Pinoy volunteerism in 20th Asian Festival

Jay An Anderson carried by Lydia Reynolds with Samantha clad in a green shirt

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Charlotte, North Carolina --The story of Liza McNamara and Joan Anderson is one characterized by volunteerism.

Who says you can’t help a community if you have a daughter and granddaughter of your own?  Liza McNamara is a living contradiction of that misperception.  Liza McNamara is a beautiful grandmother of four-year-old  Samantha while Joan is a beautiful mother of 20-month-old Jay An.

Both are Filipino-Americans who live close to each other so Samantha and JayAn can play.  They were asked by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) incumbent Secretary Dorena Reynolds to volunteer in selling Filipino food during the 20th Asian Festival held last May 18. 

Since it was the first time for the FACC to be in charge of selling food, they had to recruit volunteers to handle the long lines of patrons.  

Liza McNamara and Joan Anderson

Joan didn’t hesitate when asked by Reynolds to volunteer as she wanted to experience something familiar.  

Joan was a volunteer during her life in Valencia town, Bukidnon province, helping out in distributing barangay (village) assistance during assemblies.

Both Liza and Joan decided to take turns babysitting the kids. On the day of the festival, Joan helped prepare the tables and transfer the utensils for cooking at the designated stall reserved for the Filipino American Spirit (FAS) that is used by the FACC this year. 

Joan, the tall Pinoy with long hair blended well with FACC Officers Marjorie Ray, Marissa Borja, Gg Minnick, Muffy Therrien and Muffy’s daughter Miko.  They were all in the front line taking orders, giving orders and answering questions.

FACC past president Dell Fallar was not only the go-to-girl but managed the whole operation. “I made friends and the officers of the FACC who were with me where good,” Joan said.  She said she and Liza worked well together during the whole activity while watching over the kids.

The Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce and the Asian Boat Race Association organized the Asian Heritage Month which celebrated its 20th year last Saturday, May 18.   The Philippines is one of many Asian countries that participated in the event. 

This year the FACC sold standard Filipino classics like adobo, pancit, barbecue, rice, dinuguan and biko laced with ube and baked siopao to the attendees.  Even non-standard fare like balut and mangoes with bagoong that was personally cooked by Area Rep Liza Salyer were served.

Yes, the Reynolds girls Lydia and Lyndsey likewise helped in keeping Samantha and JayAn busy and happy.  At the end of the day everyone went home happy, satisfied and looking forward to next year’s edition of the Asian Festival.  

Me posing with the kids. 

Pinoy booths on hand at Asian Festival in Charlotte May 18

Authentic Pinoy foods will be available and running at the Asian Festival at the Ramsay Creek Park in Charlotte, North Carolina this Saturday May 18.

This was learned from Tonette Asay, president of the Filipino American Community of the Carolinas,Inc. (FACC) who said they will handle 
this year’s Filipino food booth which will feature Pinoy food being cooked live on site.

She said the food to be served will either be single item or combo. Among the dishes to be served are lumpia, pancit rice and barbecue as well as kakanin or native snacks. The Pinoy food booths had the longest line in previous years attracting both Filipino-Americans and Asian Americans. 

Aside from the Pinoy food the Philippine Cultural Dance Troupe of Charlotte will star in a dance number and a Filipino-American contingent will be on hand to join the parade of nations, said Dr. Eumelia Bautista de Garcia.

The 20th Asian Festival is organized by the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce CAACC and the Charlotte Dragon Boat Association.
The Asian Heritage Month provides a venue for Asian Americans in the Carolinas to celebrate their respective cultures through dancing,food and shows.

A phone booth will be set up for attendees to take either selfies or group shots. The Festival starts at 10 am and ends at 5 pm.  Parking is free at Newell Rubbermaid Exit 25 of I -77North.  Motorists are advised to take a left on Sam Furr and head right to NorthCross drive./Susan Palmes-Dennis 

Asian Festival kicks off this week in Charlotte

Only two more days to go before the 20^th Asian Festival kicks off at Ramsay Creek Park in Lake Norman, here.

The reminder came from Ann Gonzales, incumbent president of the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC). The event held in celebration of Asian Heritage Month is organized by the CAACC in tandem with the Charlotte Dragonn Boat Festival.

This year's Asian Festival is chaired by John Chen and co-chaired by Dr. Eumelia Bautista “Dr. Nini” de Garcia. Both de Garcia and Chen are CAACC past presidents.

Gonzales said there will be changes this year such as the replacement of the Cultural Showcase Tent with arts, crafts and games.

“There would be calligraphy, origami, coloring and games like spin the wheel of trivia,” said Gonzales, who usually chairs the Cultural Showcase segment.

Fashion from countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, Montagnards, Korea, China, Vietnam, India and the Philippines will also be on hand and the list may be bigger, Gonzales said.

