Rotary Club of SF Chinatown

Newsletter

August 2020 vol #2

Welcome to the Rotary New Year 2020-2021. This is our Club’s second Newsletter of 2020-2021.

As we transition forward with our new Club president, Paul Chin, we look toward a challenging year for our Club and each and every one of us. Our communities and social fabric have been disrupted, but we find some solace in that we are all in the same boat floating down this ever-changing and challenging river.

Our current challenges are many. Paul has stepped forward again as our president and needs your continued support. Thank you Paul!!

He has sent out a Club Survey and the results are in.

Our members’ responses highlighted 7 areas that best reflected those community NGOs or programs of interest.

((Gum Moon, Cameron House, EALNS, YMCA, BAO Rec Center, Mobile Art Cart & CYC ))

Summary of Past Events:

July 29th Wednesday Board Meeting

August 5th Wednesday Club Meeting

August 12th Wednesday Foundation Board Meeting

((Please read the minutes to each meeting sent to all members.))

High Points:

We have transferred $10,000 from our Club’s Operational Account into our Club’s Foundation (Legacy) Account. RCSFC has created a “Legacy Account” with the goal to provide dividends/interest income to fund future events, allowing us to spend less time actively fundraising. Prior to that time our monies were in a money market making less than 2% a year.

We have not had a Fundraiser in 2 years so we are looking into the possibility of a Raffle this year.

We are reminding all members that it’s dues time again. Current dues: $375; written as 2 checks.

RCSFC: $250 and RCSFC Foundation: $125

Reagan’s Aloha Party (aka Debunking) will be scheduled when safe and prudent to do so. Two locations have been offered: Paul’s home/back yard in Petaluma and Horatio Jung’s patio here in SF

Upcoming Events

See Our Club Website: https://www.sfchinatownrotary.org/weekly-program-speakers

August 15th This Saturday “RCSFC” 3-ply Mask & Sanitizer Give-away to Merchants

Time: 1:00pm Place: Dragon’s Den 57 Wentworth SF Chinatown

August 19th Club Meeting (Virtual) 12 – 1:30pm

Guest Speaker: Elizabeth Chafcouloff

Speech Pathology Rehab in Cambodia

August 22nd Master PRLS #3 (Virtual)

Saturday 8:30 – 1pm

See our District 5150 Website: http://rotary5150.org/calendar/

Club Service Showcase

((Service above Self. Doing what we can, where we can, while remaining safe.))

This last month many of you have wrapped & delivered candies to our frontline health and safety caregivers; packaged food items; delivered laptops, and many both made masks and delivered masks to those in need. How incredible is that!?

It’s official, “All candies have been delivered!” Thank you one and all.

The work goes on as Pauline Chin has knitted & created over 800 “Ear Savers” for masks. These Ear Savers are stretchable bands that clip/slip on existing masks and spare the user the ear discomfort that frequently accompany extended wearing. Thank You Pauline!! And thank you Liz, Tami and others that have helped to create these bands, by sewing on buttons, and distributing these unique Ear Savers; as many of the users are frontline workers.

Moo Moo has signed off for the summer with her “Let’s READ With Moo Moo” virtual classes to Pre-Schoolers. Our beloved Chinatown Rotary Canine Companion has taken a short vacation. During these last few months Moo Moo and her companion and caregiver Vanita Louie have been formulating and presenting these Virtual Reading Classes twice a week; Tuesday & Thursdays to two different classes of preschoolers.

The classes have been well received by teachers, parents and students alike. It was so successful that teachers from other schools attended the classes to glean ideas for their virtual classes. Each lesson touched upon a timely and essential topic, (i.e. Tolerance, Hygiene, Diversity, etc.)

Moo Moo..Thank You!!

While we all should be grateful for all that we have, all we have done, and all we continue to do during this pandemic, we can’t stress enough that the emphasis needs to be on ones’ own health and safety!!

As I’m sure you’re aware, venturing out while wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing is the safest thing you can do, yet, even this has its own inherent risks. We need to make this clear, “No one should ever harbor any guilt or resentment that they are not actively out and about participating with service projects”.

It’s Service above Self.

Doing what we can,

When we can

Where we can,

While remaining safe.

Happy “August Birthdays”

Judy Stephan & Rose

All Things Rotary

This Rotary New Year 2020-2021 we turn over a new leaf with the induction of

our new Club President, Paul Chin, our new District Governor (DG) Mary Bates and

our new Rotary International (RI) President Holger Knaack. (all pictured below)

DG Mary Bates Designed A New District Emblem for 2020-2021: “A Rotary Tree”.

The trunk is made of 3 pillars = 3 Counties of District 5150 with 45 branches symbolizing the 45 clubs.

The New Rotary International “Theme” by RI President Holger Knaack

“Rotary Opens Opportunities” An image with 3 doors opening.

The 2019 New Rotary Vision Statement:

Rotary’s Six (6) Areas of Focus has been expanded to Seven (7).

Adding: As the 7th Area of Focus

Visit our Club Website link: https://www.sfchinatownrotary.org

So much to see and so much information about our club, our Board Members, Covid-19 updates, Photo Gallery, Calendar of events, and for your convenience a Red Donate Button, sending your tax-deductible donations directly to our Foundation.

