Organization of Chinese Americans-Utah Chapter
UOCA Newsletter
"Embracing the Hopes and Aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans"
August 2011
www.uoca.org
 Nominations for UOCA’s Annual Awards Gala
 Upcoming Events: End of Summer BBQ
Day of Service
Miss Asia/(Teen) Utah
 Taylorsville Dayzz Fundraising
 Celebration at Promontory Point
 UOCA participates in Asian Festival
Nominations for UOCA’s Annual Awards Gala
Nominations for the 2011 UOCA recognition awards are now open! Each year at our
Annual Gala, UOCA recognizes three people/organizations for their service to the
Asian American community. Nominees do NOT have to be Asian American.
Please consider nominating someone or an organization to be recognized, by
forwarding their name, contact information and your reason for nominating
them. Any supporting documentation that demonstrates their service to the
Asian American community is also recommended. Please also include your
name and contact information. Forward all information to the nominating
committee c/o Karen Kwan ([email protected]).
Save the Date for Upcoming Events
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Taylorsville Dayzz Fundraising
By: Angela Wong
Amongst all of the summer festivities, UOCA and our
friends and family members were able to come together
to have fun while contributing to a good cause. Many
UOCA members, members’ family and friends were all
so joyous to participate. More than a total of 50
volunteers were present throughout the 2 full days of
the event, totaling more than 150 hours of volunteer
work!
Golden China Restaurant was a great sponsor of our
food booth. They supported us immensely by providing
the food for us at their cost, in addition to free Ice and hot sauce.
Karen Kwan and Terence Chen got the drinks for us. Quang Tran helped us to setup the steam table. Michael
Kwan and his family were there from the beginning to the end. Jimmy Chen and the whole family were there to
help at the busiest time. Rick Lam, his son and friends were the great helpers. Fan and Harvey Dam were great at
helping with what was needed. Rachel Yee and her daughters were the most experienced food sellers. Angela
Wong invited the Chinatown owners, where they worked hard, sweating in the sun as they contentedly handed
out samples of the food and drew in business for our food booth.
When we recognize that a better word for Fundraising is “friend raising,” we open limitless doors to creativity in
support of our causes.
- Sue Vineyard
Promontory Point
By: Stefanie Tran
On May 10, 2011 I, along with few other UOCA members, drove to
Promontory Point this year to celebrate 142nd anniversary of
commemorating the completion of the first transcontinental railway.
Promontory point marks a very significant event in US history. One
hundred forty two years ago the Golden Spike was driven here to
join the Central and Union Pacific railroad to form the First
Transcontinental railroad. This is important to Chinese Americans
today because it is an event that gives us an opportunity to
remember the efforts and endurance of the Chinese railroad workers who
helped make this great project happen. Immigrant labor was employed in
construction of this first line to cross the continent. Chinese workers
helped build the western section across the Sierra Nevada Mountains and
the great basin while Irish immigrants were employed on the line from the
east. The two crews met at this point.
Even though I have been to the event once, I did not see the re-enactment
last time. It was raining hard, but the staff still carried on with the reenactment; a fitting tribute to the hardships endured by the workers. The
staff at Golden Spike also gave all of us a little gift with DVD explaining the
history of Golden Spike.
After event we visited the rocket display at the ATK Thiokol promontory plant. The exhibit included full
size replicas of Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters and the other large rockets manufactured at the plant. It
was a great day to spend time learning the history of the Golden Spike and see the display Rockets, I hope
to see you next year at this great event.
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UOCA participates in the annual Asian Festival
The 34th annual presentation of the Utah Asian Festival took place this year on June 11th. By any standard,
this year's festival at the South Towne Expo Center was a smash hit. All the available booths sold out and
there was even a waiting list. The nearly 7,000 attendees experienced marvelous food booths, interesting
commercial and civic booths, fun, games, and, of course, great live performances.
There were more than 20 live performances by local community groups and schools. UOCA's own board
members, Eunice Jones and Terence Chen, did a tremendous job as host and hostess of the show.
Among the many, many great acts, we particularly enjoyed the Wat Lao Salt Lake Children's Dance Group,
the Utah Chinese Youth Chamber Ensemble, the Utah Folk Orchestra, the Salt Lake Chinese Choir, the
Hwa Kwang Chinese School, and the PAAU Kulturang Pinoy Ensemble. The performances culminated in a
big raffle drawing and a stunningly beautiful International Fashion Show organized by Lian Agne s Higley.
UOCA once again provided a children's area with games, activities, art and calligraphy demonstrations. We
are indebted to Rick Lam and State Farm Insurance for their generous support of the children's area
activities. The quality, variety, and success of the children's activities
owe a great deal to that support.
In the children's area, volunteers helped children and their parents
build kites, color Rabbit posters, fold paper dragons, practice writing
Chinese characters, and play with Chinese shuttle cock toys. They
also manned our UOCA information booth. Kids could also win
prizes in the Rabbit Game and admire the skill of Mr. Chen as he
created marvelous animal carvings.
We couldn't have done anything without our volunteers. We want to
give a special thanks to JoAnn Wang for her inspired Rabbit game and Year of the Rabbit decorations; and
to Master Chen, his daughter, and granddaughter for sharing his artistic carvings with us. Siu Lin Santee
worked tirelessly to insure the smooth operation of the children's activities and Lucas Truang and Rich
Nhan
recruited some great volunteers from YAAP (Young Asian
American Professionals). Thanks to all the UOCA volunteers who
made the children's area such a success.
Overall, the entire Asian Festival was a great success. Attendance was
amazing and the audience had a fantastic cultural experience. Great
events come together because of great volunteers. We are very
proud that so many of the Festival's leading volunteers are also
UOCA members. The next time you see them, give a special
“Thank You” to …
Michael Kwan, Chair
Terry Chen, Co-Chair, Co-M.C.
Rachel Yee, Ling Ling Chen, Booth Chairs
Eunice Jones, Finance Chair, Co-M.C.
Margaret Yee, Community Representative
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OCA Utah Chapter
PO Box 271066
Salt Lake City, UT 84127-1066
Address Service Required
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