The Big Bend Filipino-American Association, Inc. is a 501(3)c registered non-profit organization.
Join BBFAA Activities
Be a Member!
BBFAA Membership Form (Click here to print form)
Please fill out the BBFAA Membership Form in the link above and mail your check to the BBFAA P.O. Box 227, Tallahassee, FL 32302-0227. Or pay online by clicking the links below or the Pay Online Membership buttons above. Thank you for supporting the BBFAA.
BBFAA News
ELECTION NEWS!
The Election Committee is proud to announce the new BBFAA Leadership. We would like to recognize and thank the Election Committee for their hard work and dedication in running a fair and transparent election. We also appreciate all the BBFAA members, who submitted their votes and participated in the election. We also appreciate all of the candidates who stepped up to volunteer for the positions when the need emerged. We are proud of all of you. Now, let us together move our association forward and continue its purpose and future.
Here now comes the Final Election Result from the Election Committee:
BBFAA ELECTION RESULTS 2023:
The following are the elected Officers and Board Members of the Big Bend Filipino-American Association, Inc. after the counting of the election ballots held on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, 5:30 pm at the Panda Buffet, 3507 Thomasville Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32312
BBFAA Officers:
- President: Sonny Abad
- Vice President: Michelle Riley
- Secretary: Annette Gante
- Treasurer: Josephine Bass
- Auditor: Joanne Skelton
5 Elected Board Members:
1. Lally Mosley
2. Albert Foz
3. Father Alberic Lazerna
4. Nelly Guarda
5. Arneil Reyes
2 Board Members (Past Presidents):
1. Earl Campos
2. Romy Aggabao
Certified and respectfully submitted by:
The Election Committee
- Dinah Johnson – Chairman
- Sue Sparks – Co-Chairman
- Clarisse Grise – Committee Member
- David Johnson – Committee Member
- Jeannette Chancey – Committee Member
Council of Cultural Arts Grant
BBFAA has been approved to receive $1260 in Cultural Grant and $360 Marketing Grant for FY24 in COCA Grants. The Cultural Grant (City Grant) has not been finalized in which BBFAA requested $10K. We will hear more information soon as we have just submitted the FY2023 Final Grant Report.
Thank you for your support! – Click here to view the 2022 BBFAA Pista sa Nayon Patron Sponsors and Businesses/Organizations.
Pista sa Nayon – Filipino Festival
July
Event: Innovation Center Naming Ceremony – Mayor John Marks
- Date/Time: July 26, 2024 at 9:30 am
- Location: 408 N. Adams St., Tallahassee, FL
- Details: You are invited to a naming ceremony in honor of Former Mayor John Marks. The establishment at this location will be named after Mayor John Marks. He has always stated that his strength was in the Filipino-American community, and he has always supported BBFAA endeavors and events. Please come and support the event.
August
Event: FSU Football Concession Lead Training
- Date/Time: Tuesday, August 6 at 6 p.m.
- Location: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL 32303
- Details: Please contact Lally Mosley at phone: (850) 766-0281 as soon as possible if you are available to attend, so she can submit your name as a volunteer.
- There is a required 2-hour online training for TEAM Alcohol Management for FSU Concession Volunteers.
- This is our biggest fundraiser for our association. We would really appreciate your volunteer participation at the FSU Football Concession. Please see the FSU Football schedule below by scrolling further down this webpage.
Event: Pen Pen De Sarapen
- Date/Time: Saturday, August 10 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm
- Location: Holy Comforter Gym, 2002 Fleischmann Rd., Tallahassee, FL
- Cost: Free!
- Details: Let’s come together and enjoy this special day for our children! This event is a unique way to teach our children the cultural games we loved during our childhood in the Philippines, so that they may also experience the same fun and joy. Let’s play Patintero, Tumbang Preso, Syato, Touchball, Piko, Damba, Pitik Bulag, Holen (Marble Game), Luksong Tinik, Luksong Baka and many more.
This year we have new games like, Gulong-Pagulong (Tire Rolling Race), Sipa, Pesi – 7Up, Doktor-Doktor and Game of the Generals board game! - We are accepting toy donations to add to the prize box for our children. Feel free to bring unopened new toys for the children.
- Event shirts are free for participating children while supplies last. Moms and Dads can purchase adult size t-shirts for $10.
- Food vendor groups: Murillo’s Kitchen/Food truck and Acosta’s Kitchen will have Filipino Food and dessert available for purchase. We thank our guest vendor Treasured Luxury for joining us.
- For more details, contact Committee Chair Lexie Foz at (850)405-6027.
- Come to the Pen Pen De Sarapen Children’s Workshop! Sino ang taya! Game na!
Event: Filipino Mass
- Date/Time: Sunday, August 11 at 12:30 p.m.
- Location: St. Louis Catholic Church, 3640 Fred George Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32303
- Details: We will have our August Filipino Mass and would like to thank our celebrant, Father Alberic Lazerna,, and the St. Louis Parish Catholic Church for hosting us. We thank our BBFAA Choir directed by Barbara Reyes for providing Filipino Church Music for the Mass.
