Chinese Culture Group of Greater Grand Rapids

On Saturday November 8, 2008 (From 10:30 AM - 2 PM), we have an event planned for Craig’s Cruisers in Grand Rapids: http://www.craigscruisers.com/ 

For $11.99 kids get to choose from 2 activities that includes laser tag, bumper cars, co-carts, frog hopper, and ropes course. The $11.99 cost includes an all-you-can eat buffet. Additional activities can be added for $4.00 more.

Adult chaperons do not have to pay for activities and can pay a separate cost for the buffet if they just want to eat. Children 36 inches and smaller eat free at the buffet however there really are no activities for kids under 36 inches other than video games. 

If you are interested in attending this outing, please click on the following link so that we can get a tentative “head count.” http://ccgggr.org/content/signup/craigs-cruisers-nov-8-2008-event-signup/

I’ve dreamed for years of Savannah performing with the Chinese Village Dancers.

Recently I talked with Lily and she informed me that they only have 3 girls enrolled which isn’t enough to hold the class.

Chinese dance is a great way for your daughter to learn a part of her culture that she will enjoy for years to come. Dance is a lot of fun and also helps build self esteem. If you’re interested in signing up please visit the website listed below

Thanks,

Mark

www.chinesevillage.org

With summer fading away, it’s time to look ahead for Fall. We have things planned for each month starting with our annual Moon Festival, which will be held on Friday September 5, 2008 from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM at Keystone Community Church http://www.keystonecc.org/app/. The Moon Festival will follow our traditional format as follows:

• Potluck Dinner (Each family needs to bring a main dish to pass. Deserts are optional).
• Moon Festival Story.
• Arts & Crafts.
• Fireworks.
• Glow Stick Hunt

The cost of this event is $5.00 per family which will help to pay for supplies and facility rental costs. To sign up for this event, please click on the following link: http://ccgggr.org/content/signup/moon-festival-signup/

On Saturday October 18, 2008 (From 10 AM - ??) we will be going to Klackle Orchards: http://www.klackleorchards.com/. For those of you who have never been to Klackle, you’re in for a very memorable time. There are over a dozen activities to do for the kids including:

• Wagon Ride with 1/4 peck of apples to pick
• Enchanted Pumpkin Ride (Starts Sept. 29th)
• Inflatables
• Animal Crackers Petting Zoo
• Face Painting
• Barrel Train Ride
• Pedal Carts, Tractors & Trikes
• Field of Fun (Maze, BMX Track, Apple Shoot, Putt Putt Pumpkin)
• Coaster Slide Area
• Picnic Areas
• Bonfires

• BMX Track
• Putt Putt Pumpkin
• Straw Tower
• Corn Maze

The cost of this event is $10.00 per person (to be paid on the date of the event). This cost includes all aforementioned activities as well as donuts and cider for all attendees, a private tractor ride to the apple orchard or pumpkin patch, and a private meeting/gathering place. A rain date is scheduled for 10-25-08 in case Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate with us on the 18th.

On Saturday November 8, 2008 (From 10:30 AM - 2 PM), we have an event planned for Craig’s Cruisers in Grand Rapids: http://www.craigscruisers.com/ For $11.99 kids get to choose from 2 activities that includes laser tag, bumper cars, co-carts, frog hopper, and ropes course. The $11.99 cost includes an all-you-can eat buffet. Additional activities can be added for $4.00 more. Adult chaperons do not have to pay for activities and can pay a separate cost for the buffet if they just want to eat. Children 36 inches and smaller eat free at the buffet (the buffet last for up to 3 hours and contains 50 items). There are really no activities for kids under 36 inches other than video games.  If you are interested in attending this outing, please click on the following link so that we can get a tentative “head count.” http://ccgggr.org/content/signup/craigs-cruisers-nov-8-2008-event-signup/

