BUSY MONTH IN THE SOUTH BAY
BUSY MONTH IN THE SOUTH BAY
BY Gerrye Wong November 2022
When the women of Chi Am Circle decide to party, it is a fun time for all, which perfectly described the Passport Around the World event the group celebrated recently at the Grand Dynasty Restaurant. Asked to adorn costumes of favorite places they have visited, it was like a Halloween party with all of the colorful costumes seen that night.
Chi Am Circle members Carol Yiu, Teddy Siu and Kelly Matsuura in country costume.
Chairwomen Eva Wong & Helen Kwan congratulate raffle prize winner Liza Wong.
Winning prizes for the best costumes, as judged by officers Sylvia Eng and Teddy Sue, were Linda Toda as a Japanese geisha complete with kimono and traditional styled wig, Bruce Low as a Mexican Day of the Dead Skeleton figure and Karen Kwan walked around wearing a bowl of ramen noodles around her waist.
Bruce and Rose Low come as happy natives from Spain in local festival costumes..
Pop Up chairman Amy Yan and Virginia Bakken donned Middle East clothes while Kelly Matsuura and Carol Yiu looked like sisters wearing gems imbedded in their sheer silk saris. Welcoming all of the 120 guests and members was Chairman Helen Kwan leading a conga line of the costumed guests. Carrying on the theme of Travel round the world, she dressed as a customs agent in a skit where she detained and questioned President Nikki Chow, Rose Low, Larry Chew and Gerrye Wong with giant portraits of them held over their heads.
Chi Am Circle members join the Passport Around the World in costumes from different countries
Following dinner, the gambling spirits came out with casino games of poker, black jack and craps set up. The clicking of three tables of mah jong tiles could be heard of players Irene Wong, Eleanor Szeto, Pauline Fong, Michelle Louie, among many others. Heating up the dice table were Paulette Curby, Gloria Hom, Paul Louie, Mary K Lim, and Rose Low. A noisy active Bingo game entertained other diners including the Tom Hongs, Judy Wong, Larry and Helen Chew and Benson Kwan. Casino winners cashing in the most money at the end of the evening were Kelly Matsuura, followed by her mother, yours truly Gerrye Wong and Paul Louie, all ending with thousands o play money dollars. Mah Jong champs were Rosalind Chan and Clifton Der Bing. Daisy Tsang, member Carol Yiu’s mother, was the happy recipient of a lovely necklace as top prize Bingo winner.
Pseudo Customs Agent Helen Kwan question former Chi Am Circle presidents in the evening’s comedy skit
But the loudest roar came when top raffle prize winner of $1000 cash was Liza Wong, one of the very deserving co chairmen of the evening. After two years of pandemic isolation, the happy Chi Am Circle members and guests agreed it was nice to be able to gather together for an evening of fun and frolic finally. Next big event for the club will be its annual Installation of Officers at a December 5 luncheon so if you are interested in joining, check the website chiamcircle.org for more information about this social service club for Asian American women .
Linda Toda wins first place in costume contest
Third prize contest winner Karen Kwan welcome Chi Am members and guests.
SOUTH BAY CHINESE SERVICE CLUB
The SOUTH BAY CHINESE CLUB does a nice thing for its seniors in its membership by hosting what they call the “Elders Brunch” for any members 80 year old or older. Thirty members joined together for a dim sum lunch at the Pearl Bay Restaurant in Fremont and were welcomed by President Clifton Der Bing. Lovely corsages, made by Aliene Yee made every senior feel extra special that day. I think this is a very nice gesture of recognition and appreciation for the senior members of the organization, which has welcomed Asian American families for over 40 years in the South Bay region of Fremont. This very active club presents scholarships to worthy high school graduating seniors heading to college each year, so check website for more information on joining this club and its programs.
Seniors of the South Bay Chinese Club are recognized at the annual Elders Brunch.
FCSN EXPANDS THEIR DREAMS
When the FRIENDS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS organization sets goals to expand their dreams, their spirit and determination can make it happen. At their first in-person fundraising gala in two years, a packed house of 420 excited patrons came for a wonderful Pearl Bay Restaurant dinner along with learning about the many programs the group has done since its beginning days. As Fundraising Co-chairs James Chiao and Yee-Yeen Wang explained, FCSN began humbly in 1996 as a family support group, founded by a few families with special needs children and some kindhearted friends. In the past 26 years since its beginning, the group has grown to over 1000 families, serving over 600 children and adults of many ethnicities with special needs developmental disabilities. The covid pandemic halted all of the classes for the past two years, but they were happy to report they have reopened the two centers in Fremont and San Jose and restarted in-person programs just in the past few months.
Master of Ceremonies Matt Keller is greeted by other members of the FCSN program.
This event was particularly important to gather supporters together because FCSN has taken the big step to acquire much needed additional physical space to run the programs and accommodate over 300 anxious potential clients on a waiting list. President CK Lee announced that two years ago, during the Shelter-in-Place period, the FCSN Board took the brave step to expand its programs and acquired an 18,000 sf commercial building on Osgood Road in Fremont. While actively working with architects on interior remodeling for FCSN’s client needs, they have seen construction costs skyrocket so the project costs have jumped to over $3M, with plans of it taking two years to complete.
