Nov 30, “Zigen 30th Year Anchoring Roots in Remote Rural China: LA Fund Raiser Lunch” was held successfully at Tan Gong Seafood Restaurant, Monterey Park, CA. About 60 guests from diverse professions attended. Among them were professors, bank supervisors, senior engineers and leaders from various occupations. They all have long shown interest and care for development in China.
The evening started with a presentation from Ms Pat Yang, one of Zigen Fund’s founders. The theme was “From BaoDiao to Zigen, 30 years of anchoring roots in China’s remote mountain villages, from supporting education for girls, building schools and to teaching sustainable development”. She spoke about unforgettable stories from these 30 years, how people over the world came together to support Zigen, and reflecting on the hard work that bore fruits over the past three decades. Two films were presented, “Girls at Zigen” and “Zigen’s Green Eco School”, which inspired the attending guests profoundly.
At the lunch function, art works by the Miao peasant community was displayed. There were paintings, hand embroidered card bags and batik exhibits, all traditional folk arts and crafts which came from cultural activities promoted by Zigen. Ms Xue Mei Zhu spoke about the interesting art history of Miao painting. Right there, Ms Xue and volunteer Miss. Meghan set up a folk art charity auction that reaped enthusiastic bidding from the dinner guests, filling the room with excitement and compassion!
To conclude, Ms Yang gave thanks and honor to Zigen’s active supporters from southern California through the years: Mr. & Mrs. Mei Qiang Ying who have been devoted and effective participants in social functions; Mr. and Mrs. Lee Long Sheng’s tireless and persistent contribution to Zigen; Mr. and Mrs. Liang Hanzong, earliest donors to the school building fund, magnanimous about social welfare and who, at their advanced age, hiked arduous hills and treaded bridgeless river in order to visit Guizhou’s deeply seated mountainous village; Mr. Gao Zhiyun, our original BaoDiao convenor, passionately altruistic, and his wife. They were presented Zigen’s 30 year service medals by Mr. Wang GuanChuan and others. We are deeply grateful for their love to the children living in China’s remote mountain villages, and for their support to Zigen.
Translated by Bik-Kee Vuong, Volunteer
Edited by Biklam Lee, Board Director, Zigen Fund.