CAOF Quarterly

 

 

 

Summer  2005                                                                                                                      Volume 3  Issue 2

 

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In this Issue:

1.      The Peony Festival

2.      Fund Update

3.      International AIDS Orphan Day Symposium

4.      We Continue to Change and Grow

5.      The Living Dreams Exhibit

6.      Subscribing and Unsubscribing

 

 

 

The Peony Festival

 

On May 26, 2005, the China AIDS Orphan Fund held the first annual Peony Festival at the Radisson Plaza in downtown Minneapolis. The peony is the official flower of Luoyang, the capital of Henan Province, where many of the AIDS orphans live.

 

Organized by board member Echo Huang and a team of dedicated volunteers, this gala event was the first large-scale fundraising event held by the China AIDS Orphan Fund. With over 250 guests in attendance, the Chinese-themed evening included a silent auction, a banquet dinner prepared by the Executive Chef Paul Lynch at the Radisson Hotel.  Entertainment featured Lion dancing, instrumental performances and other traditional Chinese dances. Speakers included Jennifer Sanneman, Mrs. Minnesota International 2005, and Steven Wang MD, founder and former president of CAOF. Both stressed the importance of how each of us can make a difference in the world of a needy child.

 

By the end of the fun-filled evening, it was clear that the first annual Peony Festival proved to be a success. Between ticket sales and auction bids more than $22,000 was raised for CAOF.

 

Ho Ho Gourmet, a Chinese restaurant in St. Paul is the host sponsor this year.  More than 20 companies and individuals sponsored this event.

 

"If you are interested in participating in next year's Peony Festival as sponsors or volunteers, please contact Echo Huang at (952) 854-9230."

 

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Fund Update

 

 

As of July 2005, through the generosity of our donors, the China AIDS Orphan Fund has raised more than $89,000.  This amount does not include the proceeds from the Peony Festival!

 

Xie-Xie!  Thank you so much! 

 

 

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International AIDS Orphan Day Symposium

 

On Saturday, May 7, 2005, China Aids Orphan Fund (CAOF) hosted the first annual World Aids Orphan Day conference at the Humphrey Center on the University of Minnesota campus.

 

Minneapolis mayor, R.T. Rybak, opened the afternoon event with a special welcome, presenting a proclamation to Steven Wang, M.D., CAOF founder and ex-president.

 

There was a healthy turnout for the first-time event with guests representing a variety of schools and organizations across the Twin Cities area.  Presenters included Ngashi Ngnog (UN Children’s Fund), Dr. Anil Mangla (U of M), Chung To (Chi Heng Foundation; Hong Kong), Dr. Steven Wang (CAOF), Jim Luce (Orphan’s International) and Dr. Paul Bohjanen (U of M) who discussed a range of topics from the current dire situation of the worldwide AIDS epidemic to optimistic stories of progress and success.

 

After the presentations concluded, a meet and greet reception was hosted in the atrium and featured the art exhibit: “Living Dreams in a Dying Village,” original artwork created by children affected by the AIDS epidemic in China’s Henan province.

 

Overall, the conference was considered a success and plans are already underway for next year’s event.

 

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We Continue to Change and Grow


Founder Steven Wang has moved to Houston,Texas to pursue a surgery residency.  Steve will continue to be involved in CAOF, but from a distance. 

 

New to the CAOF Board is Dina Fesler.  Dina is a self-employed fashion designer, serves as Fundraising Coordinator for CAOF. Dina received her undergraduate degree in fashion design from the University of Minnesota and taught fashion design, merchandising and marketing classes at the China Textile University in Shanghai. Currently, she is the mom of her newly adopted Chinese daughter, Daisy, and volunteers to help support orphan care.

 

On June 20, 2005, (three long days after her due date), board member, Echo Huang gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Nina Mary Brown.  Both Echo and her husband, Dan Brown are, of course, tickled pink.

 

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The Living Dreams Exhibit

 

A fundraising Dinner will be held at the Dallas Chinese Bible Church, 1707 Campbell Trail, Richardson, TX 75082 at 6:30 p.m. on July 30th.  For ticket information contact livingdreams_2005@yahoo.com

 

 

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SUBSCRIBING AND UNSUBSCRIBING

If you do not wish to receive future editions of the CAOF Quarterly, please E-mail  http://health.groups.yahoo.com/unsubscribe/chinaaidsorphanfund

and simply write Unsubscribe in the subject line. 

 

If you know someone who used to subscribe but whose address was inadvertently deleted, or who might like to receive our E-newsletter and periodic updates,  simply have them send an E-mail to:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/chinaaidsorphanfund

 

 

 

 

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