Spring Picnic at McDowell Nature Preserve on April 27

Filipino Americans in the North Carolina area, please mark April 27, 2019 as a red letter date on your calendars.

That's when the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) will hold its Spring Picnic at the McDowell Nature Preserve at 15222 York Road in Charlotte North Carolina, 28278.

The theme of this year's Spring Picnic which starts at 10 am and ends at 5 pm is “Kapamilya, Kapuso…Kasiyan" (One Family, One Heart, One Festivity).”

Muffy Therien, first Vice President of the FACC, said among the activities included in the program will be a zumba session with Marissa Borja and a yoga class with Jenny Mok. “It is family oriented," she said.

Prizes galore will be awarded to all participants and everyone is encouraged to bring their whole family to the FACC Spring Picnic.

“You might be surprised there will be a lot of surprises  if one brings the whole family,” FACC Area Rep Liza Salyer said.  

New FACC members will also be acknowledged as well.

The FACC Spring Picnic kicks off the year round calendar of events sponsored and organized by the FACC for the Filipino-American community in North Carolina and nearby areas.

“I always look forward to attending the Spring Picnic because I get to see my friends," said Lydia Bordeos, mother of FACC Secretary Dorena Reynolds.

A newcomer who requested anonymity said she is excited to attend and meet fellow Filipino-Americans in the Spring Picnic which will be held at McDowell Nature Preserve for the third time.

Food is potluck but the FACC said lechon (roasted pig) will be served during the event./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Past Carolinas Chamber president wins Maddox Award

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

A past president of the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) was cited as the 2019 George L. Maddox Awardee in simple ceremonies held at the Aldersgate Life Plan Services in Charlotte, North Carolina last February 20.

Nimish Bhatt, an incumbent member of the CAACC's Board of Directors, was his usual low key self when he received the prestigious award from Joyce Massey-Smith of the North Carolina State Department of Health and Human Services.

Smith relayed her division's appreciation of Bhatt's dedication to ensuring the  health and wellness of Asian seniors by providing access to health care, nutrition and even  transportation.

“Your advocacy for those senior citizens who need services is appreciated.  Your  effort and love, your commitment and passion is much appreciated,” Smith told Bhatt.

The Maddox Award is presented each year to persons, organizations or communities that excelled in meeting the needs of older citizens in the state.

George L. Maddox was an internationally known sociologist on the Duke faculty who helped shape the study of aging and human development.

Smith disclosed Bhatt's roots as an Asian-American born in Uganda, Africa to Indian parents who are missionaries and educators.  Bhatt is from Gandhinagar, Gujurat and is a civil engineer by education and profession.

In 1999 he was in the board of directors and the vice president of the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce. Bhatt is very active in the international American community and came to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1994.

Jimmy Patel, one of the speakers in the ceremony, said Bhatt is always helping other people. When meals were served during the ceremony, Bhatt was seen serving and talking with the diners.

“It is just amazing he has qualities and virtues that a true leader must have.  A true leader thinks he is a servant of the community. He told me 'I am a servant of the community not a leader',” Patel said.

Patel described Bhatt as humble, selfless, dedicated and committed, someone who will stick to what he pledged until he completes it. He said Bhatt had been instrumental in many projects in the community. 

Through his commitment, Patel said Bhatt is helping bridge the gap between the East and West in the Carolinas. Patel also lauded Bhatt for committing himself to projects both small and big, never tiring or complaining about it. 

During the Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day last January 21, Bhatt was given the Martin Luther King Jr “ Keeper of the Dream" award by the City of Charlotte for  exemplifying strong character, determination and humility in public service.”

Filipino-American is Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce president

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

The newest president of the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce wants to build bridges between communities regardless of race, age and gender preferences.

Clad in a black pantsuit, 35-year-old Filipino American Ann Gonzales said she wants to dig deeper into her Asian roots and bridge the gap between East and West.

Ann, a student of Eskwelahang Munti, is the second Filipino-American to become chamber president after Dr. Nini Bautista.  She also has a family and an eight-year-old son and wants to honor her Filipino roots.

She stood tall among those present while addressing last Thursday’s “Meet and Greet the CAACC Leadership Team” at Aldersgate Life Plan Services.

Ann admitted to being surprised after being approached and learning that she was nominated for the post.  “We all grow up feeling doubt or uncertain about our abilities at some point in our lives,” Ann said.

She recounted  her career journey, starting with her learning about computers at 16 years old. Ann said there was only America Online (AOL) and Netscape at the time.

“There was just dial up and people were just learning how to chat online and Google was not the online search giant as it is today,” Ann said. She recalled chatting with a friend who built her own website.

“I was so enthralled with this that I learned how to code and build my own website. Through the years, I built even more websites but just for fun.  It was just a hobby,” Ann said.

This self-taught developer said her first official  client was a massage therapist in downtown Matthews. “I charged her only $100 to build her website and back then I still had to develop my skill set,” Ann said.

Through time and persistence, Ann honed her skills and a turning point came when she visited her client's booth at Westin Hotel during a business expo sponsored by the Charlotte Business Guild, now known as the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce .

