Welcome to the South Bay Chinese Club - 南灣華人會

President’s Message:

Dear friends of the South Bay Chinese Club (SBCC),

Happy Lunar New Year!  恭喜發財!

For 2024, we honor the year of the Wood Dragon, which symbolizes strength, luck, honor, and success along with growth and creativity. May all your endeavors grow like wood branches and may all your successes be as exalted as the dragon's reverence.

I welcome you to join our various annual SBCC events this lucky year, from the Chinese New Year banquet to the widely-attended Scholarship Banquet honoring numerous local graduating high school seniors. As our non-profit organization continues to increase with longevity, I look forward to celebrating many of our events together as a strong community. 

May you all have continued good luck, health, happiness, and prosperity during this Lunar New Year.

Dr. Clifton M. Der Bing,
President, South Bay Chinese Club

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

SBCC/SBCSC celebrated the 2024 Lunar New Year (Year of the Dragon, 4722) with our traditional Chinese New Year Banquet at the Mayflower Restaurant in Milpitas on Saturday, March 2, 2024.

SBCC members and their family and friends were treated to a delicious 9-course dinner and were entertained by a beautiful performance of a traditional Chinese fan dance by two talented sisters, Christy and Megan, daughters of members Edwin and Wincy Ng.

This year’s banquet was a great success under the coordination of Linette Young, Maelene Wong, and Lorrie Wong, along with the help of many Club members. In the many years that we have held this celebration dinner, this was the largest number of people ever attending.

Click HERE to go to the Gallery to view all the photos taken at the event.

• The 2023-2024 SBCSC Scholarship Program is no longer accepting applications. The deadline to submit an application and all the supporting documents has passed. 

• All applicants will be notified by March 29, 2024 whether they are selected to receive a scholarship.
  If you are selected to receive a scholarship, you MUST be present to receive your scholarship at the 2024 Scholarship Award Banquet on April 24, 2024 (Wednesday evening) at the Pearl Bay Restaurant, Fremont.

• We have received a record breaking number of scholarship applicants this year. They are all high achieving students as indicated by an average GPA of 3.90 among all applicants - another record breaking number. We would like to award scholarships to as many students as we can but we are limited by the amount of donations received this year. We will continue to accept donations toward this year’s scholarships until the end of March when we make the final selection of the scholarship recipients. Please contact Jane Lin, our Scholarship Committee Chair if you have any questions.

In Memoriam…

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ms. Amy Jang on January 29, 2024. She and her late husband, Joe Jang, were founding members of the South Bay Chinese Club in 1965.

Below is a tribute by her daughter, Patty Chan.

The Legacy of Amy Jang

by Patty Jang Chan

In the last several years, I have been trying to document family stories for my genealogical research. This is a story about my mother, Amy, and her impetus for starting the South Bay Chinese Club.

Amy grew up in Locke, California, in the Sacramento Delta region. Locke is the only town built by and for Chinese immigrants in the USA because of Chinese exclusion laws in place in those days. Her father owned the Happy Cafe on Main Street, and Amy went to segregated elementary schools growing up. 

Amy was 4 through 16 years old during the Great Depression and 16 when World War II started. Being one less mouth to feed in a family of 7, she was sent to live with various family members throughout high school. The hardships of being a newcomer during these years shaped her into a person who valued inclusivity.

My brothers and I all remember Mom and Dad’s humble and gracious hospitality, as they invited our college friends to join us for Thanksgiving and other celebrations. These meals embraced friends unable to travel home for the holidays. Mom and Dad’s inclusive spirit left an enduring mark on us, fostering a sense of welcome and belonging, and nurturing empathy towards outsiders.

I remember being in kindergarten when we first moved to Fremont, California. Back in 1958, it seemed that there were very few Chinese at the time living in that area; at least we didn’t know anyone. My mom picked me up from ballet class, and there was a little Chinese girl named Janice Taam also waiting for her mother to pick her up (pre-cell phone days). We gave her a ride home from ballet class (pre-child abduction days) where mom met Janice’s mother, Joan. The idea for the South Bay Chinese Club formed because of their plan to organize the local Chinese community in what would be akin to a Chinese family association or “tong”. Now I can see the fruition of her wish to feel she belonged. In forming the South Bay Chinese Club, what she wanted was to tell other local Chinese families: There aren’t many Chinese families like us around here, so let’s stick together to provide community and mutual aid. My mom & dad organized a meeting at their house and invited all the Chinese they DID know in the local area. This eventually formed the Charter Group of the South Bay Chinese Club.

