~ Past Events (2001) ~

Gift Wrapping Event (Service)
December 17th, 2001

On December 17 (superscript: th), CASA members met on Saturday afternoon for a wrapping party. This was a party to wrap Christmas presents to be donated to the children's orphanage at Maryvale. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. James Ho, CEO of Odyssey Shoes, Inc. and Glory Shoes, Inc., we had over a hundred pairs of hiking boots for some needy children. Soon into the event, assembly lines were formed. People were assigned to specific task, depending on their wrapping talents. If someone didn't know better, they would have thought we were a Chinese sweat shop, because within a couple of hours we were done. All the gifts were wrapped and some with pretty bows, too. Now all we need is Santa to deliver the presents.

[top]

ThanksGiving Dinner-At-The-Park (Service)
Nov. 22nd, 2001

TBA

[top]

Fall BBQ (Social)

Hmmmm, Yum Yum! What can be better than burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings, and cold beer on a Saturday afternoon! CASA members spent a lazy afternoon at Frank and Cherlo's house eating good food. Once the feasting was done some of the guys took up the challenge in a high stakes game of Taboo and Scruples. Scruples was fun, as we got to check for some skeletons in some members' closets... you know who I'm talking

about. The rest of the people karaoke to Chinese tunes. Oh and can Frank sing! A good time was had by all. Special thanks to Frank and Cherlo for offering their lovely house, and all the chefs who slaved over the hot grill!!

[top]

Aids Walk 2001 (Service)
October 21, 2001
photo gallery

CASA joined thousands of others in the fight against AIDS and HIV on Sunday, October 21st. Several enthusiastic members woke up bright and early to participate in a 6.2-mile walk around the neighborhood of West Hollywood. Not only did they give their time and energy, they also raised over $1,500 to support research, treatment as well as health education. The final total for AIDS Walk 2001 was over $3 million raised by approximately 30,000 participants.

[top]

Senior Health Fair (Service)
photo gallery

[top]

Camping at Sage Hill (Social)
photo gallery

CASA members took a break from the city and camped out at Sage Hill for the weekend. During the day, we hiked up hills and crested waters. At night, we enjoyed a gourmet spaghetti dinner with kosher sausages, fired roasted corn and toast. For entertainment, every gathered around the camp fire to play a game of movie charades. To top off the night, we star gazed at the brightly lit sky. Special thanks go out to Jeff Tsu and Andy Loh for co-organizing the event.

[top]

Kids Care Fair (Service)
Aug. 25, 2001

CASA and the Chinatown Service Center partnered once again to make the 12th Annual Kids Care Fair a success. CASA, CSC and medical volunteers came together to bring free health screenings and immunizations to children in the Chinatown area. Approximately 30 CASA volunteers gave their time to man stations during the event. Thanks to all the volunteers and sponsors for their contributions. Great job by Jenny Wong and Karen Chang in organizing the event.

[top]

CASA Anniversary Dinner
Aug. 18, 2001
photo gallery

We put the 'casa' in CASA for our 3rd anniversary dinner this year. Spanish tapas and flamenco dancers were featured at La Nuna Negra in Pasadena, where the dinner was held. It was a good occasion to enjoy some delicious food and just chill with the sangria and some friends. Looking forward to celebrating another great year next year! Thanks to Catherine Yang for organizing this tasty tapas event.

[top]

Hollywood Bowl (Social)
July 14, 2001
photo gallery

Where does one get to experience the likes of Indian Jones, Luke Skywalker, and Superman in one awesome performance. If you were at the Hollywood Bowl on July 14, 2001 for CASA’s Evening with John Williams, you would have been a part of the thrilling crusade with Indiana Jones, gotten to explore the faraway galaxies with Luke, Han and the rest of the rebel alliance, and felt the fear of Jaws. Roughly thirty CASA members and their closest friends were on hand as Williams, the composer of such musical scores as Star Wars, AI: Artificial Intelligence, Superman, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed the LA Philharmonic to perform his most memorable songs. And if that wasn’t enough of a treat, there was also a potluck before the concert to celebrate the occasion. Kudos to Catherine for making sure no one had to scalp for tickets, Ken for making sure no one got lost, and all the attendants who brought food and drinks.

[top]

Beach Bash - Hermosa Beach (Social)
June 23, 2001
photo gallery

It was a hot one, like being seven inches from the midday sun, but nothing could keep the roughly 25 members of CASA from invading the beach for the 3rd Annual CASA beach bash! There were activities and inactivities for everyone, from kite flying, rollerblading, people watching, working on a tan (CASA members were no slouch in the hard-bodies department) to beach volleyball (final score: winners 7, losers 0).

Heartfelt thanks went out to Van, Catherine, John and Janine for planning the event, bringing the beach umbrellas to keep everyone cool in the shade, and providing the finest meats, cheeses, and juices. (Although, towards the end of the day, the meats got mixed up with the juices and we all ended up with turkey flavored Gatorade. Yum!) Everyone had so much fun that the event lasted 3 hours longer than originally planned.

