RECA Newsletter

President:
Nancy Wang
576-0533

Vice President:
Mary Lowe
528-8712 x132

Treasurer:
Hsiu-Chuan Armstrong

Recording
Secretary,
Newsletter:
Judy Cheung
528-0912

Corresponding
Secretary:
David Chung
340-6045

Scholarship:
Mirin Lew
545-6173

Social Director:
Mary Lowe

Membership:
Judy Cheung

Ways and Means:
We need someone!
535-0985

Building Committee:
Joe Wang
576-0533

Youth Group:
Mark & Azy Heydon
575-9541

Board Members:
Kevin Ablett
Cheryl Brown
Shirley Brummell
Irene Fong
Jean Gee
Frances Lok

NEWSLETTER

November 2009

Contents
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
RECA LANGUAGE SCHOOL REPORT
RECA WINTER SOCIAL, CHRISTMAS POTLUCK SOCIAL
RECA SCHOLARSHIPS 2009
VISIT OF THE SHANGHAI PRINCIPALS
SEPTEMBER 26, 2009, A VERY BUSY DAY FOR RECA PERFORMERS
NAMI CHAMPIONS AND HEROES 2009 DINNER
WEDDING PERFORMANCE IN GYSERVILLE
HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL
CHINA CAMP
RECA ANNUAL PICNIC AND JOINT ASIAN POTLUCK COMBINATION EVENT
RACE EQUALITY WEEK
THANK YOU TO OUR 2009 SPONSORS

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
By Nancy Wang

Dear RECA Members and Friends,

Another year has almost ended, and what a year it has been! We have had a record breaking number of activities, events and cultural presentations. Our cultural dancers, lead by Xiou Qing Sandy Sulluvan and Judy Elliott, assisted by Linda Ibach, have been busy with new dances and new costumes. Our lion team graduated and went off to college and our new lion team is learning some wonderful new tricks from our master lion dancer, Henry Tang assisted by senior lion dancer Yarimia Iman. Our Adult Chorus has grown, our Mah Jong Club is going strong, and our Youth Group is as active as ever. I think we can all be proud of ourselves! Thank you to all of our performers and all of our support people who are instrumental in putting on our events.

Our most recent project is helping the Santa Rosa City Schools with their Exchange Principal Program. Last year, five principals from Shanghai came to Santa Rosa to visit our City School System. During the summer, five Santa Rosa Principals went to Shanghai. This October, five more Shanghai Principals came to Santa Rosa. RECA hosted a getting-to-know-you potluck dinner. Also, the families of our members, Lisa Leong, Elena Wang and David and Alithia Harrison, hosted three of the principals for their two week stay. I (Nancy Wang) assisted with their schedule and programs.

Our big upcoming events include our Winter Social at the Rohnert Park 4H Building on Sunday, December 6, beginning at 6:00 p.m. And don't forget to mark your calendars to be sure to save the date for our big 2010 Chinese New Year Celebration and Fundraiser on Saturday, February 27. See you at the Winter Social, Chinese New Year and a few times in between.

RECA LANGUAGE SCHOOL REPORT
By Judy Hardin Cheung

Every year holds surprises with enrollment, activities, the various little and big things that happen. This year is no different. The surprise? Almost no enrollment! After October very few students enrolled for all three of our classes combined, Nancy and Judy decided to continue with one joint class taught by Mrs. Hsiu Chuan Armstrong. Our preschool is doing well with 8 students enrolled.

We would like everyone who can to enroll and enjoy the activities and fun we have while learning. We are the only language classes that offer social opportunities, related dance classes, parties after class sometimes with Chinese food and sometimes with cake. In the RECA classes, we enjoy many cultural activities that make learning a difficult language fun, enjoyable and able to be remembered.

One reason we have such a low enrollment this year is the amount of Chinese language classes being offered throughout our area. Nancy, Judy and David all worked on the preliminary GATE program at Herbert Slater Middle School which, the next year, hired a teacher and has been teaching Chinese ever since. This year, Montgomery High School is also offering Chinese in their language program. Healdsburg has an emersion school which teaches Chinese. Now, beginning this year, because our classes were so tenuous in September, one of the parents at the Santa Rosa Waldorf school found a teacher who is willing to teach Chinese as an after school elective. Also, SRJC, SSU, and many private organizations and people are also offering Chinese language classes.

