ON THE BAY AREA SCENE
ON THE BAY AREA SCENE
by Gerrye Wong November 4, 2021
CHI AM CIRCLE women’s club and Mother Nature collaborated to have the nicest day weatherwise for its first Face-to-Face meeting of the year. Member Kelly Matsuura’s Sunnyvale back yard did itself proud as committee chairs Sharon Lai and Nikki Chow set up tables each social distance as Eva and Verna Wong decorated the poolside patio in bright orange and black balloons.
Costumed committee members set up Chi Am Circle Halloween party.
Hilarity and gaiety filtered through the lovely backyard throughout the day and it was clearly evident EVERYONE was delighted to be able to see their friends, maskless. Following the lunch, all costumed ladies were asked to step behind Program Chair Nikki Chow and parade through the yard with their costumes so one could vote on their favorite costumes of the day.
[Chi Am Circle costume Halloween Party organizers
Despite the tough competition among the members, of which the majority costumed up, the winners announced to receive a Starbucks gift card were the following:
MOST CREATIVE – Pirate Rebecca Feng
MOST FUNNY Red haired clown Helen Kwan
MOST SCARIEST Sinister looking Carol Yiu
Chi Am Circle members dress up for the Halloween contest
Even my old school’s Kindergarten parade would be put to shame by the clever costumes of the 30 Chi Am members present. Some of the characters were Minnie Mouse Maelene Wong and Mickey Mouse Aimee Yam; Flapper with white boa adorned Sandy Joe, Yummy delicious Frito Teddy Sue; cowgirl Virginia Bakken; pineapple Mary Ann Wong and Egyptian princess Sylvia Eng.
Miss Pineapple Mary Ann Wong, Ms. Flapper Sandra Joe and Witch Gerrye Wong
Equally cleverly attired were Crayons Eva Wong and Sharon Lai, Great Reaper Verna Wong, fighting cats Ellen Lau and Mabel Thong, Red slippered Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy Kelly Matsuura, Snow White Nikki Chow, Kung Fu Mistress Juliet Sham, and assorted witches and scary looking characters Liza Wong, Wendy Tsoi, Mabel Thong, Paulette Curby, Joanne Tanabe, Sylvia Leung, Helen Yamauchi, Pat lum, Shirley Pak, Diana Chan and Zeny Seid. A great time was had by all, as happens all the time with this Chi Am Circle sisterhood throughout the club’s 50 years of existence.
HISTORY SAN JOSE CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Valley of Heart’s Delight was the theme of the HISTORY SAN JOSE’S recent celebration of the park’s 50th anniversary. TOP THE PRESSES was the theme of the evening for the event’s honoree was San Jose Mercury News columnist Sal Pizarro. It was very appropriate for Sal to be the 50th anniversary Honoree as he was celebrating his own 50th birthday this month too. Pizarro has been the Around the Town columnist for the SJMN since 2005 where he regularly covers a variety of people, events and topics in Santa Clara Valley.
San Jose city leaders congratulate Sal Pizarro on being honored at History San Jose event
Very active in the community, he serves on the advisory board of Silicon Valley Reads and the selection committee for the San Jose Sports Authority’s REACH Youth Scholarship Program. In his acceptance speech, he said he was lucky to have the best job in the valley as he loved reporting on his own hometown where he grew up in.
Sal Pizarro celebrates with children Mia and Alex.
HSJ President & CEO Bill Schroh, Jr., San Jose city leader Cindy Chavez, Mayor Sam Liccardo, and Supervisor Otto Lee lauded Sal Pizarro contributions to sharing local news of the valley to his many fans and readership. Attendees added to the festivity of the event as many dressed in flapper ensembles reminiscent of the Flapper 1920s years.
Chinese Historical and Cultural Project Director Brenda Wong and Trustee Gerrye Wong greet Honoree Sal Pizarro
History San Jose park is where the Museum of Chinese American History is located since it was gifted to the City of San Jose in 1991 as a token of friendship from the Chinese community of Silicon Valley. The recreated Ng Shing Gung building was the first of subsequent ethnic museums that can now be seen in the park, namely a Portuguese Museum and a Vietnamese Museum.