- Join us for a Fellowship Lunch after mass. This is a potluck event. We encourage everyone to share their best dish. Click here to sign up for potluck.
September
Event: Experience Asia
- Date/Time: Saturday, September 28
- Location: Tom Brown Park
- Details: Details TBA.
October
Event: Halloween Fundraising Ball
- Date/Time: Sunday, October 20
- Location: TBA
- Details: Details TBA.
November
Event: Pista sa Nayon
- Date/Time: Saturday, November 9 from 9:00 am to 5 pm
- Location: Tom Brown Park
- Details: Details TBA. Contact Lally Mosley and Chair Michelle Riley for more details.
December
Event: 2024 BBFAA Annual Christmas Party
- Date/Time: Saturday, December 14 from 6:00 pm to 11 pm
- Location: FSU Dunlap Champions Club
- Details: Details TBA. Contact Lally Mosley for more details.
Ongoing Event
Event: BBFAA choir
- BBFAA Choir Co-Leads: Michelle Riley and Barbara Reyes
- Location: St. Louis Catholic Church, Tallahassee, Florida
- Details: Volunteers are needed for the Tagalog Choir to support the Tagalog Mass. The choir will have scheduled practices. Please RSVP to Vice President Michelle Riley if you are interested. Please come to practice as we would love to hear your voices
Past Events
BBFAA Leadership 2023 - 2025
- President Sonny Abad
- Vice President Michelle Riley
- Secretary Annette Gante
- Treasurer Josephine Bass
- Auditor Joanne Skelton
- Public Relations Officer Odyssy Pastrana
Board of Directors
- Chairman of the Board Arneil Reyes
- Vice Chair Board Member Lally Mosley
- Board Member Romeo Aggabao (Past President)
- Board Member Earl Campos (Past President)
- Board Member Albert Foz
- Board Member Father Alberic Lazerna
- Board Member Nelly Guarda
BBFAA Members are welcome to attend the Executive Meeting held each month. Location TBA. Contact any Officer/Board member for more information.
BBFAA US Educational Grant $500
The U.S. Educational Grant Scholarship is now open! Please click on the link above for the application. Then, mail your application and essay to Chair Michelle Riley by the deadline: May 31, 2024 to this address: BBFAA Educational Grant, P.O. Box 227, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Please contact Chair Michelle Riley at Mich04_june@outlook.com if you have any questions
Civic Center Concession Volunteer Opportunities:
BBFAA is giving more opportunities for High school students (Age 16 and above) to receive Bright Futures Scholarship service hours by volunteering at the Civic Center Food/Snack Concessions stands during special events, basketball games and concerts. This is also an opportunity for members to start building up concession hours for a complimentary dinner at the 2024 BBFAA Christmas Party in December. Upcoming Concession event: High School Graduation, 3:00 PM, May 25, 2024. Meet at the Olive Garden parking lot at 11:30 am. Sign up at BBFAA.org or please contact Lally Mosley to volunteer at phone: 850-766-0281.
Jason Munoz received this award for volunteering the most hours at the FSU concession stands in 2022. BBFAA is thankful for his service.
Essay Contest Winners:
Christopher “Justin” Salvador (Winning Essay)
Marc Guarda
Zoe Brammer
Anton Abad
TikTok Video Winner:
Rafael Guarda
@rmcguarda My TikTok entry for the 2023-2024 Pilar Hinchcliffe Educational Grant. In this video, I will try to educate you on the traits, values, and culture of the Philippines with a comedic twist. Through performing arts and skits demonstrated throughout this video, I hope I can exemplify one very good Filipino trait, and that is spreading humor and positivity. Through comedy I hope to show you that education is POWER and that we treasure our familial relationships. #BBFAA2023 ♬ original sound – rmcguarda
Chair: Michelle Riley email: che2401@hotmail.com
BBFAA FSU Volunteer Concession
Sign up to be a BBFAA Concession Stand Volunteer
High school students can earn volunteer hours for their
Bright Futures Scholarships
All games listed below are Home games in Tallahassee, Florida at Doak Campbell Stadium.
- All volunteers must be over the age of 18 years and take a 2 hour training.
- Please meet 4 hours before kickoff. Transportation at Olive Garden.
- Dress code: Black or khaki pants/long shorts. No jeans or leggings. Non-skid shoes with covered toes and clear bag policy.
Contact: Lally Mosley, phone: 850-766-0281
Click on the logo below to sign up as a volunteer
2024 FSU Football Schedule
All games listed below are Home games in Tallahassee, Florida
| Date | Opponent |
| Monday, September 2 | FSU v. Boston College Eagles |
| Saturday, September 14 | FSU v. Memphis Tigers |
| Saturday, September 21 | FSU v. California Golden Bears |
| Saturday, October 5 | FSU v. Clemson Tigers |
| Saturday, November 2 | FSU v. North Carolina Tarheels |
| Saturday, November 23 | FSU v. Charleston Southern Buccaneers |
| Saturday, November 30 | FSU v. Florida Gators |