President:
Nancy Wang
576-0533

Vice President:
Mary Lowe
528-8712 x18

Treasurer:
Hsiu-Chuan Armstrong


Recording
Secretary:
Judy Cheung
528-0912

Corresponding
Secretary:
Mark Heydon
538-1938

Newsletter,
Scholarship:
Mirin Lew
545-6173

Social Director:
Mary Lowe
528-8712 x18

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
Sandy Bartholome
Shirley Brummell
Irene Fong
Jean Gee
Norman Lai
Winston Lee
Frances Lok
Shubert Yee
Kay Yee

August 2004

Contents
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
RECA LANGUAGE SCHOOL
RECA ANNUAL PICNIC, SEPT. 12
FREE IMMIGRATION MEETINGS AND CITIZENSHIP CLASS
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MARKET
HERITAGE DAY 2004
CLEAN-UP DAY THANKS!
SANTA ROSA ROSE PARADE
CHILDREN’S CHINESE CULTURE CAMP
Web Site Update
Share your news and stories or advertise in the RECA newsletter!
MEMBER ADVERTISEMENTS



PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
By Nancy Wang

Greetings to all my RECA friends! I hope your summer has been a good one. RECA has been active with the Children’s Chinese Culture Camp, Youth Group activities, board meetings, clean-up days and performance events. 

I have been in Taiwan at a workshop for Chinese language school administrators, put on by the Taiwan Department of Overseas Education, and I will have good ideas and materials to share during the upcoming school year.

Our annual Multi-Cultural Poetry Reading and Potluck Lunch will be on August 14. If you like to read or listen to poetry, either in Chinese or English, please come. 

We are also looking forward to our annual RECA picnic on September 12. This is our large social event where everyone in the family plus all your friends and potential new members are all welcome to come for a day of outdoor fun and good food. At the picnic, we plan to have games, information, school enrollment and photo displays. Our menu is delicious and inexpensive! This event is for the whole family. There is more information in this newsletter. See you there!

  Classes start on September 11 or 15! Mark your calendars for the first day of RECA Language Classes. Everyone of all ages who wants to learn Mandarin or Cantonese, please come to our Chinese Language Classes. As in the past 12 years, RECA will be holding our language classes for beginners through high school level Chinese. If you are curious and do not speak Chinese but want to learn, we have just the right class for you. If you are an adult and need to keep up with your kids, or keep your brain active and agile, we have classes for you too. If you know Chinese and want to keep up your skills for school, business or travel, come join us. And now, for the first time, our long-awaited Children’s Beginning Vietnamese class has finally been organized.

Our classes are flexible, according to the needs of those who sign up. It is not unusual to change one or more class descriptions after we have our enrollment stable. For this reason, we need you to sign up as quickly as possible to let our teachers know how best to prepare.

All classes teach traditional characters for Chinese writing. Simplified characters are introduced. Even though Mainland China uses simplified writing, the rest of the world still uses traditional. If traditional is learned first, simplified is easy to learn later. If only simplified is taught, traditional is almost impossible to learn, and 5000 years of history and literature are lost.

Saturday Morning Classes, 9-11:30 a.m. 

We offer our larger classes with a recess and extra activities on Saturdays. After the language class, there is an optional, free cultural dance class from 11:30 a.m. to noon where basic Chinese cultural dances are taught, and announcements are made for additional rehearsals and performances. 

Beginning Mandarin for children:. This class offers basic conversational skills for children 5-10 years old who speak little or no Mandarin. Reading and writing are introduced, but understanding and speaking simple words are the focus. The curriculum is similar to a primary school class with pictures to color and games to play. Parents of children in class are encouraged to stay with young ones. 

Continuing Mandarin: This class focuses on youngsters with non-fluent knowledge of Mandarin and teens or adult beginners. Constructing conversational sentences and beginning reading and writing are the focus. Frequently, a teen or adult will begin in this class, study hard, and go on to the advanced class that is more challenging.

Advanced Mandarin: This class is for teens and adults who speak Mandarin but want to maintain or improve skills. Most of the class conversation is in Mandarin. Jokes, literature, history, how to shop, how to conduct business, how to ask tourist questions and understand the answers are some of the topics covered in this class. Most students in this class are conversational in Mandarin and can read and write at an intermediate level. 

