Chi Am Circle Presidents’ message MARCH 2012 PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGE This year’s 2012 Directory will surely be even more helpful as we compile many more pictures of our members. Dear Chi Am Ladies, We are so appreciative of our members who have been March is already upon us and the Easter Bunny will be escorting their friends to our functions and introducing visiting in a month! We’ve been busy the first two months of 2012: aside from the full house at our January Membership Tea, nearly fifty members and friends congregated for good food and camaraderie at our recent them to Chi Am – eighteen dynamic ladies have already joined since December 2011! A BIG WELCOME to all our new members! We’re look- Taste ‘n Tell. ing forward to meeting and working with you at our We have many fun-filled events lined up for everyone, so be sure to always check our website, upcoming events. Happy Spring to all, www.chiamcircle.org, or look at our Upcoming Events Helen & Rose column in each newsletter. Ginger Lai has scheduled Sunday, March 18, for our Asian Film Festival matinee screening of "Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful,” a movie about a 98-year-old woman with a 10th degree black belt in judo. Movie goers will have an opportunity to socialize and enjoy lunch together before the film begins; please read the attached article for more details. We’ve reserved the Rinconada Clubhouse for our second CHI AM CIRCLE CLUB Poker Tournament on Saturday evening, April 28. This Page 1 event was quite a hit last year and we aim for an even larger turnout next month. For anyone who isn’t sure what this fun night is all about, just ask any of last year’s prize winners for testimonials: Clara Lee, Aurora Louie, Monica Eng, Gloria Hom, Brenda Wong’s husband (Willy), Bev Harada’s husband (Dave), Jennie Hong’s husband (Tom), Alice Wong’s husband (Art), our behindthe-scenes supporters like Violet Lee and Cleo Jong, or contact the co-chairs Beverly Harada and Rose Tokugawa. Upcoming Events Our new Board member, Clara Lee, and her husband, Mar 4 (Sat) Hakone Garden’s Year of the Dragon Festival Mar 18 (Sun) Asian Film Festival Apr 28 ((Sat) Poker Tournament and Dinner May 10 (Thu) Scholarship Award Dinner Jun 23 (Sat) Line Dancing Jul 14 (Sat) New Member Potluck Aug 25 (Sat) E-Waste Fundraiser and backpack collection project Sep 15 (Sat) Joong making workshop Oct 20 (Sat) Local Asian Food Drive Nov 17 (Sat) Cookie Exchange & Craft Project Cecil Chan, have been so gracious with their time in taking individual portraits of our members at our January and February events. Inside this issue: Presidents Message 1 CHI AM CIRCLE 2012 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM KICK OFF 2 Chi-Am Circle of Sponsors.. 3 30th Annual Film Festival 4 Rainbow Jell-O Recipe 5 Taste n’ Tell ; Welcome new Members 6 Advertisements 7 C H I A M C I R C L E C L U B N E W S L E T T E R – C O N T . P G 2 CHI AM CIRCLE 2012 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM KICK OFF Our 2012 scholarship program offering to Santa Clara county high school seniors is underway. Scholarships are awarded to Santa Clara County school students of Asian descent who demonstrate academic achievement, as well as involvement in the school and community. Scholarships are awarded for merit, community service, financial need and/or superior extracurricular activities (ie: performing arts, athletics, etc.) The guidelines and applications are on our website www.ChiAmCircle.org, and will be attached to the email of this newsletter (electronic version only). The postmark deadline for applications is Friday, March 30, 2012. Scholarship Selection Chair: Lisa Liu Committee: Sylvia Eng, Mae Fong, Betty Garbern, Coleen Gee, Bev Harada, Cleo Jong, Helen Kwan, Shirley Lai, Ellen Lau, Alice Lee, Susan Lew Lee, Pearl Lee, Darlene Mar, Fran Quon, Teddy Sue, Rose Tokugawa, Leslie Tomihiro, Alicera Vaewsorn, Helen Yamauchi, Vanita Yuen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORSHIP Chi Am's flagship community service is its Scholarship Awards Program for Asian Santa Clara high school senior students heading to college in the Fall. The women of Chi Am have a big heart and a long history of awarding scholarships to the youth in our community. These talented and bright students will soon become our future leaders. Do consider being a Scholarship Sponsor in 2012 and make a donation to our Scholarship Program. Open your heart and your wallet and join our Circle of Sponsors. The Sponsorship Brochure was distributed at the Membership Tea and mailed to remaining members who were not in attendance. Please review the brochure and kindly consider making a donation this year. All donations are fully tax deductible -- donations in any denomination are gladly accepted. Checks may be made payable to Chi Am Circle and mailed to: Chi Am Circle, P.O. Box 2756, Cupertino, CA 05014. Donations may