F Y I

For Your Information segment has been added for you to share with your fellow club members any information that you may deem relevant; the start of a new career, birth of a child, a piece of legislation impacting the community. Any news that you would want others in our Club to be made aware of and included in this Club Newsletter.

Example: Currently, with many shops closed a benevolent group of individuals are patrolling Chinatown.

They call themselves the United Peace Corps. Like the Guardian Angles, there goal is to provide added security in the area, keeping an eye on businesses and residents. While not officially trained in law enforcement, they can provide essential support and added safety by acting as additional eyes and ears for the Police department.

New!! Saturday & Sundays…

Through September 20th

Grant Ave is “Car-Free”…

Chinatown is Open For Business!

“Walkaway Weekends” is here!

Note: This Saturday join Paul Chin @ Dragons Den (57 Wentworth) for 3-ply Mask/Sanitizer hand-out to all merchants.

“Getting To Know You”

As part of the “Getting To Know You” series we would like to showcase one club member in each Newsletter. With the Stay In Place (SIP) and Work From Home (WFH) policies being promoted we all suffer from some degree of social isolation. Many of us, though we have met socially for some time, have not had the opportunity to get to know one another better. I asked Paul Chin to step up and send me his brief bio with some pictures. Thank you Paul for stepping up and sharing with our club. Our July Newsletter showcased Paul Chin. This August Newsletter we have the pleasure to get to know our fellow member Celine Wong. Celine is currently a Director on our Club’s Operations Board and a proud Club Member since 2011.

My name is Celine Wong. I was born to Chinese immigrant parents in French Polynesia, on the Island of Tahiti. I grew up with 3 sisters and an older half-brother. As Chinese immigrants, my parents were not afforded citizenship, nor was I. My childhood was, at times, very carefree, climbing trees, swimming in the lagoon, caroling in the streets with my many friends, learning Judo and excelling in sports after school. However, during my youth I was not spared the taunting and racial epithets from some of the other Polynesian children; as some viewed me as a non-citizen and outlier.

My mother, at 17, got married and though a seamstress of modest means, made it her goal to elevate and stress a college education for all her daughters. I attended school just outside of Papeete and learned French, English and Spanish in addition to the Chinese language (Hakka) that was spoken at home. Meanwhile, my mother saved every penny to assure that her daughters could receive a college education abroad.

At 18, after finishing my highest level of education in Tahiti, I traveled to San Francisco, accompanied by my mother, to continue my education. Once settled, and living as an au pair, my mother returned home. I then continued my studies, graduating from SF State University with a degree in Nursing.

Our Wedding Day

While in school, I met John Wong, who also grew up in Tahiti, and was pursuing a career in business. We married, and soon started a family. Our first home in the Richmond District was purchased within a mere 2 hours and with only a $100 deposit. Incredible but true! We later moved to the Marina district and have remained there since 1982.

I am the proud mother of four (4) incredible daughters, Jamie, Christina, Ilana and Imelda, and the grandmother of eight (8) grandchildren. John and I agreed early on that I would devote my time to raising a family. I then left nursing after 3 years and focused my energies on family and my daughters’ education. I became a local fixture at all parent associations functions and all afterschool activities; volleyball, soccer, basketball, swimming, recitals, plays….you name it, I was there. At my daughter’s Elementary School I was present for 18 years as a room parent/volunteer as each successive daughter advanced in their grade levels.

When I joined Rotary in July 2011, I was an empty nester. Ted Abe was our Club President. I was referred by Pat Nishimoto and sponsored by Sugo and I am very grateful to them for introducing me to Rotary. The Chinatown Rotary Club became my new extended family and provided me with the opportunity to volunteer and serve in the community and meet so many wonderful individuals. After years as a room parent/volunteer at my daughters’ school, I found that volunteering, tutoring at ELANS, and assisting with club fundraising was both familiar and fulfilling.

Tutoring @ EALNS

My introduction and love of Taiko Drumming came when Rotarians Rhonda Pierce and the late Janice Lee introduced me to it nearly nine years ago. As I continue with Taiko drumming, it remains a joy and just one of many physical routines I do to address and help alleviate my recurring chronic back pain.

My interests and joys are Family, Travel, Taiko and Rotary. John and I have combined our love of travel and Rotary by attending two (2) RI Conventions, one on Korea and one in Germany. We Zoom with our 4 daughters frequently to keep current on all the events and challenges during this unprecedented time.

I am deeply grateful for my life and my family and especially for that young 17 y/o seamstress who saved her pennies and devoted her resources so that her daughters could aspire to higher education and a fuller, more meaningful life. (My two younger sisters pursued their college education in France, one becoming a Biology Instructor, the other a Physician).

I am also deeply grateful that my mother lived to see the results of her selfless efforts come to fruition for her daughters and granddaughters. What a lasting legacy!

EALNS Roof Top Garden Project Gum Moon Event Dressing Up @ Korea's RI Convention

I am proud to be a member of the Rotary Club of SF Chinatown and pray that this COVID Cloud soon passes, leaving everyone healthy and safe.

(Thank you Celine for sharing and allowing us to Get To Know You!)

Now Time For Some Humor……

Trying Out A New Testing Technique....

A Crazy Cooped-Up COVID-19 K-9