[top]

CPR Seminar
photo gallery

CASA members learned the application of basic emergency care including CPR and Heimlich maneuver. We learned to say, "Are you okay?" and "can I help you?" Someday, CASA members may help save a life. Roybal Institute instructed the training class.

[top]

SNAPY Youth Olympics - Santa Monica College (Service)
May 19, 2001

Hundreds of volunteers gathered at Santa Monica College to participate in the 7th Annual Service Network of Asian Pacific Youth (SNAPY) Youth Olympics, which was coordinated by APEX. CASA members donated our time and energy to set-up, referee and cheer on kids and teenagers alike as they participated in various games throughout the day. One of the most fun and strategically challenging events was "Capture the Queen" where even CASA members were roped into playing with youngsters to steal the opposing team's queen (a beach ball!). After a long day, everyone was rewarded with a performance Jennifer Paz, the original performer in Ms. Saigon.

[top]

BBQ at Glenn's (Social)
May 12, 2001

The aroma of ribs, hamburgers and hotdogs sizzling on a grill drifted invitingly in the air as CASA members and friends gathered for a BBQ on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Joanna's special spinach dip was a favorite among attendees. Many took the opportunity to make new friends and learn more about CASA's mission and upcoming activities.

[top]

Griffith Park Hike (Social)
April 21, 2001

Azure skies, amazing vistas and refreshing breezes greeted CASA members who came out for a leisurely day in Griffith Park. The parallel lines and architecture of the Los Angeles skyline provided contrast to the lush greenery of the hiking trail. Amidst talk of cooking tips and world travel, CASA members enjoyed the weather, the exercise and each other's company. Special thanks to our guest star, Coco the Wonder Dog.

[top]

Christmas in April (Service)
April 7, 2001
photo gallery

It was a cool, overcast day in April when CASA members, armed with paint brushes and rollers, flexed their artistic talents to brightened up the facade of a home in Monterey Park. Part of the Christmas in April program, a nationwide effort to improve the living conditions of the less fortunate, CASA members teamed with other volunteers to paint the entire exterior of the single family home. By the end of the job, we had paint in our hair and even more on our clothes, but the house looked great. Although the color scheme was something that only the owner's noisy dalmation could truly appreciate.

[top]

Blythe Street Health Fair (Service)
March 25, 2001

Loyal CASA members showed their community spirit and dedication by helping the Tzu-Chi Buddhist organization provide basic health care to the predominantly Latino community of Panorama City. Tzu-Chi's mobile free clinic provided the backbone for a busy day of basic physical exams, dental services, vision tests and mammograms. Our members joined many other volunteers in guiding patients to various medical service tents, facilitating information flow, and fulfilling basic translation duties. The event highlighted how much we share as human beings rather than the differences between us. Special thanks to Frank for managing our relationship with Tzu-Chi and the steadfast members who made it such a fun day.

[top]

Bowling Social (Social)
March 18, 2001

What better way to while away a boring Sunday afternoon than to get together with some folks, some tacky shirts, and some smelly old shoes to practice the great American blue-collar sport? About 20 CASA members agreed with that sentiment and came out for our Bowling Social. Although most of our members were not the equal of the pork-rind eating, beer-guzzling athletes of the PBA tour, they made a pretty good showing. All of our members had a chance to enjoy each other's company, get to know each other and engage in a little healthy competition. We also learned that if you have your own bowling ball and shoes, you'd better be good and expect some good-natured ribbing. Thanks to Catherine Yang for organizing this event.

[top]

Ski Trip at Big Bear Mountain (Social)
Feburary 23-25, 2001

Over twenty CASA members braved the elements for a weekend of skiing and snowboarding in Big Bear. The group cozied up in two cabins. The highlight of the weekend was dumpling night, where everyone helped in making dinner. Afterwards, we soothed our aching muscles and got to know each other better while playing games.

Special thanks to Catherine, Frank, Cherlo, and Vivian for putting together a great weekend.

[top]

ABC Therapy Center (Service)
January 23, 2001

ABC Therapy Center held a Chinese New Year celebration in honor of ABC's one year anniversary in Monterey Park. CASA, along with the Mayor of Monterey Park, Benjamin "Frank" Venti and city council member, Judy Chu were invited as special guests at this festive occasion. Christie Chu, Director of the center, has been more than generous in sharing the Center's space for the CASA office as well partnering with CASA to work with the elderlies. CASA took the opportunity to introduce ourselves to members of the senior community and emphasized our desire to provide service and support to the elderlies on a continuing basis. We also acquainted ourselves to legislative members of Monterey Park, an area with a large Chinese population, to further the goals of CASA and identify future projects with the City of Monterey Park.

[top]