On Saturday December 6, 2008, we will be having our annual Holiday Party from 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM at Golden Gate Restaurant located at 4023 S Division Ave/Grand Rapids, MI 49548. The telephone number for the restaurant is 616-534-7087. Back in 2004 we had a group meal/cooking demonstration at this restaurant. Aside from good food, the hospitality of the owners was incredible! They are very excited to have us back and are opening the restaurant especially for our group (they are typically closed on Saturday afternoon). Presently, there are options for a buffet style dinner. If you are interested in attending and ordering a buffet, please click on the following link: http://ccgggr.org/content/signup/christmas-signup/ If there is minimal/limited interested in a buffet, families can order from their menu. The deadline for signing up is November 24, 2008. Here’s to a great fall! Peace - Dan Richter, Chairperson

Check out http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/category/sports/2008-olympics/ for coverage and facts pertaining to the Beijing Olympics.

You can check out other China related news feeds at http://ccgggr.org/content/china-news-feeds-rss/

Let the games begin!

Mark

If your family is planning on attending this event with the CCGGGR, please email Dan Richter at crookedbayct@earthlink.net

This information will help with the planning process.  Thanks - Dan Richter

May 2008:

With Summer approaching there are several cultural opportunities for you and your family. In June, FFIC will be holding its annual Heritage Camp from June 17-June 20, 2008. For more information go to: http://www.fficgr.org/id3.html

On July 26, 2008 the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce will be holding its annual Dragon Boat Race For Literacy at Ping Tom Park in Chicago, Illinois (for more information go to: http://www.chicagochinatown.org/). To celebrate this event, there are several families from our local FCC group who will be traveling to Chicago for the weekend.

We will be staying at the Holiday Inn Mayan Adventure Indoor Water Park in Elmhurst, Illinois http://mayanindoorwaterpark.reachlocal.com/coupon/?scid=180826&cid=177176&tc=08051015115926832&dynamic_proxy=1&primary_serv=mayanindoorwaterpark.reachlocal.net&se_refer=http%253A%252F%252Fsearch.yahoo.com%252Fsearch%253Fp%253Dmayan%252Badventure%252Belmhurst%2526ei%253DUTF-8%2526fr%253Dmoz2. This hotel offers reasonable rates and includes an indoor water park that should be fun for all ages.

Additionally, there is a commuter train station 5 minutes from the hotel, offering hourly commutes into Chinatown. The hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to and from the train station, depending on interest level. For more information about fares and schedules, please visit: http://metrarail.com/. The Elmhurst station is on the pink line and is a 35-40 minute ride into Chicago.

An agenda for activities has been developed as follows:

Friday:

· Check-in time is 2 PM

· Dinner will be on your own

· Meet at the pool (open until 10 PM)

Saturday:

· Dragon Boat Festival is from 9 AM to 4 PM (come and go as you please)

· Pizza Party at the Pool at 5 PM

· Swimming until 10 PM

Sunday:

· Breakfast on your own

· 11 AM check out

· You may enjoy the pool until 3 PM

From July 28th through August 1st, Chinese Village & Young Champions will be holding a Wushu Summer Camp for ages 6 on up.  For more information please visit their website at: http://chinesevillage.org

From August 8th through August 10th Families Through Adoption (Char Lanning’s organization) is planning a weekend gathering to celebrate the Olympics in Beijing. For more information, go to their website: http://familiesthroughadoption.org/celebrate.htm

I hope everyone enjoys a memorable summer. Peace – Dan Richter, CCGGGR chairperson.

Our Chinese New Year party is scheduled for February 8th at Keystone Church located at 655 Spaulding Ave. in Ada, MI The meeting time is from 6:30-8:30

This year we celebrate the Year of the Rat. The party will be potluck style so please bring a hot and cold dish to pass. We will provide place settings and something to drink. For more details please email mark@markandmelissa.com

6:30-7:30 - Announcements and dinner (potluck)
7:30 - Traditional Lion dance by members of The Panda Pals
7:45 - New Year Games (rat pinata to celebrate “The Year Of The Rat”)
8:00 - Humorous short video of Frank Jiang explaining how the order of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac came to be.
8:05 - Closing with an outdoors firework display

Thanks,

Mark

Memory Mosaic

Our families are unique, but we share a common thread, which together makes up a mosaic of the Chinese adoption experience.

