APRIL 19 MEETING

Outgoing Chapter President Archie McKee introduced Dr. Alhan Kuhn who spoke to us about Natural Medicine. She spoke of old traditional Chinese medicine versus her holistic approach. She emphasizes prevention through healthy eating and wellness training. After answering questions, she led us in some simple Qi Gong exercises. 

Thank you, Dr. Kuhn. 

Door prizes were won by new member Tom Griffiths and our guest speaker. 

A new Board was approved by the membership. There are two openings if new members are interested. And membership renewal is underway. New members welcome. 

DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL March 7

Photos of the Dragon Boat Festival at MiraBay on March 7 just across from Archie and Grace's home. Enjoy!

We were in the large white tent on the right. 

SACA (Suncoast Association of Chinese Americans--Tampa) tent

Lion Dance

MiraBay team won!

Center for Teaching about China Thank You

Thank you, Kitty Trescott, for shipping us some of the colorful Chinese ethnic minority costumes. Grace McKee, President of GFWC Ruskin Woman's Club and wife of our Sarasota Chapter president Archie McKee, coordinated nine of her club members to wear the traditional dress at the General Federation of Women's Clubs Florida District 8 "Fan of the Arts" event for 14 women's clubs and eight junior women's clubs. Archie acted as emcee. 

Enjoy the photos taken by club photographer Kathy Evans of Scattered Pics:

November Monthly Meeting

iThe November Sarasota USCPFA meeting was held on the third Sunday, Nov. 16, at 3pm, our regularly scheduled time.
 
Location:  The HuB, second floor meeting room.  The Hub is located at1690 Fruitville Rd, 34236, just east of Orange Ave.
 
A presentation was given by Mike Revzin of China Seminars.com from Atlanta.  In order to expand our ability to offer quality and interesting programs, we visited Mike online.  His talk was entitled, "Don't Build a Great Wall between You and the Chinese."  Mike addressed us via Skype, which is a first for any USCPFA chapter that we know of. 

Buffet Supper for Ringling Artist Li Wei

On November 18 our Sarasota USCPFA joined with GCAA to host Li Wei and his photographer at the home of Lawrence Lonson and Jeannie Beyer on beautiful Sarasota Bay. This event was organized by Dr. Carolyn Bloomer, Irene Leung, and Archie McKee. 

This multicultural potluck buffet supper was held to welcome

INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ARTIST LI 
WEI 李日韦 in residence at the Ringling 
Museum November 15 – 20.

Li Wei’s photographs were included in the "Seeing the Unseen” exhibition at the Ringling Museum, but he is most famous for his illusionistic and sensational aerial performances. 

To see Li Wei's work, visit http://www.liweiart.com. 

"Building Bridges With China Through Four...No, Five Generations"

Judy Manton of Teaneck, New Jersey, escaped the cold to make a presentation at the Sarasota Herald Tribune building today at 2 pm. About 50 intrigued attendees watched her PowerPoint presentation and learned of Dr.Tom Manton and her many eventful days in China. 

USCPFA Sarasota Chapter President Archie McKee introduced past presidents Dwayne Finger, Pat Amsell, and charter president George Arvey. The group led by Jeannie Beyer sang "Happy Birthday" in Chinese to George who turned 95 last month. 

Represented in the audience were members of the Sarasota chapter of USCPFA, Sarasota Sister Cities, USF Confucious Institute, GCAA, and Asian Women's Club. 

Due to the success of this event, plans for more joint activities and mutual support are being made for the future. 

Thank you to all who attended. 

Judy Manton

President Archie McKee and wife Grace are hosting Judy Manton. They had a cocktail hour on Friday evening for 21 friends--international travelers and interested in friendship with China. Twelve then went to a waterfront restaurant for dinner together. Wonderful evening with fascinating conversation. 

Come to Judy's presentation "Building Bridges with China through Four Generations" today, Sunday, January 18, 2 pm, at THE HERALD TRIBUNE Building. 

China Expert Judy Manton to Speak

You are invited!

“Building Bridges with China through Four Generations”

For 24 years, Judy Manton has been an adjunct professor of cross-cultural studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, and is a long time member of USCPFA.  Having traveled widely, she brings her many cultural encounters to her presentations.

In 1972, just before President Nixon’s historic visit to China, she and her late husband were invited by the Chinese government to “build bridges of friendship and communication.”  Since that time, over 28 subsequent visits, she has led tours and taught English teaching methods to village English teachers under the auspices of the Zigen Fund.

Judy will share some of her China experiences:

Sarasota Herald Tribune meeting room

January 18, 2 pm

Her presentation, “Building Bridges with China through Four Generations,” starts with her husband’s grandmother arriving in China in 1894 as a missionary.  It stretches through her 1972 visit, during the Cultural Revolution, in which Premier Zhou En-lai personally thanked her husband for his contribution helping China obtain a seat in the U.N.

Judy has made 28 additional trips to China, most recently this past fall.

Sponsored by the Sarasota Chapter of the US-China People’s Friendship Association.

For information contact:  Archie S. McKee, 813.453.1339, Sarasota Chapter President

September meeting summary:

We had a great meeting Sunday, but missed a number of members.  Three guests attended: Tom and Lin Griffiths and Tom’s daughter Jennifer.  

Get well cards were signed to be sent to George and Lucienne Arvay and Alfonz Lengyel.

After a very brief business meeting, Carolyn Bloomer gave a summary of the Washington DC China Seminar.  She covered numerous interesting speakers and activities including a PowerPoint presentation.  Archie then gave a summary of the activities of the national board.