Even though we would like to have all of these students in our classes, we must look at the larger picture. When we had 60 enrolled during our peak year, there were no other Chinese classes offered in Sonoma County. Now, with the hard work of RECA, Sonoma County School Superintendent Carl Wong, and many others, we have succeeded in having Chinese accepted into our county's formal curriculum.

If you choose any of these other opportunities to learn Chinese, please don't forget RECA. We still would like to have you participate in our cultural dance classes, lion team performances, lion drum band, Adult Chorus, Senior Mah Jong Club, Youth Group, guitar lessons, preschool play group, our potlucks, picnics, holiday celebrations and all the other things we do in addition to language classes.

For more information about Mandarin Classes, please call Judy Cheung at 528-0912 or Nancy Wang at 576-0533

If anyone is interested in Functional Literacy in English for adults, we can start a class if we have at least three interested. For more information, contact David Chung at 340-6045

Mrs. Hsiu Chuan Armstrong with her class of Mandarin students and a parent. If we have enough enrolled, we can have two classes in Mandarin. It's more fun with more students.

Our Preschool class is currently our biggest class. Each student is required to bring a parent. This class is co-taught by Jay Jay Dodds and Tracy Ding.

Concurrent with language classes, Bob Yee is teaching jazz guitar to teen boys. Anyone who would like to join is welcome. He is teaching basic tablature, basic rhythmic structures and chords as a foundation for them forming their own group when they are ready.

Adult Tai Chi, 9:00-10:00 am, is being taught by David Chung at the second-floor studio at Snoopy''s Home Ice (Redwood Empire Ice Arena).

Ballroom Dance for adults is being taught by Mirin Lew at our Center each Saturday at 5:00-6:00 p.m. Come with a partner or alone. For more information, please contact Mirin Lew at
577-5604.

RECA WINTER SOCIAL, CHRISTMAS POTLUCK SOCIAL

When: Sunday, December 6, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Rohnert Park 4H Center
6445 Hunter St. (off of Commerce blvd, behind Rite Aid)

Bring a dish that will server at least 10 people
Optional: bring a gift ($15 or less) marked it for boy, girl woman or man
Raffle prizes will offer many gifts

RECA SCHOLARSHIPS 2009

RECA is pleased to announce the granting of three $500 scholarships this year. One RECA scholarship is given each year to a high school senior who belongs to RECA or is of Asian descent, excels in academics, community service, job experience and is in need. Providing service to RECA provides extra points to the applicant.

This year, we granted two additional $500 scholarships, one donated by Annie Wang of Kyoto Restaurant, using the same guidelines as the RECA annual scholarship. One was granted by the Lok Family who asked to follow the RECA scholarship guidelines, but put less emphasis on academic grades and more emphasis on service to RECA.

Out of seven applicants, the committee had the difficult decision of choosing only five to interview. All were well qualified and extremely worthy. Since there were so few applicants, the committee decided that giving all three scholarships was not necessary unless we felt three interviewees were exceptionally worthy. Unfortunately for the committee, all five were extremely exceptionally worthy. Our decision for which three to accept was painfully difficult.

Our final decision of who to grant our three $500 scholarships included two RECA members and one non-member. The lucky and very worthy recipients, who have academic and community service achievements that are phenomenal, are RECA's Jarrad Lee and David Quach, and non-member, Diana Jeon.

Congratulations to you all!

VISIT OF THE SHANGHAI PRINCIPALS

RECA is very proud to be part of the Principal Exchange Program now in its second year, exchanging principals of Shanghai, China, and Santa Rosa. Each year, some Shanghai Principals come to Santa Rosa and tour our schools. Last spring, a group went from Santa Rosa to Shanghai. This year, we have our second group here in Santa Rosa, enjoying our educational successes in classroom design, teaching techniques and modern technology in the classroom.

In addition to official observations, RECA has hosted a variety of area tours including a trip to the Shulz Museum to see the "home" of Snoopy and the Peanuts cartoon characters and even a cruise on San Francisco Bay on the yacht of Michael and Sandy Sullivan, a potluck social at RECA Center and dinner at Nancy and Joe's house.

