Mayor Willie Brown, You Made My Day!
Gerrye Wong Day At the Chinese Historical Society of America’s gala dinner a week ago, San Francisco mayor Willie Brown came on stage to hail the contributions all Chinese Americans have made to the history of his great city and the nation. A special friend of the Society, Brown has supported its museum building dream by instigating the $800,000 city loan which enabled this 38-year-old non-profit organization to buy the historic Julia Morgan, former Chinatown YWCA building two years ago, and gave a matching $500,000 grant for the remodel/retrofit renovation, as well.
So, it was no surprise when Brown came on stage and presented event chair Agnes Lam with a city commendation of congratulations for this Gala Celebration, proceeds of which go towards the upcoming museum opening. The surprise came when he called Doris Grover and myself on stage to proclaim that day in our honor as San Francisco’s “Gerrye Wong and Doris Grover Day,” in commemoration of our five years working as Capital Campaign chairpersons for the museum. He said we had well earned our unspoken title as the “moneygrubbers” of the organization, and lauded our accomplishment in leading the $2 million drive to open the National Museum of Chinese American History and Learning Center to its fruition this fall. Thank you, dear Willie and the city, on behalf of all of the volunteers of the community who have tirelessly worked for this project, as well as all other well-deserving, non-profit causes.
Too often, the untold hours of phone calls, letter writing, email, fax memos, and pavement pounding that volunteers unceremoniously do, go unrecognized or acknowledged.
So, thank you, San Francisco and Mayor Willie Brown, on behalf of all volunteers in our fine city whom you have encouraged and supported.
Busy Times Ahead A three-gallery presentation exploring themes of Chinese immigration through Angel Island will be presented at the San Francisco Main Library April 28-June 2, as sponsored by Kearney St. Workshop, Chinese Culture Center and SF Arts Commission.
Mark Inouye, San Francisco Symphony’s trumpet player, will have his jazz quartet piece, Find the Cheese premiered at a Mother’s Day performance May 13 at Davies Symphony Hall with the SFS.
Southland News “Target Golfers” of the San Diego Chinese Golf Club treat their fellow duffers when they “hit” their wish-for-target score. Gorman Fong, Deanna and Herbert Hom, among others, made it, so they are treating friends Frank Wong and family, Felix Hom and Jeïnings Hom and family to a bus trip to Laughlin, Nev., for more of you-know-what. I met these gung-ho golf groupies recently when they showed off San Diego’s great golf courses to me on a rain-escape trip. Congratulations, Tiger-wannabes.
Aerospace to Cyberspace CHSA’s “Aerospace to Cyberspace” event drew many stars out that night at the St. Francis Hotel, gathering almost 700 patrons. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, with wife, Deni, flew in from Washington, D.C., to herald his fellow Silicon Valley honorees. The first Asian American to serve in a presidential cabinet, Mineta congratulated the Society for honoring outstanding Chinese American engineers and scientists David Lee, Ken Fong, Albert Yu, William Lee, Don Tang and Yahoo’s Jerry Yang. Yahoo webcaster Lorna Ho produced and narrated an Emmy-quality video presentation of these outstanding high-tech pioneers, and witty Ben Fong Torres and gracious Suzanne Joe Kai were wonderful emcees. |
