Update: All openings have been filled for this year. Kindly try again next year.

We are delighted to announce that there are a few additional openings in the China Care Bruins Youth Mentorship "Buddy" Program for the 2012-2013 academic year (October 2012 through June 2013).  It is my pleasure to serve as the Liaison between our adoptive families and the China Care Bruins leadership.  Please contact me (and not the China Care Bruins leadership) should you have any questions or concerns about the application process.

Founded in 2005, China Care Bruins is a student-run group at UCLA that raises funds to provide medical services for children in China's orphanages and mentors Chinese adoptees and their siblings.  Last year, more than 50 FCC children and youth were paired with college student “Big Buddies.”  The Buddy groups participate in monthly Sunday afternoon get-togethers on the UCLA campus throughout the academic year.  Visit www.chinacarebruins.org and check out the photo gallery.  During the Buddy gatherings, parents are invited to join in our Parent Roundtables featuring discussions, film viewing, speakers and more on a variety of current events and adoptive family topics.

Since we began collaborating with China Care Bruins and initiated the mentorship program in 2005, it has grown in size and has been recognized as a model mentoring program.  In 2009, China Care Bruins was selected from more than 40 chapters to receive the inaugural Outstanding Community Service Award from the national China Care Foundation for this mentorship program and received similar honors in 2010 and 2011.  For its fundraising efforts and community contributions, China Care Bruins received the 2011 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy Award from Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and the Asian Pacific Community Fund.

Orange County held our 15th Annual Moon Festival Banquet on September 18.  Keeping with tradition, the event was held at Ten Ten Seafood Restaurant in Artesia.

The evening started off with an icebreaker activity, the Moon Festival Legends Game. Each participant received a sheet about the legends and were tasked with finding images related to the legends, e.g. 10 suns, Chang-e, Hou-yi etc.  Each family was given an envelope of images to hand out and the kids had to run around the room collecting images from other banquet attendees.

As always, everyone enjoyed the delicious menu of egg drop soup, honey walnut shrimp, beef and snow peas, tofu and mushrooms, cashew chicken, house lo mein, yang chow rice, and of course, moon cakes.  Dinner was followed by a variety of entertaining and education performances: 

• Martial Drum: Performer Arthur Chen and instructor Rachael Sysiong
• Beijing Opera Master: Kevin Chai
• Lion Dance Instruction: Jonathan Wong

All attendees had the opportunity to try out the instruments and costumes and learn some of the routines first hand.  The evening ended with prizes for the kids - all went home with an adorable stuffed xiong mao, hou zi, tu zi or other animal.

Many thanks to organizers Susan Tschabrun and Debbie Kistler, and the group of volunteers who helped make this banquet a success! Copy and photos for this post contributed by Patty Uy and Jenifer Weigand.