Taste testing menu items for FACC's 32nd Gala Night

By Susan Palmes-Dennis

Charlotte, North Carolina—With 24 days to go before the 32nd Gala of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC),  the menu for the big event is already in place.

The FACC’s Board of Directors went to a food tasting at the Hilton Charlotte University Place days ago and among the dishes readied was the herb chicken and grilled salmon.

“As I started taking a bite on the grilled samon which sat on liquid green herbs, the dish took my breath away,”  said Liza Salyer who was present during the food tasting.

FACC President Muffy Therrien said the menu was great while Ron Dennis agreed that it was perfect.

The menu for the 32nd FACC Gala Night consists of romaine and baby spinach salad with grape tomatoes, cucumbers, julienne carrots, sunflower seeds and croutons and served with  ranch and balsamic vinaigrette dressings.

There’s also the roasted vegetable salad of baby carrots and squash served with dijon vinaigrette and herb roasted chicken thighs, grilled salmon with chimichurri sauce and sauted pepper, jasmine rice tossed with lemon zest and fresh herbs, steamed broccolini with shitake mushrooms, carrots, soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds.

For dessert there is pecan pie/cheesecake,  freshly brewed Columbian coffee, regular and decaffeinated and select hot tea

After the food tasting, the group met again with Michele Grote, manager and chef to discuss the menu which will be served buffet style for the enjoyment of those in attendance.

The 32nd Gala will be held on November 16 at Hilton Charlotte University Place from 4 p.m to 11:59 p.m.  The food will be served from 6:30 p.m to 7:45 pm followed by the program proper. 

For more information look to the FACC Facebook page or the Straight from the Carolinas Facebook page.

Headliners for FACC's 32nd Gala Night confirmed

The Schindler Sisters 

By Susan Palmes-Dennis

Charlotte, North Carolina—A Filipino-American dance troupe based in Asheville, North Carolina will be among the headlining performers scheduled for the 32nd Gala Night of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC).

The Filipino American Community-Western North Carolina (FAC-WNC) Cultural Dance Troupe had been invited to perform in cultural shows and festivals in Charlotte, Greenville, Columbia and Atlanta, Georgia since 2001.


The group’s background was spelled lout in a message by choreographer Mary Ann “Day” Rodriguez as published in the FAC-WNC souvenir program. 

The group will perform the ‘Sinulog’, ‘Tinikling’ and for their finale, the song ‘Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas.’

The Sinulog is one of the biggest festivals in the Philippines and honors the miraculous image of the Infant Jesus and is celebrated every third Sunday of January over a nine-day period. 

Devotees honor the child King with processions and street dancing with the dancers chanting “Pit Senyor.” 

The Tinikling or the bamboo dance is regarded as the Philippine national dance and takes its name from the movement of the ‘tikling’ birds as they move between grass stems and tree branches.

Another dance group called the Krush Krew will perform a ‘ K-Pop Song Medley’ number, a mix of traditional and modern Korean dances. Krush Krew is headed by Lauren Lee with members Angel Thai, Naomi Ksor and Terrell David .

A contemporary dance number will be performed by the Schindler sisters Carmella and Jiji.

Carmella is 19 years old and is enrolled at the Belmont Abbey College majoring in biology.  She is part of the Gaston Dance Theatre since she was three years until she graduated high school. 

Carmella played roles such as the Snow Queen in the ballet Nutcracker production as well as Tinker Bell in a dance production of Peter Pan.

Her 15-year-old sister Jiji is in 10th grade at the Highland School of Technology in Gastonia. She is also with the Gaston Dance Theatre since she was five years old and took advance ballet at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. 

She has played Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker Production in 2018, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella in the Spring Show 2019,and Snow Queen this coming December.

Other performers for the 32nd Gala Night include the youth group of Grace Point International Church who will perform a mime of the Christian song ‘Who Am I’ with Joy Moore leading the kids. 