also be made electronically via website: www.chiamcircle.org. Let's make 2012 another successful year! When the women of Chi Am get together, they have a spirit of their own. If you know of friends and/or businesses who would like to be a sponsor; Please contact these 2 ladies: Zeny Seid at [email protected], phone: 408-358-0368 Cleo Jong at [email protected], phone: 650-966-1838 Thank you. C H I A M C I R C L E C L U B N E W S L E T T E R – C O N T . P G 3 CHI AM CIRCLE OF SPONSORS 2012 = SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORSHIP Scholarship Sponsorship 2012 is off to a running start but still needs your donations to rival last year's fundraising efforts. Below is a current list of our valued Donors: Early bird Proud Sponsors of Chi Am who donated in 2011: Annie Chow Memorial Fund Gwendolyn & Harold Wong Cleo & Peter Jong Linda & Robert Toda Dr. Pam Jong Antonio & Norman Tu Josie & Ken Kwong Proud Sponsors of Chi Am who donated in January 2012: Betty Garbern Ellen Lau Alicera Vaewsorn Ginger Hu Lisa Liu Connie Young Yu Ginger Lai Proud Sponsors of Chi Am who donated in February 2012: Anita Chan Mae Ding Sylvia & Dr. Roger Eng Evelyn Gate Betty Garbern Dr. Gloria Hom Wendy & Dr. Stephen Fong Sharon Juang Sharon & Benny Lai Jeff & Jennie Lee Susan S. Lee Annie Leung Buddie & Kendall Quong Zeny & Dr. Vincent Seid Irene Thompson Gerrye & Calvin Wong Mary Ann & Ernie Wong Verna Wong Maxine Yee APPLE - Company Match We thank all our wonderful Donors and value your ongoing support THANK YOU! For those of you, who have not sent in your donation, please remember to do so before deadline date of March 31, 2012. We hope other members will kindly consider making a donation this year and join our group of Proud Sponsors of Chi Am 2012. We gladly accept donations in any denomination, and all donations are fully tax deductible. Please refer to the donation form for additional information. You may also contact Sponsorship Co-Chairs: Zeny Seid at [email protected]; Cleo Jong at [email protected], 650-966-1838. C H I A M C I R C L E C L U B N E W S L E T T E R – C O N T . P G 4 30th Annual Film Festival Sunday, March 18 at 2:00 P.M. ChiAm is off to the movies on Sunday, March 18 and all members, spouses, family and friends are invited to this fun event. ChiAm will co-present the film "Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful" at the 30th annual Asian Film Festival. According to CAAM (Center for Asian American Media) this film about a 98year-old woman, the ONLY woman to hold a 10th degree black belt in judo, is "getting tons of buzz and press" at the moment. The movie will be shown at Camera 3 Cinemas (288 South Second St., San Jose) on Sunday, March 18 at 2pm. We need a minimum of 10 attendees to qualify for a group ticket price of $10.50/person. And since ChiAm is "presenting" we'd like a strong turnout. Prior to the movie, lunch reservations will be made at Gordon Biersch (33 East San Fernando, San Jose) for 11:45am. Lunch is optional, you may order off the menu and pay for your own meal. Reserve movie ticket(s) and lunch reservations NOW - deadline for tickets and lunch is Thursday, March 8. Email Ginger @ [email protected] or call (408-439-2377). By Ginger Lai C H I A M C I R C L E C L U B N E W S L E T T E R – C O N T . P G 5 Liza Wong’s RAINBOW FINGER JELLO BASIC FINGER JELLO RECIPE: 3 packages of Jello (3 oz) 3 cup water (2 hot, 1 cold) 4 packages of Gelatin 1 cup whipping cream Mix Jello and Gelatin together in a bowl Add water – 2 cups hot to dissolve jello, and 1 cup cold to cool Add cream at room temperature and mix well To make RAINBOW FINGER JELLO – Repeat above recipe for each color (ROY G) RED (STRAWBERRY OR CHERRY) ORANGE YELLOW (Lemon) GREEN (Lime) To make CHINESE NEW YEAR FINGER JELLO – choose 4 corresponding color/flavors of Chinese New Year RED (STRAWBERRY OR CHERRY) ORANGE YELLOW (Lemon) RED (RASPBERRY OR CHERRY) FOR THE 4 layer finger jello, The recipe makes enough finger food for a large party of at least 30 people. Line up the colors in an assembly with bowls, stirring sticks, jello/gelatin, etc. Make all the respective colors in each bowl. As each color is finished (approx 5-6 cups), pour into a large measuring cup that can at least hold 6 cups or 3 cups. Start with Red, Orange, Yellow, Green…. You will need TWO 8.5x11 pans…..pour ½ of each color into each pan (approx 2.5 cups). Put both pans in refrigerator for approx 12 minutes for the first color…until the tops are dry. The first color (RED) will take a few minutes longer to cool and gel. Repeat with the next color (ORANGE)….pour into a large measuring cup, and pour cooled mixture into 8.5x11 pan. Refrigerate for 10 minutes with a timer. Repeat this with the rest of the colors…. