CHCP CELEBRATES 37TH ANNIVERSARY IN STYLE
CHCP CELEBRATES 37th ANNIVERSARY IN STYLE
BY Gerrye Wong February 1, 2024
The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project celebrated its 37th anniversary with the installation of its incoming 2024 Board members excitedly as it welcomed its new Dragon to open the Year of the Dragon . The CHCP’s annual membership installation dinner always draws a reunion of members, new and old, but this year seemed extra special. During the pandemic years, membership had dropped when in-person events were nil, but after a very successful 2022 Fundraising Gala Dinner, the club has seen an outpouring of new support, with membership rising up to 300 supporters, a number heretofore never achieved before.
Dinner co chairs Ingrid Lai, Arthur Jue, Gerrye Wong Registrars Josephine Kong & Edith Gong
As a way of showing appreciation to its renewing and new members for their support, the CHCP Directors gifted all members to a Chinese banquet at the China Stix Restaurant in Santa Clara. Over 200 enjoyed this gesture of appreciation, and a general feeling of happy reunion time was evident that night.
Guests at dinner – George Koo, Dina Ding, Paul Fong, Florence Koga, Mike Honda
Board member Kimberly Eng Lee as Emcee opened the evening’s program welcoming the full restaurant capacity audience followed by CHCP Co-Founder Gerrye Wong who excitedly thanked everyone for the many years of support so many of these members have dedicated volunteer time to keep CHCP’s mission of sharing Chinese American history alive and ongoing.
New advisory Board members Lily Mei & Thinn Aye welcomed by veteran members
Board of Directors being Installed
President Dave Yick introduced the 2024 slate of officers, citing new Board Directors Kimberly Eng Lee William Shu and Andrew Mo. New Advisory Board members highlighted with photos and bios on screen were Thinn Aye, Josephine Kong, Leianne Lamb, Lily Mei, Pat Nakashima, Aimee Yan and Vicki Young. Oath of office of the 2024 two board were officiated by Barbara Why and Elaine Shen. Officers installed were Co Vice Presidents of Marketing Dr. Arthur Jue & Ingrid Lai, V.P of Education Christian Jochim, Ph.D, Secretary Liz Fong Chew and Treasurer Yucaipa Kwock.
Renewing acquaintances with Robert Handa, David Louie, Art Low, Gloria Hom, Sal Pizarro and Dr. Mike Wong with son Braden Wong
During the dinner hour, active raffle hostesses invited the diners to purchase tickets to win the over 50 prizes from CHCP, with the incentive being the top first prize of a SF Giants baseball autographed by Barry Bonds himself, donated by Dr. Michael Wong along with 2 coveted Giants game tickets in the 2024 season donated by new Advisory Board member Leianne Lamb. At the end of the evening’s program, Board members Peter Young and Joshua Zhang named the lucky winner to be a very exuberant young lady, Rachel Wong.
Guest Speaker David Louie enjoyed by George Koo, Gloria Hom & Mike Honda
Highlight of the evening was Guest Speaker retired ABC TV news reporter David Louie who captured the audience’s attention with the story of his beginning his reporting career as young as 5 years old in Ohio, where he grew up. He recalled the lack of Asian reporters in media as far back as the 1970s, and the difficulties so many of the Asian industry pioneers faced to get recognized and on air. David recently celebrated his 55 career years reporting the news and he certainly was cheered that night by all of his fans who saw him nightly on ABC news. Louie recalled of his many stories, the one interview that stands out in his mind was being the first to interview Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta following the 9/11 airplane attacks and covering Mineta’s public declaration of all planes to be grounded on that fateful day.
David Louie greeted by appreciative audience members
He recalled being in the center of so many Bay Area happenings such as the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and having the experience of being one of the first newsmen to enter China after President Richard Nixon’s China visit opening of that country to the United States and outside world. But interestingly, he said he feels privileged to have been able to connect with so many in the CHCP audience during his career, and felt that tonight he was just coming home to be with longtime friends, on and off the TV screen.