Representatives from nearly 20 Asian countries will join the parade of the community of nations and they will be dressed in their respective national attires.

The Asian Heritage Month provides a venue for Asian Americans in the Carolinas to celebrate their respective cultures through dancing, food and shows.

Phone booths will be set for attendees to take selfies or group shots. The festival starts at 10 am and ends at 5 pm.

Parking is free at Newell Rubbermaid and those wishing to exit can pass through 25 of I-77 North, then take a left on Sam Furr and head right to Northcross drive.

For more information on the festival go to www.charlottedragonboat.com./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Parade of Nations for Asian Heritage Month in Charlotte

From TIAA Facebook page

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Charlotte, North Carolina -- Representatives from close to 20 countries will join the parade of the community of nations at Ramsey Creek Park at Lake Norman in celebration of Asian Heritage Month this May 18.

This was learned from Dr. Eumelia “Dr. Nini” Bautista de Garcia, co-chairperson of the event in an email sent to the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC).

Her email also served as an invitation to FACC for the event, one of many activities held in line with the 20th celebration of Asian American Cultural Heritage Month this May. 

The participants in the parade of the community of nations will be dressed in the national attire of their respective countries. Phone booths will be set up for attendees to take selfies or group shots. 

They can also sign in the book of memories at the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce booth and sample the cuisine of every country. A dragon boat race and a cultural community show will also be held. 

The festival starts at 10 am and ends on 5 pm. Parking is free at Newel Rubbermaid  Exec Drive. Motorists are advised to exit 25 of 1-77 North,left on Sam Furr and head right to Northcross Drive.

The Asian Heritage Month provides a venue for Asian Americans in the Carolinas to celebrate their respective cultures through dancing, food and shows. 

John Chen is this year’s festival chairperson while Ann Gonzales’s is the new president of the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce.  

The festival is organized by the CAACC, Mecklenburg County Park and Charlotte Dragon Boat Association. For details visit www.charlottedragonboat.com.

FACC 2019 Spring Picnic draws more new members to fold

By Susan Palmes-Dennis

A lot of newcomers based in the Carolinas attended the annual Spring Picnic spearheaded by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) last April 27.

FACC incumbent Secretary Doreen Reynolds confirmed the registration of new members to the organization.  “The newcomers registered that day,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds, who was also among those elected 2017 FACC officers, said the new members are from other cities or states and even came from other countries.

When they were called to the makeshift stage, some of the newcomers introduced themselves as coming from Germany. England, Saudi Arabia and Spain and New Zealand.

There were also newcomers from New Jersey, California and Hawaii. Jeffrey Houle and his wife Antonia Houle were from New Jersey.  Jeffry works in a bank while wife Antonia, a native of Bohol province in Central Visayas, Philippines, works as a caregiver.

Ben English is German by birth and married Filipina Flor An English. The two have daughters named Kyriclisan and Kyriann. Mother-in-law Florencia Viray also came from the Philippines.

From the United Kingdom are Erwin and Mary Anne Manan and their children Eunice and Rafael.  From Saudi Arabia are Randolph Millare, wife Cristy who is the sister of  Manan. Randolph and Cristy’s daughter is named Rana Moreen Millare.

“This picnic is a global community showcase with Pinoys in it,” said one of the participants. The picnic started at 11:30 am with an invocation led by Pastor Jeff Castaneda of the Concord International Church. 

Tonette Asay,this year’s president gave the welcome remarks and talked about the FACC’s history to those in attendance, including two past FACC Dr. Nini Bautista de Garcia and Dell Fallar. 

Cris Villapando, the Secretary General led the prayers before meals. FACC Auditor Emelyn Burgess rendered 10 songs and she was helped by 1st VP Muffy Therrien who also sang a few numbers and did a duet with Burgess.

Eunice Lamber sang “My Heart Will Go On” while the FACC’s board of directors for 2019 performed a dance number to the tune of “Kiss me, Kiss Me” by popular Pinoy singer Sarah Geronimo.

The greatest entertainment of the day was the Hawaiian dance from the Aloha Island Hula Girls by spouses Bernie and Angela Sumcad. This was followed by games like Maria Went to Town followed with Area Rep Liza Salyer leading the way.

Prizes were also given during the picnic such as the early birds which went to Jeffrey and Antonia Houle and complete family attendance that was awarded to the Millare and Moy families. 

The youngest attendee award was given to Eris Benedictos de Guzman, daughter of Eileen de Guzman who is less than a year old. The oldest attendee award was given to Lydia Burdeos who is 76 years old.

Near the end of the picnic, the 2019 FACC board of directors acknowledged the support of donors like Michael Lee, Marissa Borja, Jllani Wallace, Emelyn Burgess, Diane Dante’s, Dr. Nini Bautista de Garcia, Alma Butler,Josephine Nichols, Dorena Reynolds and Amy Ervay.