The GPI kids are Miko Therrien, Marielle Gorlach, Maxie Gorlach, Jaasiel Williams,m Andie Palting, Nigel Tranquillino, John Reid and Jospeh Matthew Carballo.

Miko Therrien is studying at the Gaston Christian School while Marielle Gorlach and sister Maxie are enrolled at the Piedmont Charter School.

Miko Therrien is the daughter of incumbent FACC president Muffy Therrien and had performed the ‘Who Am I’ hand mime at her school.

Speaking of which, the FACC’s 2019 Board of Directors will perform an interpretative dance number of the 32nd Gala theme ‘World Class Pinoy.’

The US and Philippine anthems will be conducted by  Kee Martin and Karen Sedillo Dalton respectively while the attendees will be serenaded by the Pinoy Jam Barkada (PJM) of Sain Diaz during dinner time at 6:30 p.m to 7:30 p.m.

Pinoy Jam Barkada which consists of Gerry Canta, Adam Yabes, Glenn Espiritu, Sain Diaz, Tara Hang and Oliver Rodriguez last performed during the FACC Spring Picnic last June.

Karaoke Night at Asian Library this Friday Oct. 11

It’s Karaoke Night this Friday at the Asian Library, said Muffy Therrien, president of the Filipino American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC).

Therrien added a $15 will pay for entrance at Asian Library and a free dinner package with a bottle of water.  “Every song you’ll sing you will donate a voluntary amount for FACC,” Muffy said. 

FACC Secretary Doreen Reynolds said they expect many to attend since it is a Friday evening which leads to the weekend. 

Another FACC Officer Gina Minnick called on Filipino Americans to sing the night away and enjoy the weekend with their fellow Fil-Ams.  Prizes will be raffled off on FACC Karaoke Night at the Asian Library and the session starts at 6 pm and winds up at 11 pm./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Among the items to be raffled off

Purse to be raffled off

Celebrating Gandhi's legacy of peace in Festival of Unity

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Charlotte, North Carolina—‘We talk (and engage in dialogue) to  continue our struggle for quality inclusion for a better tomorrow.”

Thus said former Charlotte mayor Jennifer Roberts in an interview minutes after she delivered her welcome message to the participants and guests to the Gandhi Festival for Unity.  

“We are still struggling for unity, we are still struggling for equality but we can solve the challenges if we continue to work forward,” the former mayor said in citing Gandhi’s legacy.  Roberts said democracy works better if people can participate, vote and make their views known to their leaders and their opinion is valued.

Roberts, who wore an Indian inspired blouse or top, reminded everyone of the teachings of the great Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi who spoke of how each person is worthy of respect.

The annual celebration of the Gandhi Festival for Unity began during Roberts’ time as county commissioner of Charlotte, said Nimish Bhatt, past president of the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) and current Vice-Chair

Bhatt, this year’s George L Maddox Awardee, said Roberts understood the Asian community’s values, sense of unity and commitment to growth for everyone.  

Roberts even recounted that there were generous folks in the Indian community who reserved a place for a statue of Mahatma Gandhi that would inspire people to work for peace and equality and make connections to people across the world. 

For her part, Dr. Nini Bautista, past CAACC president recalled how Gandhi’s brass statue arrived in Charlotte and the people who made it possible.

Among those who attended the festival were Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera, County Commissioner Mark Jerrell, music professor Mei Wang, Phin Xaypangna and many others.  The Gandhi Festival for Unity is sponsored and organized by the CAACC.

CAACC President Ann Aquino Gonzalez was among the prime movers for the annual event held to mark Gandhi’s legacy of peace.

Gandhi’s birthday is on Oct. 2.  The festival was held at Martin Luther King/Marshall Park and the program consisted of a recognition ceremony, the International Drum Circle headed by Mei Wang and cultural performances. 

Among those who performed was the Philippine Cultural Dance Troupe with Florami Cordero Lee,  Dorena Reynolds and Elizabeth Bacalzo
 Onia.