Nancy Wang has been a primary planner for their schedule and entertainment. Three RECA families have opened their homes to host some of the exchange principals: Lisa Leong, Elena and Phil Wang and David and Alithia Harrison. RECA wants to thank these members for their active participation in this wonderful exchange of knowledge and expertise between Shanghai and Santa Rosa and between China and the USA.

Shanghai Principals and their hosts pose at the RECA Getting-to-Know-You Social. Photos by Joe Wang

Santa Rosa Resident "Lucy" holds a football for a Shanghai Principal at the Shulz Museum in Santa Rosa. Peanuts creator, Charles Shulz, lived most of his professional life here in Sonoma County. The Shulz Museum and Snoopy' Ice Arena are both community donations by Charles Shulz and his family.

Kareoke at our center. Food, friends, singing and a very good time. RECA showed the Shanghai Principals how we live and celebrate.

Shanghai Principal's names:

SEPTEMBER 26, 2009, A VERY BUSY DAY FOR RECA PERFORMERS

On September 26, 2009, Judy Cheung, Joe and Nancy Wang, David Chung and the Teen Cultural Dancers all went to San Francisco’s Palace of the Legion of Honor Art Museum's Florence Gould Theater and gave a dance performance as part of the Dancing Poetry Festival put on by Artists Embassy International. Judy was assistant MC. Joe and Nancy read the poem, Happiness Road by Yuen Chiu, translated into English by Nancy and Judy. David Chung sang the poem in Chinese while the girls danced with their magnificent veil fans. After their act was over, the dancers, with Joe and Nancy, returned to Santa Rosa for another performance at 4:00 at Meadowview School for their Harmony Fair which has become an annual event. We want to thank the RECA members who attended the Dancing Poetry Festival as part of the audience in support of our dancers. We hope they enjoyed the spectacular show in the beautiful theater.

Dancing Poetry Festival

Joe and Nancy read alternating stanzas of the poem Happiness Road so the audience would understand the beauty of the poem, especially in relation to the dance. It is required that a poem be an integral part of each dance.

Our RECA Teen Cultural Dancers were spectacular on a stage of magnificent, professional dancers. There were dancers from India, Indonesia, Las Vegas, and throughout California.

Professional lighting, created intricate shadows that added to the marvelous visual effects of our teen's veil fan dance.

Happiness Road
By Yuen Chiu
Translated by Nancy Wang and Judy Cheung

Early in the morning in a verdant field
An eagle, god-like, covered with sunrays
Ascends to the clouds of peace that fill the blue sky
That brings good luck to the Tibetan people

Sunset, I am standing at the mountain
watching the new railroad come to my home
Ah! It looks like one after another
Giant dragons coming over the mountain
Bringing the world safely to us

Amazing Happiness Road brings
the whole world’s warmth to Tibet
The mountains are not that high
The roads are not that long
All the people will get together

Amazing Happiness Road brings you to our skies
Golden wheat and soy bean fields, tea plantations
Wafts the sweetest air and brings the richest tastes
Our good life can now spread to the world

Meadow View School

The teens rushed back to Santa Rosa and gave a second performance of the day, joined by our Young Cultural Dancers and the Lion Team with new drummers, performing with RECA for the first time.

Teens cultural Dancers

Lion Team at Meadow View

RECA Young Cultural Dancers at Meadow View

Lion Team--some new to RECA some experienced. Thank you all!

NAMI CHAMPIONS AND HEROES 2009 DINNER
By Ann Schleeter

On September 26th Judy Cheung and I attended the NAMI Sonoma County Champions and Heroes Dinner at the Hyatt. RECA is involved in this organization because we are a resource for the Asian community. The non-profit is an affiliate of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and of NAMI California. They were founded over 25 years ago. Their mission is to share information with people with mental illness, their families, friends, mental health professionals, and the general public. Through their support, education, advocacy, and research, they are dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. The dinner was to recognize and celebrate the champions and heroes in Sonoma County for all their hard-earned efforts.

