WHEREAS, In 1990, Herbert Tsuchiya, a retired pharmacist and long-time community activist, his wife Bertha Lung Tsuchiya, and Sam Mitsui, a member of the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II, decided to take community ownership of the issue of hunger by organizing a walk to help the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) Food Bank provide rice and other culturally familiar foods to the most vulnerable among us, including Asians and Pacific Islanders and others in need; and

WHEREAS, 25 years ago, Mr. Tsuchiya and Mr. Mitsui organized the first Walk for Rice at the Chinese Baptist Church in Beacon Hill under the sponsorship of the Blaine Methodist Church, Chinese Baptist Church, and Japanese Baptist Church with 45 participants raising $1,800 towards ending hunger in the community; and

WHEREAS, For 25 consecutive years, Mr. Tsuchiya and Mr. Mitsui have dedicated themselves to the issue of hunger by organizing, walking, and running in the Walk for Rice, which in 2014 had over 1,000 participants and raised a record high of $274,538 in donations; and

WHEREAS, Each year at Walk for Rice, the community gathers to honor the legacy Mr. Tsuchiya, Mr. Mitsui, and Mrs. Tsuchiya created by coming together to fight hunger in our communities and support the ACRS Food Bank; and

WHEREAS, Through the ongoing efforts of Mr. Tsuchiya and Mr. Mitsui, Walk for Rice has helped the ACRS Food Bank distribute over 969,801 pounds of food to 5,665 families that visit the food bank over 120,000 times annually; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Tsuchiya and Mr. Mitsui with many others continue to support ACRS, Walk for Rice, and other organizations and projects that enrich and strengthen our community;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives honor and celebrate the achievements and impact of Herbert Tsuchiya's and Sam Mitsui's many contributions to our community.