2011 Lunar New Year Banquet in Celebration of the Year of the Golden Rabbit

Celebrating the Lunar New Year, NACA hosted its annual fundraising banquet on Saturday, February 19th, at Canton House Restaurant with over 300 attendees this year. Known as the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays, this year’s Lunar New Year marks Year 4709 and is the year of the “Golden” Rabbit. Guests gathered in the early evening to mingle with others as they enjoyed dim sum treats before a Lion Dance, featuring members of the Chien Hong School of Kung Fu, opened the program.

NACA Board Members Xianqin (Lisa) Wallace and Andy Wong served as this year’s Mistress and Master of Ceremonies while NACA Chair, Lani Wong, provided welcoming remarks to greet guests. This year’s program featured remarks from The Honorable Dr. John Eaves (Chairman of the Board, Fulton County Board of Commissioners), Chief of Staff Candace L. Byrd (Office of the Mayor, City of Atlanta) and The Honorable Deputy Commissioner Gretchen Corbin (Georgia Department of Economic Development). The Honorable Consul General Gao Yanping from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Houston served as the evening’s Keynote Speaker. Each year NACA makes a special presentation to an organization or entity by contributing a gift donation that serves to further each of their cause or mission. This year’s recipients were Georgia Perimeter College who received $12,000, Good Shepherd Services of Atlanta who received $5,000 and Georgia Institute of Technology’s Center for International Business Education and Research who received $3,000.

Entertainment for the evening was provided by members of Cathay Atlantic Art Ensemble who performed a traditional Chinese dance and a compilation of popular Chinese songs sung by NACA member Joanna Jin. The Mistress and Master of Ceremonies ended the program with a raffle and auction. Raffle items included local area restaurant gift cards, a Ritz-Carlton deluxe accommodation and 1st day issued Year of the Rabbit commemorative note card and stamp set while auction items included a stunning four-strand cultured pearl necklace and AirTran Airways roundtrip tickets.

Some of this year’s sponsors included AirTran Airways, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, The Home Depot, Troutman Sanders LLP, China Shipping (North America) Agency Co., Inc., GE Energy, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

玉兔迎春在亚城

——记全美华人协会（NACA）兔年春节晚宴

By 胡冰子

2011年2月19日晚，亚特兰大华人社区的重头戏——一年一度的全美华人协会（NACA）春节晚宴在Canton House Restaurant隆重举行。中国驻美大使馆张业遂大使、乔治亚州州长Nathan Deal、乔治亚州副州长Casey Cagle、乔治亚州经济发展部部长Chris Cummiskey均发来贺信，致以节日的问候。张业遂大使在贺信中称，全美华人协会为促进中美相互理解与合作做出了杰出贡献，例如2010年秋季举办的中美商务高峰 论坛就为中国和美东南地区提供了商务交流和对话的平台。张业遂大使相信，全美华人协会将在 晚宴由Chien Hong功夫学校表演的舞狮拉开序幕。两只醒狮忽而摇头摆尾，忽而腾挪跳 跃，仿佛一幅浓墨重彩的年画，预示着新的一年咱们华人龙虎精神！全美华人协会主席李秀兰女士为各位嘉宾献上了热情洋溢的欢迎词，祝大家新年好运道。2011年1月20日，李秀兰女士应邀参加了胡锦涛主席访美期间的部分活动，并受到胡锦涛主席亲切会见。新的一年里，全美华人协会将一如既往，继续为中美交流一心奉献。

Fulton郡政务委员会主席John Eaves博士、亚特兰大市长办公室首席幕僚Candace L.Byrd以及乔治亚州经济发展部委员Gretchen Corbin先后致辞，表达了他们对华人春节的重视和祝福。来自休斯顿总领事馆的高燕平总领事作主旨发言，为海外华人同胞们带来了祖国的节日祝福。高燕平总领事高度赞扬了全美华人协会多年来在促进中美交流中发挥的关键作用，为架设中
美关系的桥梁作出了重大贡献。高燕平总领事还指出，中国和美国是世界上最重要的两个大国，

发展两国关系是两国人民的需要，并感谢在座同胞为此所做的积极努力。全美华人协会春节晚宴历来有一个重要传统，即对社区项目进行捐赠。此次，全美华人协会向Georgia Perimeter College捐赠了12000美元，向Good Shepherd Services捐赠了5000美元，向乔治亚理工学院国际商业教育和研究中心(Georgia Tech CIBER)捐赠了3000美元。这正体现了全美华人协会“架构文化桥梁、培养未来领导、回馈造福社区”的宗旨。宴会厅里，各位嘉宾身着盛装显得喜气洋洋，欢声笑语道不尽问候和祝福，美酒佳肴尽显 节日气氛。主办方全美华人协会还精心准备了富有中国热色的歌舞给大家助兴，现场抽奖和慈善送金虎，迎玉兔，摘硕果，展宏图。辞旧岁，看辛勤的汗水化作成功的喜悦；庆新春，用华人的智慧开创美好的未来。
我们相信明天会更好！