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Colorado Chinese Club New Year Celebration
By Elnora M. Mercado
February 5, 2001

The Colorado Chinese Club celebrated its 2001 Chinese New Year Celebration at the George Washington High School on January 27, 2001. In a spectacular program emceed by Ms. Sue Wang and Mr. Hwa-Chen Chiang, the celebration was a joyous occasion for hundreds of Chinese Americans and representatives from the State official leaders and Asian American leaders of the community.

After the colorful Lion Dance presented by the Shaolin Hung Mei Pai Kung Fu and Master Howie Solow, President Lily Shen and Elizabeth Chu, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Kansas City, welcomed the guests. Mr. Mike Coffman, State Treasurer, read a proclamation from Governor Owens, Aurora Mayor Paul Tauer and Lakewood Mayor Steve Burkholder and Mr. Richard Poole, representing Sen Wayne Allard greeted the audience Happy New Year.

Lily Shen presented an award of appreciation to M. Anh Van Tran, 1999,2000 President of the Colorado Chinese Club.

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Spectacular performances were presented by various Chinese groups: Colorado Chinese Language School, Denver Chinese Culture Center, Shaolin Hung Mei Pai Kung Fu Association, Boulder Rocky Mountain Chinese School, Summit Choir, Bo Hua Chinese Language School, and the Chinese Evangelical Church of Denver.

A traditional Chinese custom of giving red envelopes containing money was again distributed to children ten years or younger and to elderly (70 years or older) guests in the audience. The fun-filled evening was made more joyous with the raffling of gifts and the tossing of a giant ball to the audience. Lucky guests received gifts donated by many affluent Asian American leaders and corporate sponsors like Coors, State Farm Insurance, Wells Fargo Bank, Premier Bank and 1^st Bank of Arvada.

Elnora M. Mercado is Managing Editor of Philippine/Asian American Times: The Voice of Asian Americans in the Rockies. For more information about this newspaper contact Nora at 303-427-8109 or e-mail: nora@philasian.com