Museum of Chinese American History welcomes visitors to its History San Jose site.
CHCP has supported History San Jose’s theme-based field trips that have served more than 10,000 students with low cost cultural and historical activities each year before the pandemic. In 2018-19 CHCP funded field trips for children from underserved schools on field trips to visit the Chinese American museum as well as other sites for hands-on activities to teach children immigrant histories of the ethnic communities of the valley. Museum executive Barbara Johnson tells us the education field trips will be continuing following the holidays which is good news to all.
Supervisor Otto Lee presents State Commendation to History San Jose 55th Anniversary Honoree Sal Pizarro
SELF HELP FOR THE ELDERLY CELEBRATES 55TH ANNIVERSARY
It was amazing but over 500 people were very happy to get out of their pandemic cocoons to support SELF HELP FOR THE ELDERLY’S LONGEVITY BALL 55 recently. Director Annie Chung made the lofty goal of having 55 tables of 550 people to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of this social service organization which has been helping the elderly of San Francisco navigate through the problems of old age. SHE has multiple senior centers with activities and food provided to help those in need of nutrition and social events to participate in. For its 55 years, it has been a mainstay of assistance to thousands of seniors who depend on the agency for its many needs.
Costume third prize winner Maggie Wong adds gaiety to Self Help party with Gloria Hom and Gerrye Wong
The longevity ball annually has been the main fundraising activity for this nonprofit and has raised over $400,000 for the agency’s treasury through the hard work of the staff and a volunteer fundraising committee. Key to the success of the fundraising is the dozens of faithful SHE followers who have seen the power and outreach of its work for seniors, and have donated annually to make sure it keeps on helping seniors. I remember the idea of a Longevity Ball being started by my Board when I was South Bay Board president back in the 90s, and marvel at how it has grown so successful in the ensuing time.
Happy Costumed ladies enjoy Self-help for the Elderly Halloween party
This year was the first time SHE has held the Longevity Ball since the pandemic years, so its supporters came out eagerly in throngs. Exciting this year was a Costume Parade and Competition since the event of the Halloween drescurred on Halloween. Judges had difficulty, I am sure, deciding winners among the dozen or more elaborately costumed entrants. First Prize $1000 winner was Diana Jwok Chan; second $500- Ella B. Yeung; 3rd Price – $300 Maggie Wong. Mc David Louie came as a masked (how appropriate!) cowboy to keep in the spirit of things.
A very active live auction , led by Frank Flin, brought in more thousands of dollars as restaurant feasts, vacation stays, luxury get aways and special meals with the chefs as one of the most popular sought after prizes. Active bidders from the audience were very loyal SHE supporters Norman and David Tu, Barbara Why, Andrew and Flora Zee, Bassie Lee, Rose Tsai, Eva Jones, Paul Tan, Yat Pang Au, Tom & Helen Hubbs, and others eager to hold up their bid numbers. The goal of raising $100K through the auction and the Fund A Need pledge call made its goal, as very boisterous and energetic bidders bid all the proceeds higher and higher. Seen enjoying the friendly spirit of the night were the Clarence Bakkens, Aaron Wongs, Live Freely CEO’s Arthur and Daniel Jue, William Joes, photographers Frank Jang and Henry Kee snapping away at this large crowd gathering of SHE supporters
Ending the evening were very lively entertainers. Sequined attired dinner jackets brought flash and fun to the stage when John Ng and the Sexy Boys sang to many of the crowd’s old favorites from the Four Freshman songs. For the patrons eager to dance, Lidia Lau and MSix Band came up to play some joyous music to keep the momentum going.
Event Sponsor Norman Tu, left, welcomes Linette and Russell Leong to Self Help fundraising event.
It was a long evening of auction bidding for the majority of the diners, but the fundraising goal was met, which is always the true reason to throw a dinner benefit. Loyal Developmental Director Josephine Ma was heralded by Annie Chung on the eve of Josephine’s retirement from the agency after over 35 many years of service. All Hail to the future success of Self Help for the elderly.
Committee member Helen Hubbs, left, with fellow witch Gerrye Wong among the many SHE diners.