Cantonese: One class for all ages and all levels. If you have family who speak Cantonese, then this is the class to take. Smaller group activities offer opportunity to learn functional Cantonese based on the Hong Kong business dialect.


Wednesday Classes, 4:00-5:30 p.m. 
These are more focused classes with no recess or extra activities. You come, learn, and go. All Wednesday students are invited to come to the Saturday extra events and cultural dance classes from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

Beginning Mandarin: the same as on Saturdays.

Continuing Mandarin: the same as on Saturdays.

Adult Mandarin: Beginning to intermediate level for teens and adults. 

Vietnamese: Beginning Vietnamese for children. Similar in content to Beginning Mandarin, but for Vietnamese children ages 5-10. The Families with Children From Asia have put this class together and are working with RECA to have this program fully integrated with our Chinese classes. Please spread the word that this class will be starting. 

Saturday Pre-School

Two Saturdays per month, for children with parent(s) attending. Dates and location will be announced. The focus is on language recognition in Mandarin and playtime with other Asian children. This also gives additional support/discussion/social opportunities for adoptive and natural parents of young children. Cost is separate from other language classes. For more information, please contact Sandy Bartholome, 707-526-4318.

General Information

Location: All classes are held at the RECA Center, 3455 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa. From Santa Rosa’s Highway 101, take Highway 12 west towards Sebastopol. Take the Stony Point Road exit, turn left on Stony Point Road, then right on Sebastopol Road. Go about 0.8 miles west. Turn right into the driveway just past the Pacific Bell site and Santa Rosa Fire Equipment store and sign. Go slowly past the houses. Our location is the last house on the right. It is blue-gray.

First Days of School: Saturday, September 11 and Wednesday, September 15

Tuition:                          Semester Price             Year Price 
1 member in family                $160.00                     $280.00
2 member in family                $280.00                     $480.00
3 member in family                $380.00                     $680.00

Additional family members pay the price for 3 members plus $85.00 per person per semester

Tuition includes RECA membership for the family. The discounted full-year price applies only if paid in September.

If you are new, two visits are allowed before payment is required.

Enrollment forms are available from our Web site at www.recacenter.org or by calling one of the numbers below. Please mail enrollment forms and tuition checks made payable to RECA to: 
Judy Cheung
704 Brigham Ave.
Santa Rosa, CA 95404

For additional information, call:
Nancy Wang, 576-0533 (English or Mandarin)
Judy Cheung, 528-0912 (English) 
Azy Heydon, 575-9541 (English, Mandarin or Cantonese)



RECA ANNUAL PICNIC, SEPT. 12

click here or the picture to see full size of Annual Picnic picture.

FREE IMMIGRATION MEETINGS AND CITIZENSHIP CLASS

Do you have immigration questions? Catholic Charities Immigration Services offers free information meetings every Tuesday and Thursday (except holidays) at 4:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. The office is located at 2325 Montgomery Drive in Santa Rosa. Accredited immigration representatives will answer brief questions regarding immigration issues. If you need more time, they will schedule you for a private consultation. For more information, call 578-6000.

Catholic Charities is also starting a free citizenship class the end of August. The course will tentatively meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Roseland Elementary School, 950 Sebastopol Road in Santa Rosa. The 15-week class is designed for people who have applied or are planning to apply for U.S. citizenship. Class content will include lessons on U.S. history & civics, preparation for the interview with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), and helping students improve their English skills. 

Volunteer tutors are also needed. If you would like to assist a student outside of class for an hour a week, call Mary Lowe at 528-8712. To reserve a class space early, call Catholic Charities Immigration Services at 578-6000.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT MARKET
By Judy Cheung

Last year, RECA made the connections to be able to raise funds through Santa Rosa’s program for non-profit organizations to sell fireworks for the 4th of July. This year, fireworks are banned, but the City of Santa Rosa did not forget us. All non-profit organizations were offered the opportunity to sell and advertise at the Wednesday Night Market. The Board chose two dates, May 26 and June 30, and we were engaged in a new adventure. 