Gina Holder of Balikbayan Box donated one free balikbayan box. Amy Ervay took charge of the First Aid care of Caro Mont.

This year’s members of the Board of Directors are: Pres: Tonette Asay, 1st VP Muffy Therrien, 2nd VP Ron Dennis, Secretary Doreen Reynolds, Treasurer Gina Minnick, Auditor Emelyn Burgess. 

Area Representatives are: Marjorie Ray, Marissa Borja, Jllani Wallace, Zlourdes Land, Rose Talley and Liza Salyer and Ex-Officio Jyoti Friedland. Past President Dell Fallar serves as this year’s advisor.

Male dancers regale FACC crowd at 2019 Spring Picnic

Six men brought the house down with their performance of the Tahitian Dance during the annual Spring Picnic held last Saturday (April 27) at the Pavilion of the McDowell Park in Charlotte, North Carolina.

These six men were randomly chosen by Angela Sumcad of the Aloha Hula Dancers who provided the entertainment for the event sponsored by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC).

Some of the guys who gamely joined in on the fun were 2013 FACC 1st VP Joannes “JP” Ave, incumbent FACC 2nd VP Ron Dennis and Ben English, a newcomer from Germany who's married to a Filipino.

They and three other volunteers were” dressed” in coconut hush that resembled women’s brassiere and Hawaiian hula skirts. 

They were greeted with laughter from the packed audience at the Pavilion as they grinded and moved to the beat of the Tahitian Dance as taught to them by the dancers led by the husband and wife team of Bernie and Angela Sumcad.

Prizes were given to the top three based on audience response. Last weekend's picnic was the opening salvo of the FACC's calendar of activities for this year that culminates in its 32nd Gala on November 9 at Sheraton Hotel here in Charlotte.

The FACC's 2019 board of directors is headed by its President Tonette Asay who is ably assisted by vice presidents Muffy Therrien and Ron Dennis.

Rounding up the board were Secretary Doreen Reynolds, Treasurer Gina Minnick, Auditor Emelyn Burgess and area representatives Marjorie Enriquez Ray, Marissa Borja, Liza Salyer, Lulu Land and Rose Tally.

Also in attendance were past FACC officials JP Ave, Grace Basilan, Carllyn Francisco, Jessica Esguerra, Ram Cabanero, Edelweiss de Guzman-Vogel, Maryanne Cagurangan dela Pena, Leizel Bell and Cecel Perry, who graciously chopped the roasted pig.

Past presidents Dr. Eumelia Nini de Bautista de Garcia and Dell Fallar likewise graced the event. De Garcia served in 1998-1999 while Fallar served for two terms and is one of the incorporators of the FACC's Articles of Incorporation before the Secretary General Dr. Cris Villapando. 

Volunteerism shines in FACC Spring Picnic 2019

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Volunteers remain the backbone of any community or organization and this is especially true to the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC).

FACC's volunteers helped make last Saturday's (April 27) annual Spring Picnic held at the Pavilion of the McDowell Park in Charlotte, North Carolina a qualified success.

Jeffrey Minnick, husband of FACC 2019 treasurer Gina provided valuable assistance in putting up the Philippine flaglets that adorned the Pavilion. Minnick was helped by Dan Ray, husband of FACC area representative Marjorie Ray.

Minnick and Ray also mounted the backdrop of Philippine tourist spots using ropes, tapes and poles and arranged the long tables for the event.

Lydia Bordios, mother of Dorena Reynolds, came at 8 am to help Marjorie Ray in filling the balloons and placing covers on the tables.

Engr. Medel Alombro, brother-in-law of FACC 2nd vice president Ronnie Dennis who came from New Zealand helped FACC officers in installing directional signs to the picnic area.

Not to be outdone were the ladies who would served the food. The first volunteer to arrive was Lucy White who was recruited by FACC Auditor Emelyn Burgess to help.

Also on hand to help in serving the food were past 2017 FACC Secretary Carllyn Ave, Maritess Keenely, Juliet Serviss, 2016 FACC Secretary Liezel Bell, 2016 FACC 1st Vice President Jessica Esguerra, FACC newbie Antonia Hoyle and Suzanne Culi Silva Horne.

Intermission numbers were also given by volunteers like Eunice Lamber who sang Canadian star Celine Dion's hit “My Heart Will Go On.”

2016 FACC 2nd VP Cecel Perry came likewise and was the main “chopper” for the lechon (roasted pig) served during the picnic, the first major event held by this year's FACC officers.

The picnic was chaired by FACC 1st VP Muffy Therrien carried the theme Kapamilya, Kapuso, Kasiyahan (One Family, One Heart, One Festivity). Jeff Castaneda, assistant pastor of the Concord International Church (CIC) led the invocation.

Last Saturday's FACC Spring Picnic was yet another testament to both the commitment and the heart of the group's volunteers in connecting to the Filipino-American community in the Carolinas.