“On seeing them I told myself 'This is what I want to do. I want to start my own business and be part of this organization,” Ann said.

In 2011 she started her own creative agency and sat on the board of the LGBT Chamber for  five years.  Ann became chamber president and served her last term last year.

“Being part of a Chamber of Commerce gave so much to me. It boosted my self-confidence. It gave me opportunities to network with people. I felt like I was part if something, a part of Charlotte,” Ann said.

Ann used her position to share her business success and to keep in contact with the community pulse. She said she loved her Filipino roots, having arrived in Charlotte in 1998.  Her mother is Filipino and her father is American.

Studying at the Eskwelahang Munti, Ann learned conversational Pilipino, the Philippine national language.  Ann said she was also surprised to learn during a training session in Houston sponsored by the Chamber Training Institute that 75 percent of the participants were Asian.

At that time she worked with Susan Allen of the US Pan Asian-American Chamber of Commerce. "I need to connect with our local Asian community,” Ann said.

True enough, six months later she met John C. Chen, Nini Bautista, Nimish Bhatt and the rest of the board at the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce.

Through her presidency, Ann wants others to know that self doubt should not lead people to defeat but used as motivation to pursue one's goals in life.

“If you want to start a business, do it.  If you want to work with Fortune 500 companies do it,” she said.  Ann assured all businesses in the Charlotte community that the chamber will be there to help them.

“We understand because we're also business owners. We operate non-profits. We've worked with the large corporations. We can relate,” Ann said.  She also called on those in attendance to build bridges rather than walls in order to help each other improve their lives socially and economically.

“Even if we're different ages, men, women, LGBT, straight, mom or dad and  entrepreneurs. We're Filipinos, Japanese, Indians, Chinese, Vietnamese and a myriad of other cultures,” Ann said.
( photo credits Vedant Raval)

Loving, helping the poor at Charlotte Amore

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Loving one another means helping each other and this was both the theme and challenge for the recent Charlotte Amore dinner and dance event held at the St. Gabriel Parish Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In a speech he gave for the event Jake Miranda, manager for ANCOP Foundation Inc.'s Southeast Asian region, cited a quote from the late Mother Teresa who said that people “will be judged on the basis of their love for one another.”

Jake Miranda with wife Rosemary and son Jeremy

The Charlotte Amore event also coincided with the annual celebration of Valentine's Day and February as the Love Month.  Amore is an Italian word for love and the event highlights the love shared by married couples.

He said this love for one another is demonstrated through faith in action which means helping each other, especially those who cannot help themselves.  

ANCOP, an acronym for Answering The Call of the Poor, is a non-profit organization organized by the Couples for Christ to help the poor.

The CFC is a ministry by the Catholic Church for its married faithful.  Miranda told those in attendance that the Amore dinner and dance event is a fundraiser for poor but deserving scholars in the Philippines.

About 10 students will be added to the 21 beneficiaries of the scholarship program to be funded by the dinner dance event through ANCOP's Child Sponsorship Program. 

The Charlotte Amore event is the first to be held for this purpose in the Charlotte area.  Food was provided by Love Garden while the husband and wife team of Bing and Meng Lorenzo hosted the event which drew more than 200 persons in attendance.

Among those who provided entertainment were the group Pinoy Noir Lite, guest band Tarah and the Emojis and the CFC Charlotte.

Giving individual song and duet performances were Emelyn “Em-Em" Burgess, auditor of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) , past FACC president Bert Rodriguez and Leia Anastacio. 

Scholars, songs and dance in Charlotte Amore event

Me with hubby ||Ronnie

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

At least 200 turned out for the first Charlotte Amore dinner and dance event spearheaded by the Couples for Christ  to raise funds for their ANCOP Child Sponsorship Program.

The event held at the St. Gabriel Parish Center was well organized from the registration up to the lining of people for food. About 261 tickets were sold for event hosted by the husband and wife team of Ben and Meng Lorenzo.

In his welcome remarks Jake Miranda, Manager of ANCOP Foundation (USA) Inc.'s Southeast Asian region, said there are 21 students fron the Philippines who will receive scholarships for a year based on the presence of the attendees.

Rogelio and Stella Lawsin cited for sponsoring three scholars

Another 10 scholars will be sponsored by pledges, he said. Sr. Edeva, O.P led the prayers before meals while the diners were serenaded by classic love music.

Miranda said the Charlotte Amore event mirrors the celebration of love between husband and wife, children and friends and this love is demonstrated through faith in action. ANCOP is an acronym for Answering the Cry Of the Poor. 

ANCOP is a non-profit organization founded by CFC, an international Catholic lay organization committed to helping the poor. Couples for Christ, in turn, is a ministry for married couples in the Catholic Church.

Miranda cited the program's guiding principle by paraphrasing Mother Teresa, who said that people “will be judged on the basis of their love for one another.” 

Aside from the dancing, also making the event an evening to remember were performers from the guests like the group Pinoy Noir Lite and guest band Tarah and the Emojis.

