The Huamei Traditional Foundation held its annual Thanksgiving dinner and Spring Banquet in San Mateo on the evening of February 15th to express gratitude for everyone’s support, reflecting on the accomplishments of the past year and looking forward to the future. The event also shared plans for the new year, including updates on the fundraising progress for the Chinese Cultural Park.
City Council member Peter Ortiz from the 5th District of San Jose attended the event on behalf of HG Nguyen and her husband, President Thuan Nguyen of the Silicon Valley Vietnamese Business Association. Also in attendance were Chinese Enterprise Association President Lin Meilian, Overseas Chinese Affairs Advisory Committee member Ye Yunhe and his wife Chen Qiuliang, President Xue Meiying of the San Jose Tainan Sister City Association, President Cai Hongkai and his wife Angela of the North America National Taiwan University Alumni Association, President Xie Zaoxun and Vice President Huo Qinglai of the Northern California Chinese College Alumni Association, President Wang Rongmei of the San Francisco Bay Area Lions Club, and representatives from the Overseas Chinese community including Song Zhen, a committee member of the Direct One Section of the Kuomintang in the United States, all joining in the festive occasion.
President Lin Darui of the Huamei Traditional Foundation mentioned that the fundraising activities have received support from various Overseas Chinese organizations in the Bay Area and are currently in a critical stage. They plan to meet with Bay Area media and release advertisements to raise community awareness before hosting a public fundraising dinner to invite participation from all sectors of the Bay Area community.
The Foundation is currently collaborating with the San Jose Parks and Recreation Department, hoping for a warm response from the Overseas Chinese community to collectively support the restoration project of the Chinese Cultural Park. President Lin highlighted that the Chinese Cultural Park features many traditional Chinese architectural elements, making it an ideal venue for cultural activities.
He specifically mentioned that this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival celebration will be relocated from Cupertino to the Cultural Park, aiming to not only familiarize the Overseas Chinese community with the park but also to promote its revival, signaling a significant move forward.
During the dinner event, President Lin Darui reviewed the Foundation’s achievements from the previous year, including successfully raising the flag in the San Jose City Hall Plaza for over a week to increase the visibility of the Republic of China flag, demonstrating unity and influence within the Overseas Chinese community, as well as organizing events commemorating the July 7th Incident and the Glorious October Celebrations. He also outlined the focus areas for the upcoming year.
In her remarks, Council member representative HG Nguyen emphasized the importance of community support, unity, and cooperation to have a greater impact. She demonstrated this by making an initial donation of $100 herself, successfully inspiring everyone to raise $1,600 for the Cultural Park project.
Subsequently, Overseas Chinese affairs consultant Zou Shangwen, representing the South Bay Basketball Team, donated $5,000 to the Huamei Traditional Foundation. He mentioned that the basketball team was established in the 1970s by former members of the Taiwan collegiate team and currently consists of over two hundred players.
Upon learning about President Lin’s positive relationship with the San Jose City government and dedication to promoting Chinese culture, the team members expressed their recognition and support. Therefore, the team decided to donate the accumulated $5,000 from several years to contribute to the development of culture.
At the dinner event, President Lin Darui and Tainan Sister City Association President Xue Meiying signed a memorandum of cooperation and presented certificates of appreciation to friendly organizations such as the Fitness Drum Team, Overseas Youth Cultural Volunteer Association, Dance 120 Class, Northern California National Taiwan University Alumni Chorus, and Air Force Dapeng Flag Team, in recognition of their support and contributions.
Additionally, a cake-cutting ceremony took place during the event, followed by a chorus of New Year songs by attendees to celebrate the Lunar New Year and create a lively and warm holiday atmosphere.