Although not as profitable as fireworks, the booth at the Market gave us an opportunity to sell various items and to talk to people about our organization. 

Our main “product” was to paint the customer’s name in Chinese calligraphy, written by Nancy Wang the first night and Gloria Chung the second night. Other products included original art by Lily Kwong, painted on our first night in person at our booth, framed prints of Chinese watercolors, and various knick-knacks similar to what was sold at our Chinese New Year Celebration. 

The second market night for RECA featured the work of young poet/artist Anna Kong. Her framed poetry and watercolors along with her outgoing salesmanship brought many people to our booth.

Thank you to Gloria Chung, Anna Kong, Lily Kwong, Azy Heydon, Meesha Heydon, Tien Quack, Judy Cheung, Joe Wang and Nancy Wang for all your help in making this new fund-raising venture a success. 

A customer looks at our architect's drawing of our proposed new Center while Nancy writes a name in calligraphy. Back left, Lilly Kwong paints original pictures on rice paper. Back right, Azy Heydon and Tien Quack tend to the items for sale. 


Gloria Chung writes names in calligraphy as customers check out our variety of trinkets.

HERITAGE DAY 2004
By Patty Lok

The RECA booth at the third annual Heritage Day on July 10th was swarming with people, ranging from toddlers to elderly people. Held at the Petaluma Community Center, Heritage Day is a major hit among the locals, as well as out-of-towners. It is a day where many people of diverse backgrounds can get together, share their cultures and, in return, learn about other peoples’ cultures also. Along with the RECA booth, the Petaluma Community Center was teeming with Japanese, Indian, Armenian, Danish, African American, and many other booths. People were migrating inside and outside of the community center trying out the different foods and learning about the different cultures. A kung fu performance and a lion dance attracted many people to the stage to watch the exciting show. 

The RECA booth was especially popular among the people because of the delicious chow mein and egg rolls it had to offer. The RECA booth had a steady amount of people come in for the lunch special and it sold out of food at about 2:30 pm. The chow mein and egg rolls weren’t the only thing that attracted people to the RECA booth, but the beautiful Chinese calligraphy done by Lily Kwong caught everyone’s eyes. With Lily’s eye-catching calligraphy brightening up the RECA booth, it invited more people to come learn about the Chinese culture. Lily took requests from people and translated what they wrote down in English into her beautiful form of writing. Her great skill and generosity were some factors that led to the RECA’s great success at this year’s Heritage Day festival. Little trinkets were also for sale at the RECA booth. Its colorful and alluring image caught the eyes of everyone. 

Carl Wong, superintendent of the Petaluma School District, volunteered to help serve food at the RECA booth for his third year in a row. His kindness and support towards the RECA is much appreciated. This year’s Heritage Day festival for the RECA was a great success thanks to the many people that volunteered that day. 

CLEAN-UP DAY THANKS!

Thank you to all the members who came and helped with our Clean-Up Day in June. Keeping our Center clean and beautiful is a never-ending task that takes all of our help. When we all work together, work becomes a good time. Thank you again.

SANTA ROSA ROSE PARADE
Photos and captions by Judy Cheung

Once again, RECA participated in this year’s Rose Parade and we won first place for Cultural Dance!

Our banner carriers lead the way. Face right--ready, set, just a moment, turn NOW! 


As always, our dragon was one of the major events of the Rose Parade.


Now this is dedication! The day of the Rose Parade was Kevin Wang's 21st birthday. After partying all night at college, he drove home early enough in the morning to be the head of the dragon. Thank you Kevin, and happy birthday! Pictured are Kevin with his mother Nancy. 


The dragon ducks under its own body and untangles itself in this complicated maneuver, which took a lot of practice! (Photo and caption by Mirin Lew)


Our Flower drum dancers added additional cultural depth to our presentation.


Our entry would never be the same without our drummer in the pick-up. Besides, how else can we carry enough water to keep the dancers, lions and dragons in top condition? It is hard to walk the two-mile course. Imagine dancing the parade route in costume! 

