The 40th annual Golden Mountain Bay Area Chinese Sports Convention was held on the evening of June 15th (last Saturday) at the Bay Area Overseas Chinese Education Center, attracting more than four hundred overseas Chinese to come together for a fundraising evening.
At the event, there was singing and dancing, creating a lively atmosphere. The first performance was a Guzheng solo, with a classic rendition of “Smiling Proud Wanderer” captivating the audience. During the charity singing segment, the wife of the Director of the Taiwan Office in San Francisco, Wenzhen, delivered touching performances of two songs, “Connection” and “Feather of Clouds”. Following that, community leaders Lin Gui Xiang and Chen Jun Ya also enthusiastically sang, with Chairman Chen Chao Quan closing the evening with performances of “How Can You Bear to Make Me Sad” and “With Good Intentions”.
Chairman Chen Chao Quan of the Chinese Sports Convention expressed that the Golden Mountain Bay Area Chinese Sports Convention is the largest overseas sports event of the Republic of China, uniting the hearts of overseas Chinese and harnessing their collective strength. He praised the remarkable efforts of the Bay Area Overseas Chinese community for successfully hosting the event for 40 consecutive years, with each year surpassing the last. The success of the Chinese Sports Convention relies on the support of all participating overseas Chinese friends, for which he expressed gratitude. He also hoped to pass the torch to the East Coast and promote the convention throughout the United States.
During the donation ceremony at the evening event, Lin Gui Xiang, Chen Jun Ya, and the JT Family Foundation each donated $10,000. Additionally, a charity auction was held. Materials provided by Yang Zhichao, and handmade pool cues crafted by Ruben Garcia, which cost approximately $900 in materials, were purchased for $1,500 by Overseas Chinese Affairs Commissioner Wu Yiming.
The Director of the Taiwan Office in San Francisco, Lai Mingqi, humorously recalled how a few years ago in Boston, before he left his position as Director, his compatriot friends finally mustered the courage to tell him that his singing had improved and was less off-key. However, in the Bay Area, no one has invited him to sing on stage since they heard his wife sing. Today, he is here to applaud and cheer for everyone.
Chuang Yashu, Director of the South Bay Overseas Chinese Education Center, representing the Overseas Chinese Commission, expressed gratitude to all past chairmen and volunteers for their hard work at the Chinese Sports Convention. She emphasized how the convention unites various overseas Chinese organizations and connects with the mainstream American community. This year’s event is the largest in history and requires the support of all community leaders in attendance. She urged everyone to contribute both financially and effort to make this year’s convention even more grand.
The fundraising event that evening saw enthusiastic responses from overseas Chinese leaders and compatriots, with generous donations pouring in after each performance. After the event concluded, volunteers from the Chinese Sports Convention were busy tallying the funds raised.