On November 23rd, the 30th anniversary celebration of the Gold Mountain Bay Area Mom Classroom was held in a grand ceremony, attracting over 400 participants. The theme of the celebration was “Shining Thirty, Looking Back and Looking Forward”, featuring six special lectures that made this year’s anniversary celebration unique, lively, and heartwarming.
During the noon of that day, the South Bay Overseas Chinese Education Center was bustling with excitement, with the parking lot already full. Many local residents parked their cars on nearby streets and walked a few minutes to attend the event. Guests including Director Lai Mingqi of the Taiwan Representative Office in San Francisco, Director Zhuang Yashu of the Overseas Chinese Education Center, News Group Leader Guo Huizhen, as well as Overseas Chinese Affairs Commissioners Li Hanwen, Wei Dezhen, and others attended the event to make it a great success.
The celebration kicked off with a lively dance performance by the Feather Dance Troupe, presenting the congratulatory dance “Happy Birthday” to honor the six keynote speakers. Among the speakers were Mrs. Su Xinyuan, wife of the Republic of China’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Rommie Tsai, the US agent for Duan Chunjing Noodles, Zhang Qiwei of Instant Tek Solution, gardening expert Xu Chengen, California Line Dance Association founder Lin Guihong, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Hu Meiying. They were given flowers and presented with certificates of appreciation on stage to express heartfelt gratitude.
Gao Yuli, the person in charge of the Mom Classroom, expressed gratitude to Director Lai, Director Zhuang, volunteers, and local residents for their support over the past 30 years, and shared the original intention of establishing the classroom. Founded in 1995, the Mom Classroom aims to provide women with re-education through bi-weekly lectures, offering support to new immigrants and the community. Since its inception, the Mom Classroom has remained true to its original mission, greatly loved and supported by the community.
She also noted the enthusiastic response to the day’s activities where all 300 tickets prepared were sold out in less than three weeks, and an additional 120 tickets added later were also quickly sold out. Even in the last two days, hundreds of people continued to come to buy tickets, a level of support that deeply touched her. She hoped that more young people could join in and contribute to this meaningful work together.
Director Lai Mingqi of the Taiwan Representative Office in San Francisco stated in his speech that the Mom Classroom has accumulated over 2,000 members and organized more than 600 events so far. One of the popular events includes food lectures, injecting rich knowledge into the Bay Area life, providing a platform for communication, and offering valuable support in addressing daily life issues, becoming an indispensable force in the community.
Director Zhuang Yashu mentioned that the Mom Classroom not only provides knowledge and support for mothers but also helps fathers in their growth. As an important social organization in the Bay Area, it offers diverse lectures and brings together the community’s cohesion. Especially with the success of the food tour activities reaching the mainstream community, it effectively showcases Taiwanese cultural and culinary characteristics, making outstanding contributions to the overseas Chinese community.
Following this, the six keynote speakers took to the stage one by one, delivering exciting lectures to the local residents. Su Xinyuan shared “Cynthia’s 543,” Rommie Tsai presented “The Success Tips from Duan Chunjing,” Zhang Qiwei explained how to achieve “Rejuvenation is No Longer a Dream, Skincare makes Your Dreams come true.” Xu Chengen professionally guided on “Backyard Garden Management,” discussing gardening techniques such as sunlight, water, fertilization, and soil; Dr. Hu Meiying brought “Living Smartly, Living Comfortably, and Intimate Contact with Essential Oils,” and Lin Guihong shared “Perfect Women Should be Graceful and Beautiful at any time and place.”
On that day, attendees not only gained rich wisdom and knowledge but also received exquisite gift packages, including the “Shining Thirty” phone fanny pack souvenirs, Duan Chunjing snack boxes, and practical items sponsored by companies. Additionally, everyone participated in various raffle activities, each leaving with a full load of goodies and leaving behind many wonderful memories. ◇