White House luncheon as one of 28 nationally selected antidrug crusaders.

Others honored include: David M. Page, William MacKenzie, Leon H. Vaughn, Marge and Roy Fox, the Rev. Waldemar and Louise Hintz, Wilbur Squire, Connie Regelein, Stuart Prestrud, Gerald Gorans, Mary Koch, Charlotte Burbick, Roger Frye, Bob Erickson, William Ryberg, Harold Becker, Michael Dederer and Lyle McManigle Sr.

Galas to plan

your schedule

Here's the June edition of the Scene Gala Calendar

THURSDAY

-- Bravo! party for prospective members, 6:30 p.m., Barney's New York, 1420 Fifth Ave., $20, 443-4700.

SATURDAY

-- Splash! Seattle Aquarium Society dinner auction and cruise aboard the Spirit of Puget Sound, 5:30 p.m., Pier 70, $40, 386-4350.

-- ``Beyond the Prom'' dinner, dancing and auction, fund-raiser for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 6 p.m., Union Station, Fourth Avenue and Jackson Street, $35, 467-5096.

-- Lobsterfest `90, dinner and entertainment, benefits Friends of Youth, 6 p.m., St. Bridget's Church, 5000 50th Ave. N.E., $25-$30, 228-5775.

JUNE 27

-- Corporate Council Celebrates the Arts luncheon, honors outstanding service to the arts community, sponsored by The Boeing Co., 11:30 a.m., Westin Hotel Ballroom, 1900 Fifth Ave., $35, 682-9270.

-- Festival of the Fountains, dining and dancing under the stars, 6:30 p.m., Pacific Science Center, Seattle Center, $350, 443-2001.

-- Summerfest 1990, Summit Club's annual membership drive social, 6:30 p.m., Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Woodinville, 386-2738.

JUNE 29

-- Indian Art Auction & Salmon Dinner fund-raiser, 5:30 p.m., Daybreak Star Arts Center, Discovery Park, $10-$25, 285-4425.

(The gala calendar runs the third Monday of each month. To have your fund-raising event considered for the calendar, please have you material, including a telephone number, to us two weeks in advance. Send your information to Seattle Scene Gala Calendar, c/o The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. Include your name, address and a daytime telephone number.)