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into rectangular squares, serve on platters…..Enjoy! A Big Welcome to New Chi Am Members CHI AM CIRCLE CLUB Community Service in the Bay Area since 1965 Chi Am Circle is a non-profit Asian American women's organization established in Margaret Abe-Koga Sally Broberg Danielle Fu Valerie Jeung Judy Lee Michele Lew Sharon Lai Janet Ozasa Shelly Sze Irene Thompson Joyce Tom Leslie Tomihiro Anna Tse Wendy Tsoi Verna Wong Mary Young Jackie Yu Wendy Zee 1965. Chi Am is built on a foundation of friendship with a mission of service in projects which are diverse and affect a broad range of community members. Members of Chi Am Circle are leaders in the Bay Area, many with their own businesses and/or heads of other organizations. In recent years, Chi Am has expanded its community http://www.chiamcircle.org/ CHI AM MEMBERSHIP 2012 (by Paulette Curby) Thank you Chi Am Members who have introduced your friends to the Club. As you can see, our membership is growing. We welcome our new members and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events: Hakone Lunar New Year Festival, Asian Film Festival, and Poker Fun Night/Dinner. Everyone, please invite guests to these events. For those members who have forgotten to pay their 2012 dues and getting the newsletter, please send your check of $35 payable to Chi Am Circle. Chi Am Circle, PO Box 2756, Cupertino, CA 95014; Attn: Monica Eng, OR you may renew your membership and pay on-line at www.chiamcircle.org If you need any assistance with on-line payment, please call me at 408-507-4909. If you want to receive the newsletter in hard print, please send a separate check for $15 to cover postage and printing by mail to the same address above. CHI-AM'S TASTE AND TELL … IT TAKES A VILLAGE OR JUST FANTASTIC WOMEN It took a team of fantastic women to pull it off. Another signature event of Chi Am, our annual TASTE AND TELL, took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at San Jose's Self Help facilities. True to form, this popular event filled the dining room to capacity. The tables were decorated with red placemats and at the center of each table were lovingly created centerpieces of fresh camellias, greens and red paper envelopes by Barbara Why, Ruby Fong, Joyce Tom and Mary Ann Wong. Miriam Ngai, Carol Fong and Carolyn Jow made sure that there were ample paper goods, tablecloths, placemats, and utensils. Our long, sumptuous buffet table was bestowed with mouth-watering salads and savory meat dishes, manned by Mabel Lai, Valerie Jeung, Virginia Bakken and Shelly Sze. Many of the members spent countless hours preparing their dishes in honor of the Year of the Dragon. Shelly's Sze's “Lion Head” dish entailed many hours of slow simmering, as did Gloria Hom's Braised Pork dish. This generates the TELLING of requested recipes of the Lion Head and Braised Pork. Also not to be missed were some fantastic chicken salads as well as noodle dishes. Everything was at a gourmet level done by our fantastic Chi Am women. Page 6 Committee members brought their version of New Year’s desserts and everyone found the dessert bar to be very popular. The table had everything from fresh fruits to sweet won tons to nien gow (Chinese New Year's baked mochi cake), mango custard, as well as almond floats and a myriad of baked cakes and cookies. We all know that with coffee and tea, everything tastes better. Thanks to Jennie Hong and Doris Char, we all TASTED. We’d particularly like Lisa Liu to TELL us the recipe for her delicious pear tart. If you missed Taste and Tell this year, do not fret. There will be another chance of indulgence next year, for our fantastic Chi Am women will be cooking up another fabulous kaleidoscope of fabulous foods. Chair: Muriel Kao Committee: Virginia Bakken, Doris Char, Carol Fong, Ruby Fong, Jennie Hong, Valerie Jeung, Carolyn Jow, Mabel Lai, Miriam Ngai, Joyce Tom, Shelly Tse, Barbara Why and Mary Ann Wong. Advertisements Support our sponsors Guidelines for publishing and advertising in the Chi Am Newsletter Below are the guidelines for submitting articles and/or flyers for publishing in the newsletter. For articles written in Microsoft Word: Use the Arial font Headings can be font size 12 -16 Text should be in font size 10, 11 or 12 For flyers, please submit your flyers in PDF format. Also, in the past we have received requests from for-profit groups and business related events For those of you who own businesses, the advantages of advertising in the newsletter are: The newsletter is delivered to over 100 Chi Am members every month The newsletter is available for download from our website 24 hours / 7 days a week We archive all the current year’s newsletter, so even if your ad is no longer in this month’s newsletter, it is still available in previous months’ newsletter In the past 10 months, we have had an average of 1100+ hits per month on our web-site. This means, there is potentially over a 1000 people who checked out our web-site and could download our newsletter. And finally, you will be helping Chi Am fund our numerous activities and community service events.