CAAM 2006 annual report

2006 marked a year full of activities. From a new Floral Arrangement Class, music recitals to a camping trip to Camp Shamineau. It also marked a sad year for we lost 2 good friends.

Albert Chang, former CAAM president (1997-1998), long-time CAAM volunteer, passed away early morning September 2, 2006 from an Asthma attack. Year in year out, during any CAAM fundraising activities, whether it’s Festival of Nations (FON) or the Dragon Festival, you would find Albert toiling tirelessly away in the kitchen. Sometimes he would bring his whole family to help out. Albert was outgoing and possessed a booming voice you couldn’t miss. At the Festival of Nations, Albert would be managing new CAAM members who came to volunteer. These strangers would leave as great friends. Albert is survived by his wife Elaine, daughters Zoe, Hope and son Jeddiah We will miss Albert dearly.

On October 24, 2006, CAAM was struck once again with the passing of our first president and long-time benefactor Stanley Chong at the age of ninety-four. A successful businessman, Stanley understood the importance of “community” very early on. He pulled together Chinese student immigrants who settled in Minnesota and first generation Chinese and founded Chinese American Association of Minnesota (CAAM). Stanley hoped that the association would help its members maintain their heritage as well as to integrate into the larger American society. Over the years, Stanley continued his support of CAAM in ways large and small. Through CAAM Stanley established a scholarship fund. He wanted the fund to strengthen the community. Stanley set a good example with his generosity and his spirit of civic duty in Minnesota.

Now I begin by reporting to you one of the most well-attended CAAM annual banquets that took place last year on December 11, 2005. Over 280 friends of CAAM flooded the spacious My Le Hoa restaurant. The full program included a brief history of CAAM, a speech on the Perspective of the future of the local Chinese community, dance, music, standup comedian, and the evening ended with ballroom dance enthusiasts swinging to music.

At the annual banquet, we also announced the recipients of the Stanley Chong scholarship. Albert Wang and Tiffany Wang (unrelated) were awarded the 2006 Stanley Chong Scholarship. Both excelled in school and served the community in many ways while they were growing up.

In January 2006, CAAM was proud to be a part of a large community-wide Chinese New Year celebration. Nearly 1,000 attended a full evening’s program held at Henry Sibley High School. CAAM will once again be part of that celebration in 2007, scheduled for February.

In early February 2006, we sponsored People’s University affiliated High School of Performing Arts Troupe. (Renda Fujon). Professional apprentice dancers and musicians gave a beautiful performance. These talented and dedicated teenagers from Renda Fujon will be back again, this time on February 3, 2007. We will once again sponsor their performance at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium.

For the first time in 8 years, CAAM revived our music recital on Saturday, February 18 at the St. Paul Student Center Theater. There were over 19 programs and almost ten different musical instruments (Chinese and western). There was no shortage of talents ages from four to 32. This was truly a great opportunity to showcase musical talents in the Minnesota Chinese community !

On March 15, 2006, CAAM sponsored a small tax tip seminar given by an IRS specialist. The session lasted well into the evening with lots of questions from the audience.

On May, 4, 5,6 and 7, CAAM participated in the annual Festival of Nations at River Centre. Over 100 volunteers helped with the calligraphy demonstration, staffed the cultural exhibit, sold Chinese arts and crafts and served thousands of visitors at the Cafe.

For the third year in a row, renowned local Chinese painter and teacher Shung Yu Tung illustrated his portraiture at the Chinese calligraphy table, one of the most popular demonstrations at the Festival of Nation.

At the cultural exhibit CAAM showed examples of what is sold in a typical marketplace including “Pea Dan” (Thousand Year Old Egg) which caught some attention.

A shoppers delight, numerous traditional merchandise were offered at the bazaar.

After record earnings in 2005, the cafe earnings dropped a bit in 2006. The decrease during the 2006 Festival of Nations may be the result of lower attendance of school children who were preparing for their finals the following week. Nevertheless, the Chinese Cafe continues to be one of the most profitable booths at the Festival of Nation. This is in part because of the hard work of all the volunteers.

For those who volunteered, a big “Thank You”. I hope you found this to be fun-filled and meaningful experience. If you’d like to participate, please mark this date on your calendar. The Festival of Nation 2007 will be May 3-6. Please email us at office@caam.org if you would like to participate. We will begin recruiting in March 2007.

In addition to volunteers at the Cafe, we are also recruiting talents to set up and staff the cultural exhibit. The theme for 2007 is "Ethnic Games, Toys and Sports". If you have any ethnic games, toys and sports unique to Chinese culture, please contact us.

For the 4th year in a row, CAAM participated in the Dragon Festival on July 8 and 9, 2006. Our fearless team leader Choy Leow once again led the CAAM Flying Dragon. Thanks to a loyal following of cheerleaders the Flying Dragon time was much improved and we advanced to the semifinals. Unfortunately, we were no match to the musclemen and women on the winning team (honestly they looked like professional football players ñ rumor has it that they had been practising for months !) If you are interested to join the Flying Dragon team next year, mark down on your calendar July 14-15, 2007. We will begin recruiting in early April.

On the same day of the Dragon Festival, CAAM held its annual “Volunteer Appreciation Picnic”. Delicious food was catered and the entertainment was provided by the Dragon Boat race.

After an eight-year hiatus, CAAM organized a summer camping trip. During the weekend of August 25-27 thirty-eight participants went to Camp Shamineu. We had three gorgeous 75-80 degree days boating, fishing, horseback riding and hay rides, golfing, rifle shooting, team building and a low roping event. At night we watched movies, played mahjong, got up and did some ballroom dancing, put on a talent show, sat around a bonfire or simply wandered in dark identifying stars. The weekend ended with a scrumptious “shiao yeh” (snacks), thanks to talented chef Hsu Chung-lin). Most important, we all had a great time decompressing from our busy daily lives. This is one more activities we will have scheduled in 2007. If you would like to join us, put down the last weekend in August in 2007 in your calendar and let us know that you’d like to sign up.

In October, 2006, CAAM also helped the Minneapolis Institute of Art spread the word for recruitment of a new training class for guides of the China Gallery. The MIA is currently in the final stage of a very competitive selection process. Good luck to CAAM friends who have applied and we hope you will be selected.

On November 19, 2006, Charles and Dora Lee led a group of CAAM friends - Circle 88 -to serve Thanksgiving dinner at the Dorothy Day Center. Charles and Dora have speared-headed this charitable event for over ten years now.

In the upcoming year, CAAM will continue most of the activities offered in 2006. We will inaugurate the new year with a Chinese New Year celebration on February 23, 2007, followed by a CAAM music recital in March 2007. This will also be CAAM’s 40^th anniversary. Keep an eye out for a CAAM 40^th celebration some time during the year.

I will be stepping down as Chair and we will announce a new Chair in an upcoming CAAM e-News. I just want to take this opportunity to thank the board for their dedication, time, efforts and all their services. I also want to thank the community for coming together and making friends through CAAM. Through all this, I hope CAAM can contribute toward the service of the community and it is my wish that one day, the Chinese in the Twin Cities will come together, form a consortium and consolidate a Chinese power base in Minnesota. In this democratic society of United States of America, a strong united community will make our voices heard and our needs met. To quote from a well-known saying, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

Best Wishes, Mingjen Chen, CAAM Chair 2005-2006