On Saturday, June 16, we celebrated our 10th anniversary at Elliott Ranch Elementary School. More than 150 members attended the celebration/annual assembly. The Multipurpose Room at the school was decorated with colorful balloons. The photo club displayed its exhibition. At the dinner, members of different ages chatted and laughed together. Some members had known each other for 10 years through the association, others less years but no less the friendship.
After dinner, the annual meeting started. First, President Marui Sun delivered the Council Annual Work Report. Due to the absence of Treasurer Waiman Leung, who is vacationing at Hong Kong, council member Pat Eng gave the treasurer’s report. Then, it was the award ceremony for the Family of the Year. This year, Pat and Laura Eng were named “the Family of the Year.” At the ceremony, President Sun invited all past honorees of “the Family of the Year” to the stage. They are: Wendy and Charles Su, Marui Sun and Jioak Wang (deceased), Lili and Clifton (deceased) Lewis, Viena and Kenny Ma, Liming Liu and Shanfu Zhao, Fangfang Gu and Wenwen Xu, Jennifer Xie and Tony Huang. Each family made a brief speech at the stage.
Up next was the award ceremony for karaoke winners. Choir Captain Jianjun Chen and Choir Conductor Wai Yi Kong awarded each winner a certificate. The winners are: Lili Deng, first prize, Li Tang, second prize, Dwanzhen Hsu, and Michelle Shao, third prize, Jane Liang and William Au, Dong Ho, encouragement award.
One of the important items of the annual assembly is the election of the new council for the coming year. Council members Pat Eng and Jack Yu led the election committee. First, members nominated the candidates for the Council. There were 13 the nominees. They are: Jianjun Chen, Lili Deng, Pat Eng, Fangfang Gu, Charlie Huang, Waiman Leung, Jane Liang, Marui Sun, Eric Wang, Chunli Yang, Richard Yang, Jack Yu, and Wendy Zhao. After the nomination, the election committee passed out the ballots to every member. Members cast ballot at the scene. Members who were absent at the assembly could request absentee ballots.
When the election committee was reading the ballots, the stage was set for performance. The karaoke winners performed their winning songs. Then the association choir performed. Local famed soprano and member Qiuping Han sang the finale for the night.
Picture 1, Families of Years and past Council members. From Left to right, first row: Charles and Wendy Su (1999), Kenny and Viena Ma (2003), Jennifer Xie and Tony Huang (second row, behind Jennifer) (2006), Marui Sun and Jioak Wang (deceased) (2000), Pat and Laura Eng (2007), Shanfu Zhao and Liming Liu (absent, not in the picture) (2001), Second row from left to right: Wendy Zhao (council member), Lili D. and Clifton Lewis (deceased) (2002), Fangfang Gu and Wenwen Xu (2005), Tony Huang, Jane Liang (council member), Jack Yu (council member), and Jianjun Chen (council member).
Picture 2, Elk Grove Chinese Association 10th anniversary cake.
Picture 3, Cake cutting: Marui Sun (President), Charlie Huang (Founding vice president, Jane Liang (Founding secretary, current vice president), and Pat Eng (council member).