This may be hard to imagine nowadays since the South Bay Area of San Francisco Bay has Chinese everywhere. What I think she would want her legacy to be is this: please remember to include ALL Chinese, including immigrants, whether you come from mainland China, Taiwan, or anywhere around the world. This is a place of sanctuary where you can feel welcomed. You belong among us because you are Chinese, even if genetically not 100%. We have a rich culture that we can be very proud of, and no one can make us feel otherwise or “other”-wise.

Amy passed away in January 2024 at age 98, leaving behind a loving family and a community enriched by her empathetic spirit. Let us honor her memory by continuing to embrace inclusivity and lift each other up, just as she did throughout her life.

On February 14, 2024, the Fremont City Council proclaimed Lunar New Year during the month of February in the City of Fremont and recognized Citizens for Better Community (CBC) and South Bay Chinese Club (SBCC) for promoting and preserving the culture, history, and traditions if the Taiwanese and Chinese American communities.

Citizens for Better Community and South Bay Chinese Club are also recognized for having made significant contributions in celebrating the accomplishments of Chinese Americans in every facets of life in their established programs and community activities over the years.

PAST EVENTS:

• The SBCC Annual Elders Brunch was held on Friday, September 15, 2023, 11 am at Pearl Bay Restaurant, 43635 Boscell Rd., Fremont, CA. This annual event celebrates and honors our SBCC members age 80 and over with a delicious Dim Sum brunch. Below are some of the photos taken at the event. Click HERE to go to the Gallery to view more photos.

The 2023 Club BBQ and Potluck was held on August 26, 2023 at the Carlton Seniors Living in Fremont. It featured amazing food arranged by by our Social Committee Chairs, Aliene and Cecilia. The event was well attended by our members since this annual event has been suspended since the pandemic. Please click HERE or the group photo below to go to the “Gallery” pages to view pictures taken at the event by our President, Clifton Der Bing.

SBCC celebrated the National Women’s Day on August 9, 2023 with a luncheon at Jack’s Restaurant, Newark. Below is a group photo of the attending Club members.

On July 23, 2023, our Social Committee Chairs, Aliene Yee and Cecilia Leon, hosted a Joong (Zongzi 粽子) Making event. Members were taught how to make the joongs (customized with their favorite fillings) and enjoy them with their families by cooking them at home. Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) are traditionally eaten during the Duanwu Festival (端午節, Double Fifth Festival) which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, and commonly known as the "Dragon Boat Festival" in English. This year, Duanwu fell on June 22, 2023. This is a very popular cultural and social event offered by the Club to our members in the past. Below are some photos taken at this year’s Joong making event.

On June 24, 2023, our Board of Directors and Officers were formally installed. They will be serving the 2023-2024 term. Our Past President, Lorrice Wong, administered the swearing ceremony for the group at Carlton Senior Living in Fremont. Below is photo from the Installation Ceremony.

MAJOR PAST EVENTS:

The 2023 SBCSC Scholarship Awards Banquet was held on Wednesday, April 19 at the Pearl Bay Restaurant. We have the largest crowd of 200+ attendees. With the partnership of the Mandarin Immersion Program (MIP), a record amount of $46,375 scholarships was awarded to 28 students in the Tri-City area.

• Our keynote speaker was Randy Lau, the creative engine behind the fastest growing YouTube food channel “Made With Lau” with 1.5M+ followers and 30M+ monthly views. Randy gave an inspiring speech sharing with the students his trials and tribulations as he transitioned from an electrical engineer/software engineer to become a successful YouTuber. The star of the show, Daddy Lau, was also on hand with other members of the Lau family to mingle with the banquet attendees.

• A new version of the Club video “2023 SBCSC Scholarship Video” was premiered at the banquet and receive great review. Below is a link to view the video.