Pinoy Noir Lite which is composed of Dr. Edward Tautjo, Atty.Leia Anastacio and Dr. Ronel Enrique sang a medley of Filipino  contemporary classics and guest band Tarah and the Emojis.

Also on hand were the CFC South and North  Charlotte who danced to the popular love songs  and Vanessa Carino who sang popular tunes like “Can't Take My Eyes off You.” 

Emelyn “Em-Em" Burgess sang a medley of Beatles' hits. Burgess is the auditor of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) and sits in the group's board of directors. 

Past FACC president Bert Rodriguez was also game as he sang the classic “Put Your Head On My Shoulder.”  He and Burgess later did a duet of the song “Endless Love.”

Burgess and Carino also sang “The Greatest Love of All” with Leia Anastacio. Several awards were also given. Among the recipients were Steve Mirman, Lisa McNamara, Nana Nonato, Malette Oliveros and Jessica Esguerra  for early bird arrivals.

John and Lucille Moses were also given appreciation gifts for being the longest married couple among the attendees. John is 98 while Lucille is 93.
Also awarded were Peter and Belinda Villadarez as Mr and Mrs. Amore.

Host Dr. Bing Lorenzo with the oldest couple in the event,

Malette Oliveros and Jessica Esguerra  were also cited for selling the most Amore tickets. 

There were also awards for Best Dressed Couple, Best Dressed Male (Danny Falk) and Best Dressed Female (Mia Bacho). Rogelio and Stella Lawsin were also awarded for sponsoring three scholars in the Philippines.

Seen during the event were Dr. Eumelia “Nini" Bautista, FACC past president and past FAS president with her sister Grace Basilan; FACC past president Florami Lao C. Lee with husband Wyatt; Gloria Cagadas Grifenhagin, founder of Eskwelahang Munti Charlotte; and FACC 2019 secretary Dorena Reynolds with her mom Lydia Burdeos. 

Also in attendance were Mr and Mrs. Marcial del Mundo, Mrs. Bert. Rodriguez, Dr. Mike and Tracy Borja, Mildred Cordova, Maryanne Cagurangan DelaPena and husband, Dhi Donato,Faith Minase Springborg, Sr. Zeny Mofada,O.P  and a lot more.

Stay tuned for more stories on Amore.

David's next step

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

A member of the Filipino-American Youth group of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) graduated from Rocky River High School last January 30.

David Glass, who turns 18 years old on June 16 this year, plans to take up Radiologic Technology at Carolinas Health Science. His class commencement exercises was held at Bojangles Coliseum.

David is the son of Michael Glass and Evelyn Espada Glass and is an A student who is part of the school's National Honor Society. He has 30 credits which is sufficient to qualify him as a mid-year graduate.

David's mom Evelyn, who hails from Iligan City, said he is the youngest of the family and has a good sense of humor.

“He likes to joke around. If I am upset he can make me laugh. He is a sweet boy, calm and collected. His laughter is contagious and he is the clown of the family,” she said.

David is the youngest of the two Glass boys, with big brother Andrew at 23 years of age. 

Their father Michael hails from Syracuse, New York. David has a sweet tooth and likes the Filipino powdered milk treat polvoron.

He also loves Mexican food, pizza, buffalo wings and spicy chips. David loves Marvel comic book characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man and Captain America as well as cars, soccer and video games.

As a Filipino-American Youth, David volunteered at Lola's Closet according to its founder Mark Hernandez, also a past FACC president. It's this willingness to serve that makes David's family and friends like Greg Armstrong proud of him.

Congratulations David on your graduation and make you prosper in your next journey in life. (For questions and comments please email me at susanap.dennis@yahoo.com or follow me on Instagram at carolina1girl)

Spending Chinese New Year in the US

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Like many Chinese living in the US, Wenjun Liu Whisenand missed celebrating New Year in her country of birth.

Wenjun, as she is called by friends ('we normally use the last name first to address people, she said), came from the northern part of China, specifically Shenyang Shi, Liaoning. 

She had lived in the US for more than two decades and I was surprised to learn that she is only celebrating the Chinese New Year now in 2019. 

When asked how she spent the Chinese lunar year, Wenjun admitted that she went to a friend's restaurant “the other night.” 

She said the traditional New Year in China means younger people will pay their respects to their elderly relatives by wishing them “happy New Year, good health and long life.”

In exchange, the kids normally receive money in red envelopes from parents and other relatives.

This tall Chinese lady with glowing chinita eyes said the Chinese will make dumplings and eat them at midnight as part of the celebration. New Year's eve is the busiest time of the year, Wenjun said.

“Everyone wants to go home. Airplanes or trains are busy, the trains are overloaded and people normally wait at the train station days ahead to buy tickets,” she said.

And it is not uncommon for a lot of Chinese being unable to buy their tickets for their trip back home to the mainland because they were sold out early. \

Still, to Wenjun and her fellow Chinese who made their home in the US, I greet all of them a Kung Hei Fat Choi.