Media guests David Louie, Dion Lim, Robert Handa, Sal Pizarro with President Dave Yick & Gerrye Wong
Coming in support of their fellow media correspondent were many of his associates in the industry, such as ABC anchor Dion Lim, NBC reporter Robert Handa, Bay Area News San Jose Mercury columnist Sal Pizarro, KTSF reporter Christine Choy and Dingdingtv CEO Diana Ding. He was warmly reunited with retired Congressman Mike Honda, and local government leaders Patrick Kwok, Lily Mei and Paul Fong, along with his many fans within the CHCP audience.
Media Honorees receive honorary memberships to CHCP on stage
In appreciation for their media coverage and active support for the CHCP’s 35th anniversary 2022 Gala, Robert Handa, Dion Lim and Sal Pizarro were presented with honorary memberships into the organization together with a framed Caroline Young Asian themed print. CHCP has a very active Student Docent Cultural Ambassadors Program (SDCAP) where high school students volunteer to assist in CHCP’s mission to further share and educate the community on the proud history of Chinese American history in Santa Clara Valley.
Summit Tunnel Recognition committee ask for help to enlist congressional help.
That night, under Brenda Hee Wong’s Directorship, Selina Wong spoke on the customs and history of this Dragon Lunar New Year followed by Charity He who told of the Summit Tunnels Site where thousands of Chinese laborers in the 1800s toiled on, and the importance to having that site be proclaimed a National Historic Landmark. The concerned SDCAP students handed out a list of government officials asking the audience to help the cause by writing to these officials asking them to take action on the proposal of naming the Summit Tunnels a historic site.
CHCP’s new dragon makes inaugural appearance led by CHCP Director Mike Mak
The climax of the evening was the entrance of the CHINESE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PROJECT’S newly purchased Dragon paraded by a newly formed dragon team, and led by CHCP Board member Mike Mak who is the dragon master set to instruct and form a 2024 dragon team. A lighted Hoong th Dragon, CHCP’s original dragon stood proudly as people did photo ops with him, but tonight was the night of the New Dragon, so far un-named.
The dragon’s pearl is blessed by dotting it with red ink.
In gilded fanfare, the dragon pranced high over the diners’ heads wishing everyone aa happy new year of the dragon.
In traditional Chinese style, Mike instructed CHCP founder Gerrye Wong and 2024 president David Yick to stand before the new dragon to bless it to bring good fortune to all witnessing the ceremony that night. As per instructions and explanation by Dragon director Mike of why each part of the dragon’s head had to be painted with a dot of red ink, the dragon was fully blessed at this, its inaugural appearance before the excited audience of members.
By dotting the eye of the dragon, good luck will fall upon all CHCP supporting members.
With the newly invigorated membership, the CHCP’s Chinese American Historical Museum’s governing trustee, Anita Wong Kwock, spoke to the audience of the group’s goal to open the museum for visitors every Saturday of the year, and asked the members to help man and docent at the museum as volunteers to achieve that goal. The group’s upcoming events announced was the 2024 Lunar New Year of the DRAGON festival which will be held Saturday, March 2 a San Jose History Park with activities and entertainment for the whole family. The Lillian Gong-Guy Memorial Scholarship, SDCAP Student Recognition Day & Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Celebration will be presented on Saturday, May 18 near the group’s Chinese American Historical Museum. The public is welcome and for more information, check the CHCP website.
Brian Allard donates Wente Wines for raffle, seen with Diana Ding & Joel Wong
No great celebration can end without a rousing sing along with the membership audience, and it was duly arranged by Co Chair Ingrid Lai who in her own style, led the singing of the appropriate Auld Lang Syna with young members of the Board. It goes without saying that no successful event can be done without AV expertise and coordination so that visual slides, video of the past year’s events, and spotlighting can enable everyone to see, hear, and enjoy the stage program with such a large audience. So final kudos must go to the team of Arthur Jue, Daniel Jue, Chris Jochim and Ron Chan for letting the evening’s program flow smoothly and efficiently for everyone’s pleasure. Every one of the CHCP Board of Directors should take a bow, whether in front or behind the scenes, because they played a vital part in the success of this fun filled night of rekindling of friendships and renewing of CHCP’s mission for 2024. Carry on, Chinese Historical and Cultural Project. You began year 2024 in fine fashion, so let’s continue your plans to share and present and preserve continued Chinese American history, past and present.
