To apply for a membership of RECA (Redwood Empire Chinese Association), please contact RECA Secretary Judy Cheung by emailing her here.
All RECA Members, Family, and Friends,
You are invited to join us for the 2023 RECA Autumn Moon Festival Potluck Social on Saturday, September 30, 5:00 p.m. until dark at RECA Center, 3455 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95407. Just show up, no need to register.
In addition to our usual food, fun and entertainment, we will have a special eye-painting ceremony for our two new lions purchased with funds from the CAB Grant and for our new dragon purchased with funds from our Diversity Grant from the Arts and Cultural Grant of Northern Sonoma County. Once the eyes are painted, our lions and dragon will be able to see and will perform for us for the first time. Don’t miss this fun and excitement. We will also have our Adult Cultural Dancers, RECA Adult Chorus, Wu Academy Martial Arts, and more acts of excellent RECA talent.
Be sure to bring a jacket for when the sun goes down and it gets chilly. See you there with your entire family of all ages and generations!
**** To join RECA Membership and receive RECA Newsletter, please email RECA Secretary Judy Cheung.
Upcoming Regular Meetings
RECA Board Meeting
Every other month on the 3rd Wednesday, 7:00-9:00 p.m., RECA Center. All interested members are welcome to join us in planning and carrying out RECA business and community involvement. Be part of RECA’s less advertised activities. Be on committees where you can meet civic leaders. Be a special guest to invitation-only events to which RECA is invited. Enjoy special snacks brought to share by traveling board members. Share your talents, contacts, and knowledge. We meet every other month on the 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 at our Center unless otherwise announced. Our next meetings are scheduled on October 18 and December 20. To receive information to attend, please contact a board member: President Nancy Wang 707-576-0533, Youth Group Leaders Jong & Lorraine Mira 707-364-5327,
Vice President and RECA Chorus: David Chung, 707-340-6045, Recording Secretary: Judy Cheung, 707-528-0912 or any board member listed on the front page of this newsletter, or email Judy Cheung.
RECA YOUTH GROUP:
Usually each 1st Friday, 6:00-8:30 PM, RECA Center. Youth Group focuses on Chinese and Asian cultural issues and situations. We begin with a lion or dragon dance rehearsal, have a light meal, then a topic of discussion. We end the meeting with some fun and games. If you are a teenager and would like to join us, please contact our YG Leaders, Lorraine and Jong Mira
Our next meeting will be Friday, September 8. 6:00 lion dance practice. 6:45 ice cream social. Please contact the Mira Family for specific information and to be sure they count you when they buy the ice cream.
RECA LION & DRAGON DANCERS Practice:
Each Youth Group Practice and meeting is usually on the 1st Friday at 6:00-6:45 plus special rehearsals before performing. Performances are community-wide. Please contact Lorraine and Jong Mira for rehearsal information. You do not have to belong to the Youth Group to be a lion or dragon dancer. We have junior and senior (elementary school and high school or older) lions. To be a dragon dancer, you must be big enough to hold the pole and keep up when the dragon runs. Less tall and less energetic participants can be Happy Buddha dancers or percussionists with cymbals and gong, or general support person to carry, drive, etc. There is always something for everyone to do.
Next performances: Sept. 30 RECA Moon Festival, RECA Center; Oct. 7 Alzheimer walk, Sonoma State University; Dec. 2 RECA Christmas Party at Santa Rosa Vets Building.
RECA ADULT CULTURAL DANCERS:
Practice each Wednesday, 3:30-5:30 p.m. At Snoopy’s Ice Arena Studio. Leader is Lisa Gardener. These adults learned cultural dance in China. To join, they hope you already know the basics of Chinese cultural dance. Rehearsals are conducted primarily in Mandarin. They practice weekly and perform throughout greater Sonoma County and beyond. Their performances include senior homes, all levels of schools, private parties, business parties, special dinner events, and many more exciting venues.