Let’s share our collective family stories
Come share your story using video, photos, stories, souvenirs, etc.
Each family limited to 10 minutes

We will meet on January 18th from 6:30 - 8:30 at Keystone Community Church located at 655 Spaulding in Ada, MI

Please RSVP to Dan Richter via email if you plan on showing a video or presenting something else for this event.

xie xie,

Mark

Please join us on Friday, December 7th at 6:30pm for our annual Christmas Party, held at Keystone Church in Ada. This is a great time to get to know other families better. We’ve got an activity planned for the kids as well as a performance by the Chinese Village Dancers. There will also be an opportunity for you to get a family portrait during the evening.

There are still some items left from the silent auction that will be available to bid on as well. In addition to the auction items there will be two custom prints by artist Xi Xiang He that we will be raffling off, tickets will be $5 each.

Please plan to bring a hot and a cold dish to pass. The group is providing coffee, juice and place settings.

Agenda

• 6:30 - 6:40 Greetings
• 6:40 - 7:15 Dinner
• 7:15 - 7:30 Chinese Village Dancers
• 7:30 - 8:00 Kids craft

Prints from Xi Xiang He

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

CCGGGR Board

Check out the list of items you will be able to bid on. I’ll keep updating the list as they become available. Remember, this year a portion of your meal cost will go to Grace and Hope for Children, a special thanks to Ming Ten for their generosity. I think this year is going to be the best year ever!

For event details click here. If you’re interested in donating an item or need more information, please contact a board member listed on our Contact Us page.

Current Donations that will be available for bidding on November 13, 2007

The Mud Room has donated a Studio for 4 which is a $75 value. They are located in Ada Village, check out their website at www.themudroom.us or give Rachel a call to setup your own creative day or night out. 616-682-9706

Family to receive a $350 credit towards their application fee when signing up for any of the AAI international programs. A great gift for any family currently looking into international adoption. They have a lot of international programs so please check out their website at www.adoptassoc.com

Cold Stone Creamery has donated one medium Midnight Delight cake. Chocolate lovers are going to be battling it out for this item.

Great Wall China Adoption is donating 2 very nice books that were printed by the CCAA. The books are titled Elder Respecting and contain heart warming stories that teach morals like respect much like William J. Bennett’s - The Book of Virtues. Check out Great Walls website at www.gwca.org

Grand Rapids Area YMCA is donating a 3 month membership which is a $279 value. Visit their website at www.grymca.org

 

Chris Lin, Author of the award winning children’s book Mandy and Pandy Say, Ni Hao Ma? is donating (3) copies. Book comes with a CD.

“Mandy and Pandy say “Ni Hao Ma?” has been such a hit with our Chinese students and their parents. The pictures are so much fun and the story teaches great language, from family and friends to playing in the park. We can’t wait for other ‘Mandy and Pandy’ stories to come out.”  Shelley Whiddon Jabberü, Foreign Language Learning for Kids

RKS

Owner Kim Swanson of RKS Salon has donated a $30 gift certificate. Read on for a great endorsement from a very satisfied customer. (Grand Rapids City Search.com)

“On my search for a stylist that knows how to cut naturally curly hair, I ran across RKS Salon in the yellow pages…..Well let me tell you, I have never had a better hair cut in my entire life! KIM IS JUST AWESOME!!! She gave me a cut that I can actually work with and look GREAT, she also did color correction the first time I went in and she did a great job on that as well.. She never RUSHED through the process. Thanks Kim you’re FANTASTIC!!! I HIGHLY recommend this salon to any woman that wants a great experience!”

D.A. Blodgett

D.A. Blodgett is donating (2) Follow Jade and (2) Mei Mei and Me videos that are great for learning the basics of the Chinese language.

XiXiang He

Local artist XiXiang He is donating 3 art pieces. You may remember XiXiang from when he held a calligraphy class for our group in January.