Past Events
10-25-2002: 9th Annual Emperor & Empress Charity Ball

Unprecedented good fortune reigned at The Chinese Newcomer Service Center's Annual Emperor and Empress Charity Ball last October. The gala was held on Friday the 26th at the China Empress Restaurant in Chinatown. Proceeds were far better than the CNSC had expected or hoped for, having broken all previous contribution records, exceeding $177K.

During the bon fete, the CNSC conferred the titles "Charitable Emperor / Empress 2001" to charity emperor and empress candidates who demonstrated outstanding generosity to the Center and to the community in general. The titles Diamond Emperor and Diamond Empress were respectively awarded to Peter Lam and Karen Woo; Ruby Emperor and Ruby Empress to Michael Kay and Maggie Wong; and Emerald Emperor and Emerald Empress to Albert Chin and Kathy Lam.

A Grand Prize of tickets for two to Hong Kong were given away in the evening's raffle. In attendance were Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. Assemblyman Majority Leader, Kevin Shelley, Dr. John B. Tsu, Chairman to President Bush's Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Supervisors Aaron Peskin, Gavin Newsom and Chris Daly, notable figures from the Chinese-American community, and the leadership of the CNSC; in total over 500 guests.

The CNSC expressed sincere appreciation for the hard work and resources of all candidates and contributors. Mayor Brown noted in his speech that evening that charity does not discriminate in material amounts, and that all contributors were Emperors and Empresses for their generosity. In a letter of Con -gratulations from President Bush published in the Festivity's program, he acknowledged the CNSC's "accomplishments and contributions to the success of our great nation."

The CNSC is a Non-For-Profit Organization, and has been a San Francisco Chinatown institution since 1969. In the coming year, the money from the fundraiser will enable existing CNSC community outreach programs to continue to expand, while allowing new programs to develop. The Center provides services to people who have recently arrived in the U.S., and who are unfamiliar with its systems and language. Some of the programs operating are ESL, computer classes, tax assistance, naturalization and immigration assistance, housing assistance, and job training.

Details about the CNSC's workshops and programs can be obtained on their new website at www.chinesenewcomers.org, by calling their office at (415)-421-2111, or by visiting the center at 777 Stockton Street, Office 104, San Francisco, CA94108.