RECA ADULT CHORUS:
Tuesdays 7:00-9:00 p.m. at our RECA Center. Please email David Chung or Lisa Gardner for more info in case the time has changed for this month. The Chorus recently performed at the Sonoma County Fair and will perform at RECA’s Autumn Moon Festival on September 30, our December Christmas Party at the Santa Rosa Vet’s Building on December 2, and many additional community events.
RECA SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE:
At least two $500 scholarships are given each year to high school seniors who live in Sonoma County and are of Asian descent or who are members of RECA. Applications may be obtained on our website or from public and most private school counselors. 2024 applications may be turned in starting February 2024. Interviews are planned for May 2024. The interview committee will be assigned in March or April.
For 2023, our recipients were:
- Elizabeth (Ellie) Mira, RECA, Maria Carrillo High;
- Katrina Gong, RECA, Maria Carrillo High;
- Melanie Raymond, non-member, Maria Carrillo High;
- Andrew Simmalaychanh, non-member, Windsor High;
- Rijan Chapagain, non-member, Sonoma Valley High.
Funds for these scholarships come from the RECA Scholarship Fund and from generous donors. This year’s donors were The Lok Family and David Chung in memory of his brother Steven.
RECA CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
August 19: Skyhawk Neighborhood Meeting in soccer field near Austin Creek School. RECA Lions perform.
September 9: Grand Opening of the Sonoma County Stories exhibit at the Sonoma County Museum. RECA is a contributor and has been closely involved. Nancy Wang is on the board of directors.
September 19: Building Bridges Between Communities, Congregation Shomrei Torah, Nancy Wang is featured speaker
September 23: South Park Day & Night Festival, RECA will have an info booth and lion dancers in Martin Luther King Park, 1671 Hendley St., Santa Rosa, near the fairgrounds. Begins at 2:00 pm. All day fun, free movie at night.
**September 30: RECA Autumn Moon Festival, RECA Center. Setup 3:00, begins 5:00, entertainment 7:00. Everyone is invited. Bring food to share, family, friends and a jacket for when the sun goes down.
October 7: Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Sonoma State University, RECA Lions & Cultural Dancers perform. *October 18: RECA Board Meeting RECA Center, 7:00. Please contact Nancy Wang or Judy Cheung for more info. All interested members are welcome.
October 21: Finding History Day, Finley Center, Sonoma County Historical Heritage Society exhibition. RECA will have an information booth and is a sponsor.
October 21: Building Bridges Between Communities, Congregation Shomrei Torah, RECA Youth Group member Kevin Zhai is a featured speaker.
November 5: Building Bridges Between Communities, Congregation Shomrei Torah, RECA has an info table POSTPONED TO JANUARY 2024. November 11: Asian American Pacific Island Coalition of North Bay Annual Meeting.
**December 2: RECA Christmas Party: Santa Rosa Vet’s Memorial Building Dining Room (east side parking), Setup 4:00, begins 5:00, entertainment 6:30. Everyone is invited. Please bring food to share, family and friends.
*December 20: RECA Board Meeting RECA Center, 7:00. Please contact Nancy Wang or Judy Cheung for more info. All interested members are welcome.
Date TBA: RECA Youth Group to help paint street art at intersection of 2nd & D Streets with artist Judy Kennedy with funds granted by Santa Rosa CAB (Community Advisory Board.)
2024
January 19: Finley Park Chinese New Year Celebration, Program presented by RECA.February 3: Sonoma County Children’s Museum Chinese New Year Celebration, RECA is invited to perform.
February 16: Oakmont Senior Singles performance of lions, dancers, and chorus
February 17: Healdsburg Chinese New Year Celebration, RECA is invited to perform. RECA YG to help paint street art at intersection of 2nd & D Streets with artist Judy Kennedy with funds granted by Santa Rosa CAB (Community Advisory Board.)
January 19: Finley Park Chinese New Year Celebration, Program presented by RECA.
February 3: Sonoma County Children’s Museum Chinese New Year Celebration, RECA is invited to perform.
February 16: Oakmont Senior Singles performance of lions, dancers and chorus
February 17: Healdsburg Chinese New Year Celebration, RECA is invited to perform.