NAMI gives weekly art class to people with mental health challenges, and the public were given an exhibit of their beautiful artwork. In the courtyard we were treated to dances by the Indian Health Youth Dance Group with singers in the background. Most of the dancers were young boys dressed in their native headdress and feathered costumes. Two long women dressed in long dresses danced separately. We were instructed to say "ho" instead of applauding the dancers after each dance. The more we said "ho" and the louder we said it, the more they knew we appreciated their performances. This was interesting because the word "ho" means "good" in Chinese. And their dances were more than "good!"

When we were seated for dinner, emcee Jennifer Hedgpeth welcomed President Douglas Stephens who then introduced the film on NAMI Sonoma County featuring their mission and vision. They also recognized the Board of Directors and NAMI volunteers. We were also treated to song performances by Wendy Bray who sang "Hero," Letty Lemus Rodriguez who sang a Hispanic song, and Desirae Harp who sang an Indian song. Many awards were given throughout the evening for the Treatment Program, Early Intervention, Recovery through the Arts, Criminal Justice, Family Advocate, Client Advocate, Media, Multi-Cultural, and the Youth Voice Awards. Margie Mejia, a tribal chairperson, gave the Lytton Tribe Award to NAMI. Another film, from the client and family perspective, showed how NAMI has helped people in need. The final highlight was the Treatment Provider Award presented to Dr. Steven Ranish for his work in the organization. It was a wonderful eye-opening celebration.

To learn more about their programs, you can contact NAMI at 527-6655 or at www.namisonomacounty.org.

WEDDING PERFORMANCE IN GYSERVILLE

In a day of strange juxtapositions, our lion team performed at a wedding under the trees at Isis Oasis in Gyserville. Putting on a 20 minute performance, the lion team did all of their new tricks of dancing on benches and even rolling over in unison, on the ground. Our audience was a large group who had, for the most part, never seen a lion dance before. We were also watched carefully by the turkeys, peacocks, other caged birds and an old black cat. After our performance, we all went out to pizza in Santa Rosa and were joined by the Ballroom Dance Class who had just finished their lessons.

HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL
WITH FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM ASIA

Each year FCA celebrates August Moon. This year, it came in the beginning of October. It all began with a potluck dinner, fun and games with RECA teens helping with registration, craft tables and with the parachute on the lawn. Everyone had a chance to play lion drums, cymbals and gong with Judy Cheung. All the kids and some adults got to use the lion costume assisted by Junior Lion Dancer, Chris Holland of RECA and FCA. We ended with a lion and drum parade around the lawn, then a quiet time to look at the moon and talk about family in small family groups.

For more FCA info visit www.fcasoco.org

CHINA CAMP

Each year, for the past many years, RECA has been honored to be invited to Marin County's China Camp State Park Heritage Day Celebration. RECA provides cultural dancers, the Adult Chorus, and Tai Chi exhibitions. This year, the festival was in jeopardy of being cancelled due to state budget cuts. Fortunately, funds came through at the last minute and we were able to attend and participate in this wonderful cultural / historical event.

Our Teen Cultural Dancers brought an audible "aw" from the audience.

Our RECA Adult Chorus was excellent in their rendition of a variety of Chinese folk songs.

A Marin poet read about growing up Chinese in Marin. We were all televised.

Our RECA Young Cultural Dancers did their cute Umbrella Dances.

Surrounded by history not seen at other times during the year, we can experience a little of the life of 1880's-1930's Chinese in this town of shrimp fishermen on SF Bay. In addition to the Grace Kuan Junk out of San Francisco, there are many historical exhibits and displays throughout China Camp Village, plus ranger-guided tours each hour.

Derick Baldi gave a Kung Fu demonstration. A moment after this pix, he gave a high kick.

Alex Baldi gave a Kung Fu demonstration.

David Chung’s "join-in" Tai Chi lessons are always very popular with all ages and all levels of expertise.

RECA ANNUAL PICNIC AND JOINT ASIAN POTLUCK COMBINATION EVENT

Each year, RECA has an annual picnic the first Sunday after Labor Day. We usually also have, a Joint Asian Pot Luck. This used to be the RECA / JACL Joint Pot Luck, but as the Asian Community of Sonoma County the event has grown, it now includes Filipinos, Viet Namese, Cambodian, Korean, Asian Pacific Islanders and any other Asian group, person and interested people. This year was RECA's turn to host the Joint Pot Luck. After much discussion, it was decided to invite everyone to our Annual Picnic. Everything would be Pot Luck. No food or drink would be for sale. G&G Markets donated a generous amount of roasted chicken to enhance our meal and made it into a true BBQ picnic. We had about 200 people in attendance. Everyone seemed to have a good time. There was lots of wonderful food of many varieties to ad to our afternoon. Our entertainment was considered the best ever. We also collected over $100 for the Taiwan Mudslide Relief Donations.