Co Founder Dr. Albert Wang, right, welcomes SBCC President Clifton Der Bing and SBCSC President Aaron Wong
With these plans facing ahead, the Expand Our Dream fundraising event was set to be the catalyst to start the massive campaign to raise the needed $1.5M to start the Osgood Renovation Project. At the dinner with the massive TV screen spanning the width of the whole stage, diners saw and heard many stories of how FCSN has impacted the lives of many disabled young people through many of its activities and classes. Unsung heroes facing the challenge ahead are FCSN Board members Jennifer Li & Jason Hwan, Limin Hu, Sherry Meng & Xiaohu Wang, Yee-Yeen Wang, Carol Hu & Tapin Yu, Robin Chiang, Sally Wu Lee, Peter Chan, James Chiao, C. K. Lee, Jacqueline Yu & Edmend Lin, Anna nd Albert Wang, and Moon Chia.
Friends of Children with Special Needs leaders tell supporters about the new Osgood Center recently purchased to expand programs.
Event Co-Chairs Peter Chan and Jacqueline Yu welcomed all, saying that with such large life changes, caused by the global pandemic, their dream that night was to help more to enable a better life for the special needs angels and their families. Chenming & Margaret Hu, whose name adorns the headquarters center in Fremont, spoke very poignantly of how important the work of FCSN has impacted so many of the people in the audience. Both have been active with the group for many of its past years, and their son, Raymond, has been participating in the FCSN programs for the past 20 years. Their generous gift of half a million dollars for the naming of the Chenming & Margaret Hu Center , he said, was given to help build better programs for its clients. At the Naming Rights Program last spring, Margaret seconded husband Chenming’s gratitude to the volunteers of FCSN, saying, “FCSN has been helping people help people – our son Raymond loves living here – I’m very happy he has found his life and friends here.”
Chenming and Margaret Hu spoke to audience about the proud work FCSN has done for their child, Raymond, a gifted artist at the Center.
That feeling was echoed by many of the families of children who have had their lives enriched by being a part of the FCSN group. Limin Hu spoke fervently to the 400 assembled that each and every one can be a part of the dream by showing their giving spirit that night. Many numbered paddles were held up when MC Matt Keller and Limin asked for generous donors to pledge amounts of $25K to $1000. Those who responded with generous hearts were given brightly lit shining stars because they were definitely the FCSN fundraising stars for the evening.
Representatives from South Bay Chinese Club support FCSN Fundraising dinner, Clifton Der Bing & Maelene and Aaron Wong
Spurring up the audience with their playing the lively “YMCA” the Dream Achievers musicians Lawrence, Alice and Gregory had many standing and doing the popular arm motions while this combo entertained everyone.
Co-Founder Anna Wang and Gerrye Wong lead Fund a Need for a matching $15K grant
Announcing that generous donors Mr. and Mrs. David Kwok had offered a $15K donation if the audience would match it this evening, founder Anna Wang and yours truly, a dedicated volunteer , Gerrye Wong implored the audience to take out their phones so that any donors of $1 or more could use the phones to make their donations with special instructions from volunteers cruising around the room. On the big screen names of donors and their giving amounts were shown as a big virtual thermometer showed the growing amounts to get to the top $15K matching fund goal. Bling bling rings were given to all donors in appreciation from the group for their loving hearts to help expand the FCN dream of helping those in need. When the donation crush caused the wifi to crash, making the thermometer unable to list donors and show if our goal had been achieved, dedicated supporter Limin Hu came to the rescue and pledged the final $500 needed to achieve the Matching $15K challenge.
Supporters of Friends of Children With Special needs from the media include Diana Ding of dingdingtv.
The printed program gave a well documented account of the many programs offered by this non profit group as well as some family testimonials on how meaningful the centers have been to their children who heretofore did not feel comfortable coming out in public. It is that family feeling that the staff and volunteers exude that has continued to make every attendee, no matter what age or ability, feel welcome. There are not enough places like the FCSN centers which have been as successful in the area, and deserves all of our support.
Limin Hu greets guests as major sponsor giving information about naming rights for new Osgood Center rooms
Expressing their enthusiastic support of such a well organized and efficient organization, I saw many in the audience feel moved by the information told on stage and via video. Seen supporting FCSN with their attendance that night were Kansen and Daisy Chu, Aaron and Maelene Wong, Dr. David and Jayne Yee, Joel Wong, Diana Ding, Monica and Adrian Arima, Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, Cynthia Chang, and many many others.
Fundraising Co Chair James Chiao with Mrs. Chiao
Good news from co founder of FRIENDS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, Anna Wang, is that the reason the raffle ticket barrel was so loaded they couldn’t even turn it around on its roller wheel is that they sold over $22,000 worth of tickets. Between the matching funds from the Fund a Need Drive and Thermometer matching Funds from phone purchases, together with the night’s raffle sales, proceeds raised that night was about $130,000. Before the gala dinner, sponsors listed in the printed program brought in about $180,000 so FCSN leaders were very pleased that this first push to raise funds for the new Osgood Center and expanded programs totaled over $300,000.
Chenming and Margaret Hu with son Raymond are acknowledged for their generous support to FCSN Center Programs
This is definitely a good start in their fundraising drive, but as you reach your end of year donation writing, don’t forget to send a little more encouragement to the Friends of Children With Special Needs which really needs your support this year to help them take in the 300 needy persons on the waiting list with new expanded quarters.
Out of town guests from San Francisco Eleanor Szeto and Jayne Yee from Orinda join in FCSN fundraising drive.
For more information on how YOU can help FRIENDS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS fulfill their motto of “TOGETHER, LET’S BUILD A COMMUNITY OF LOVE, HOPE, RESPECT AND SUPPORT FOR OUR SPEIAL CHILDREN.”
Check website www.FCSN1996.org, call 510 739 6900 or visit their Fremont Center at 2300 Peralta Road, Fremont, Ca for how YOU can be a part of this worthwhile cause.