With the program out of the way, a discussion of how to increase local membership and interesting activities was held.  The tentative schedule for this year’s meeting programs was given.

Next meeting will be in conjunction with the China Town Hall scheduled at the State College of Florida at Lakewood Ranch on October 16.  Looking forward to seeing everyone then.

September 2014

So much to talk about.  But for starters, how about our September meeting?  Sunday, September 21, 3 PM at Ringling College, Dr. Bloomer's classroom.  Directions will follow about a week prior to the event.

The September program will center about all that was learned and covered at the Washington, D.C. Seminar that four of us attended earlier this year.  The purpose of the Washington Seminar is to put USCPFA members in contact with experts and policy makers in the US-China relationship.  We listened and talked to some great people with tremendous insight and knowledge.  Archie will also talk of activities and business conducted at the National Board meeting.

In October, we are to have our monthly event at the China Town Hall Meeting instead of a monthly chapter meeting.  That event you have gotten an email on already, and another will be sent in early October.  It will be held at the State College of Florida facility at Lakewood Ranch on Thursday, October 16, in the evening.  Save that date!  That event kicks off at 5 PM and the main speaker is former President Jimmy Carter via webcast.   

Also in October, there is to be a very large Dragon Boat celebration at Benderson Park with 102 dragon boats and as many as 3,000 participants.  The event's focus is on breast cancer, and participants are breast cancer survivors.  USCPFA has been invited to share a tent with the GCAA  and to serve as ambassadors.  It is to be a huge event and we are excited to participate.  More to follow this week.

That only covers September and October.  But the rest of the year has great programs and events starting to line up.  Speakers and presentations that are sure to entertain, educate, and stimulate.

More to come.  Hope to see everyone soon.  And remember, bring a friend.

And remember to go to the Sarasota blog to get updates, pictures, and event information:  http://uschinasarasota.blogspot.com/

Please email me with your RSVP. archie.mckee@hotmail.com.

May Chapter Meeting

The Sarasota Chapter of USCPFA met on Sunday, May 25, 2014, at 3 pm in the home of Duane Finger and Jill Dye.

Members present:

Lolly Baerveldt

Carolyn Bloomer

Pam Capone

Jill Dye

Duane Finger

Colette Penn

Carol All Williamson

Guest:

Elizabeth Phillipson (friend of Jill)

Meeting began at 3:15 pm with Lolly Baerveldt conducting a brief business meeting.  The following items were discussed:

1)  Dues need to be paid at this point.   The next meeting will be in Sept. or October, to be advised as a result of the planning session.  Also a more structured business meeting was discussed for the future.  

2)  A planning session for 2014-2015 will be held this summer, to be attended by Archie, Lolly, Carolyn, and Pam in particular to discuss the events and programs of the Washington DC conference they recently attended.  All members will be advised of the planning session and are welcome.  A date and place is being determined.

3)  Lolly, Carolyn and Pam each made brief comments about their experience at the conference.  All were very impressed with the speakers and programs presented and are hoping to bring some of those programs to our Sarasota chapter this fall/winter.

4)  The movie, HOLLYWOOD CHINESE, a documentary about how Hollywood portrayed the Chinese from the silent film era to the 21st century, was shown.

Meeting adjourned at 5:40.

Submitted by Lolly Baerveldt 

Arcadia Rodeo, March 9

The Arcadia Rodeo is the ultimate American experience. We are hosting visiting Chinese scholars today. 

The Dyes are hosting Shizhong Zhang, a Fullbright scholar teaching at Sarasota New College.

The McKees are hosting Dr. Fan (Jeremy) Zhang and his adorable wife XiaoXiao.  Dr. Zhang is the Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Curator of Asian Art at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota.

Enjoy some of the excitement with us:

Below our seats:

Bulls below us, too. 

Chutes right in front of us. 

Program:

March Chapter Meeting

Since there was no available meeting place, there be no monthly chapter meeting in March. 

However, the Dyes and the McKees are taking visiting Chinese scholars to the ultimate American experience--the Arcadia Rodeo. 

Post with photos to follow. 

February 9 Chapter Meeting

Sunday, February 9, was our Valentine party at the home of Archie and Grace McKee in Apollo Beach. We had a great time with lots of interesting conversations, cupcakes, punch, snacks,  and roses. 

Attending: Dr. Zhang, Ringling Asian Art Curator. Shizhong Zhang  and Dr  Xia Shang of New College, Joe Janus, Lolly Baerveldt, Pam Capone, Colette Penn, Jill Dye and Duane Finger and their lovely French friends Colette and Jean Paul, Pat Amsel, and hosts Archie and Grace. 

We missed those who could not attend, especially Alphonz; we all signed a get well card for him.

Chinese New Year Lion Dance

Thank you, Shawn Lucci, for sharing your video of the Lion Dance performed at your Atlanta USCPFA Chapter's Chinese New Year celebration:

http://youtu.be/GUmwWteN4I8

Chinese New Year at New College - Part Two

The festivities took place in the Green Area. There was Chinese dancing, calligraphy practice, embroidery, and more. Archie McKee displayed a presentation of Chinese Philately.

Students continued sharing jiaozi with attendees. Lots of photos and a video of the Flame Dance follow:

Chinese New Year at New College - Part One

USCPFA members were invited by Chinese scholar Shizhong Zhang to come early to the New College Chinese New Year Festival to join the students in eating the traditional jiaozi (dumplings). President Archie McKee, his wife Grace, Pat Amsel, and Alfonz Lengal arrived early for this enjoyable time. We were presently surprised to find our old friends Jean and Joe Shih there along with Richard Prager.