CHILDREN’S CHINESE CULTURE CAMP
Photos and Captions by Judy Cheung

From 8 to 80 years of age, nearly 30 RECA members participated in two sessions of the Listening Project of Sonoma County. This community project is created to hear the personal stories of a wide variety of people of all ages and from all backgrounds and experiences. "Everyone has a story," is the main concept given at the trainings held during two Saturday Socials. If you have interesting experiences that might help others understand people different from themselves, contact Nancy Wang, 576-0533, and she will put you in contact with an RECA interviewer. Let your story be heard.

We started each morning with Tai Chi lead by Dang Gong Gong (Calvin Dang).


Chinese cooking was one of our favorite activities. How can you cut vegetables with a plastic knife and not have them fly across the room?


Even language lessons were fun. Here, we had to turn to our friend next to us and ask, "What is your name?" in Chinese. We also learned how to say things like, "I have a brown dog and three yellow cats," "I want to buy three big red candies," and "I am hungry and thirsty. Please, I want a drink of water." 

Ms. Lily Kwong came on Tuesday afternoons to show us her Chinese brush painting and how we could do it. Some of our pictures, using her techniques, were truly works of art. 


In addition to regular arts and crafts, we had button sewing, knitting and painting a large backdrop for our last-day skit.


Hiking after lunch was hot but fun. We picked flowers and black berries on the public path behind our center


On the hottest day, instead of taking a hike, we had water play with a Slip 'N' Slide.


Here is our last-day skit, "The Forgetful Monkeys." Standing around are all the silly little monkeys who couldn't remember what their mother asked them to buy at the market. Seated are the vendors in the market who sold them toys instead of bread, milk, and vegetables. Behind us is the stage set we drew and painted that morning. 

BUSY FEW MONTHS FOR ACTIVE RECA MEMBERS 
By Judy Cheung

RECA has had a busy few months since the last newsletter. We have had cultural performances, Saturday Socials, the end of school, Children's Chinese Culture Camp, clean-up days, RECA/JACL potluck, Philippine Multi-cultural Day, and so many more things, we can't catch our breath. Here are just a few of our many events from May through July.



Our Flower Drum Dancers as well as our Aborigine Dancers were hits at the RECA/JACL/Philippine joint potluck.

Joe and Nancy Wang write names in calligraphy at Coddingtown Family Fun Night. Other members chatted with shoppers about our language school, cultural events, how to become a new member, our proposed new building, our newsletter and our many activities. 


At the RECA/JACL/Phil. joint potluck, our Youth Group gave an entertaining skit based on the Monkey King. The poor Monkey King has to learn humility and responsibility even though he has many great powers. 


At SRJC's Day Under the Oaks, a Press Democrat reporter and photographer interviews our Aborigine and Flower Drum Dancers.

At the Santa Rosa Day Under The Oaks, our lion team was a main attraction, leading dancers, martial artists and the audience through the campus in a happy procession. Here, two of our youngest members make their debut as part of the large martial arts contingency that joined us from Li's Tai Chi and Kung Fu Academy.

Web Site Update

The RECA Web site at www.recacenter.org has become out of date since our last Webmaster became unavailable. However, we are now getting the site updated with the help of Dongfen Gao, who has volunteered to help us maintain our Web site. Thanks for your help, Dongfen!

Share your news and stories or advertise in the RECA newsletter!

We welcome submissions from all members. Tell us about your business, share news about your family, write about a special event, or share information that may be of interest to other RECA members. Articles may be sent to RECA’s P.O. box or emailed to reca_news@yahoo.com. Articles are subject to the editor’s approval and will be printed as space permits. 

Members are also invited to advertise in the newsletter. The fee is $30 to advertise in one issue, or $100 for 4 quarterly issues (one year). Please send a check for the advertising fee along with your ad to RECA’s P.O. box.

For more information, call Mirin Lew at 545-6173.

MEMBER ADVERTISEMENTS

Advertisements in the newsletter are available to all members. The fee is $30 for a one-time advertisement, or $100 for advertisements in all issues for one year. Please send a check for the advertising fee along with your ad to RECA at P.O. Box 7854, Santa Rosa, CA 95407.

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

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