Santa Rosa Community Leader Lee Pierce chats with Frances Lok, Nancy Wang and Shubert Yee.

We had the widest array of food ever at a picnic. The variety of salads was beautiful as well as delicious.

The Picnic is a time for families. Here is Elee Tsai with his Mom.

"I touched the dragon!" was his proud chant after petting the dragon's whiskers.

This is the first year Nicolas Ringstad really enjoyed the Picnic. He danced with the hoola hoop dancers and everyone else.

RECA member and Santa Rosa Vice Mayor Marsha Vas Dupree arrives with her husband and stops for a photo opportunity.

Jasmine Elliott shows us how low she can go with the limbo.

The most appreciated entertainment in years was the Pacific Island Folk Dancers. Yes, there were also women.

Polynesian Dance lessons had the RECA women all enthusiastically participating in the basic hip moves.

RACE EQUALITY WEEK

For the past six years, Santa Rosa has had the Race Equality Events. First, it was a parade down Sebastopol Avenue in the Southwest District of Santa Rosa. Now, it is a weeklong series of events throughout Santa Rosa. There is no parade, but there is a final Race Equality Fair, this year held at Elsie Allen High School near Belview Ave. and Stony Point Road in Santa Rosa’s Southwest District.

As usual, RECA participated in the week long events with Nancy and Joe Wang with Judy Cheung giving a presentation on Chinese history and culture at the Rohnert Park Library. They offered photos of what RECA does, posters showing a brief history of China including Chinese inventions such as the wheelbarrow, compass and seismograph; a chart of dynasties; and some important modern Chinese notables. Judy and Nancy gave demonstrations with the lion (no drums in the library) and the audience was able to take turns being the lion head and the lion tail. Joe and Nancy gave souvenir calligraphy of each person's name. These personalized gifts, we are told, will be treasured as keepsakes or gifts to grandparents. Our audience was of all ages and very responsive to information about Chinese culture. The question and answer period was among the most animated we have ever had.

For the Saturday afternoon Race Equality Week Festival, RECA had a food booth run by the Youth Group under the guidance of Azy Heydon, an information booth with Judy Cheung, Ann Schleeter, Joe and Nancy Wang and various other RECA volunteers. We also had a large performance which included the lion team, our Teen Cultural Dancers, RECA Young Dancers, the Adult Chorus and our baby dragon. Of coarse, they all did very well with their presentations and were acclaimed by the audience and the festival administrators for their excellent work.

We are also proud to announce that we have some new teens for our teen group, and the lion team including a new drummer who is really good. This new group of boys is also a large part of the new Jazz Guitar class that Bob Yee is teaching on Saturday mornings. Welcome boys. We are glad to have you with us. .

Everyone who wanted got to try out the lion head, wiggle its ears and blink its eyes at the Rohnert Park Library.

The Elsie Allen Teens were great at helping us move the dragon, lions and other equipment.

Our booth was well placed and spectacular. Ann Schleeter did a good job of taking care of it all.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2009 SPONSORS

RECA wants to thank our 2009 Sponsors for their kind donations that keep RECA able to continue our activities, perform for the community and be a public resource for people, businesses, schools and agencies who request our assistance.

Northwest Insurance Company
Sonoma County Office of Education

We hope all RECA members and friends will help support these establishments. We are honored that they help support our endeavors.

RECA MEMBERSHIP

RECA dues are due for 2010. Please use this form for new membership or membership renewal. Thank You!

RECA Membership dues are $20 per person (adult) or $30 per couple for January to December each year.

Please make your check payable to Redwood Empire Chinese Association and send it with this form to:
Redwood Empire Chinese Association,
P.O. Box 7854,
Santa Rosa, CA 95407.

Redwood Empire Chinese Association
P.O. Box 7854
Santa Rosa, CA 95407