• Our two hardworking event photographers have taken so many photographs at the event that we need to split them into three groups for posting in the Gallery. They are available for viewing and downloading in the Gallery under the labels of: 2023 Awards Banquet 1 of 3 - Speaker (from check-in through the end of the dinner), 2 of 3 - Certificates (the presentation of the certificates by the local legislators and their representatives), and 3 of 3 - Awards (the scholarship awards presentation through the end with the group photos). To download any photo, (for PC users) right click on the image and select “Save inage as…”

• Since photographers rarely appear in the photos they took, we want to recognize them by including below a couple of photos they have taken with our keynote speaker and his family.

• If you missed the event and would like to see Randy’s keynote address, please go to the 2023 Scholarship banquet Recap page. The Recap page also includes a full list of the scholarship winners as well as highlights of special achievements by some award recipients.

Members in the News:

Brandon & Theresa Sabado welcomed baby Katherine Vera Yim-Sabado on Saturday, September 30. 
She is the first grandchild of Randy and Gerry Sabado.

Brandon is a recipient of a SBCSC Scholarship in 2001.

Randy is a former SBCC President (2015-2016).
The late Gerry Sabado is also a former SBCC President (2005-2006).

Congratulations to Deborah Szeto for receiving her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from San Jose State University in May 2023.  She also received the “Outstanding Graduate Student Award” in April 2023 at the end of her doctoral studies.

 Deborah Szeto, daughter of Dennis and Elaine Szeto, is a recipient of a SBCSC Scholarship Award in 2011.

 After graduating from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in 2015, she was hired as the first new graduate nurse in the ICU at the Sacramento VA Medical Center.

 Deborah is currently working as a palliative care nurse at Kaiser Permanente.

Dr. Trisha Wong, who is a 1993 SBCSC Scholarship recipient, and one of her patients discussed new treatments for Sickle Cell Anemia in an interview titled “Salem teen and a doctor share hopes and concerns around new treatments for sickle cell disease” on the Oregon Public Broadcasting Station on December 15, 2023.

Dr. Trisha Wong, daughter of Aaron (current SBCSC President) and Maelene Wong (former SBCC Treasurer), is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Oregon Health Science University (OHSU).

Click HERE to read the article and a transcript of the broadcast.

Michaela Lee, 2010 SBCSC Scholarship Recipient, daughter of long-time members Roger and Michelle Lee, and granddaughter of Gladys Lee, SBCC President 1990-1991, is on the list of CyberScoop 50 candidates nominated for the MOST INSPIRING UP & COMER award that recognizes information security trailblazers early in their careers who are on track to be leaders of tomorrow in cybersecurity. Michaela is currently working Washington DC as the Director, Strategy and Research, Office of the National Cyber Director.

Click HERE for more information of the CyberScoop 50 Awards.

In Memoriam:

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Jared Lee, 2016 SBCSC Scholarship Recipient, the beloved son of Roger and Michelle Lee, younger brother to Michaela and Noelani Lee, and grandson of Gladys Lee, our longtime club member, former SBCC President, and sponsor of the Robert Vun Yau Lee Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Performance Art.  Jared grew up in Danville, and was active in many sports and clubs, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.  At UC Irvine, Jared worked as an ombudsman, helping students with his peacemaking nature.  Jared loved the outdoors, his family, his faith, and he also had a true commitment to service.  He had a special affinity for Hawaii, where his late grandfather was born, and was active with The Pantry, a food distribution service for people in need.  We send our condolences to the Lee family and remember Jared for his kindness, compassion, and call to service.  Donations in Jared's memory can be made to The Pantry HERE.

Upcoming SBCC/SBCSC Events:
(Note: All SBCC/SBCSC events and Board of Directors meetings are open to all SBCC members and invited guests. Please contact Clifton Der Bing or Joe Woo [contact information is listed on the SBCC Board Member Contact Page] if you have any questions.)

March 2024

• March 16, 2024 - SBCC Board of Directors Meeting

April 2024

• April 24, 2024 - SBCSC Scholarship Awards Banquet at Pearl Bay Restaurant, Fremont

May 2024

• May 18, 2024 - SBCC General Membership Meeting