FACC to sell Pinoy spring rolls for Gala Night fundraiser

It’s a ‘wrap and roll’ affair as past president Dell Fallar said for the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) as they plan to sell Filipino made spring rolls called lumpia from scratch every Thursday starting this month.

FACC President Muffy Therrien said proceeds from the sale of the spring rolls will fund the annual FACC Gala Night on Nov. 16.  “There are 12 pieces per one pack at $10 per pack with either pork or veggie fillings,” Muffy Therrien said.

In one night 40 dozen lumpia are ready for sale, she said. For anyone interested please place your orders with any FACC board director. Here is former FACC Secretary Aurea Barbee issuing the invitation to the public./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Filipino Mart to open in Charlotte Sept. 14

By Susan Palmes-Dennis

Charlotte, North Carolina—For Filipino-Americans wishing to prepare their favorite homegrown dish or those adventurous enough to try and cook Filipino dishes, a new Filipino-American owned store will open on Saturday this week, Sept. 14, here in the Charlotte area.

The Filipino Mart located at 11855 N Tryon St. Suite A, Charlotte 28262 is owned and operated by Suzanne Silva Horne whose name is synonymous to food catering in the greater Charlotte area because she takes orders from Pinoys there. 

She said she and her husband Drey Horne had long been planning to open a Filipino-American store. 

“The store is called Filipino Mart because it is simple and easily recognizable to the Filipino-American community. We sell a wide variety of products from the home country of the Philippines including food from recognizable brands like Goldilocks,” Suzanne said.

Old favorites like sardines, soy sauce, coconut vinegar, noodles, margarine, catsup, corned beef, Spam and so much more are sold in the store, Suzanne said. The store is open everyday and it accepts balikbayan boxes to be sent to loved ones in the Philippines.

Filipino dishes like dinuguan (pork blood stew) and bopis (spicy minced pork liver) will also be served by Suzanne who traces her roots to Dumaguete City in the Visayas, Philippines and loves to cook. 

She graduated from Siliman University with a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. “I cook a lot and I learned cooking from my mom Susana Sumalpong who taught me to cook a lot of dishes. My daughter who graduated in the Philippines also knows how to cook,” Suzanne said.

She said she previously had a hard time looking for Filipino ingredients in specialty stores and this convinced her to open a Filipino-American store that sells Filipino products. 

Suzanne said she has a natural inclination for businesses having sold coconut candy in her childhood.

Suzanne said she is both excited and nervous in opening a store to serve the Filipino-American community in the Charlotte area. 

“Sometimes we cannot please everyone but we are trying our best to provide their needs and we hope they reciprocate our commitment with their patronage of our store,” she said.

FACC 2019 yard sale a success

By Susan Palmes-Dennis

Last Saturday’s (Aug. 31) successful yard sale organized by the 2019 Board of directors of the Filipino American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) inspired the group to hold another sale this time on September 28.

FACC president Muffy Therrien confirmed this right after the end of the yard sale which saw late comers still buying the unsold items just as the volunteers were about to pack them away.

The yard sale began at 7 a.m.  The Sept. 28 yard sale will help raise funds for the FACC’s 32nd Gala.

Among the items sold at Therrien’s home were assorted clothing, kitchen and cooking items, knick knacks,  books,  bicycles and child strollers and vanity items.

Dr. Nini Bautista de Garcia, Grace Basilan, Jyoti Friedland, Dhi Donato, Muffy Theirren, Liza Salyer, Marjorie Ray and Dorena Reynolds donated the items for the yard sale and they are accepting donations for the Sept. 28 yard sale.

“This is the first time in the history of FACC that this was made,” the soft spoken Lynn Lorenzo Polk, past FACC president, told everyone present.  The FACC 2019 Board of Directors will pass a resolution thanking the donors for the Aug. 31 yard sale.