The past year was an exciting time for us and we want to share our joy with you. Browse through the different pages to view our community fundraising and event highlights from over the years.
2015 Highlights
The Honourable Jason Kenney Visits the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex
Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister of Multiculturalism, paid a visit to the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex on January 25. Minister Kenney praised Mon Sheong for its comprehensive scope of quality services and its efficiency in meeting the demands of the community.
50th Anniversary Celebration Book Presented to the University of Toronto
The Mon Sheong Foundation presented its 50th Anniversary Celebration Book to the University of Toronto on January 29, with several government officials in attendance. The special 50th Anniversary Exhibition was on display for two weeks, giving everyone the opportunity to explore Mon Sheong’s history and achievements over the past fifty years.
Rose Zhang Vocal & Arts Centre Raises Funds for the Mon Sheong Foundation
On February 14, in celebration of Chinese New Year, the Rose Zhang Vocal & Arts Centre held a fundraising concert to raise support for the Mon Sheong Foundation. The Centre donated $12,000 to Mon Sheong in support of their work with the youth and the elderly.
Versace Partners with Mon Sheong
The Mon Sheong Foundation was invited by Versace to partner in a shopping event at its Yorkdale Shopping Centre boutique. Through this partnership, Versace donated 10% of the store’s sales from 3:00 to 5:00 pm on February 15 to support Mon Sheong’s initiatives.
Local Celebrities Visit the Richmond Hill Long-Term Care Centre
On February 24, as part of the Chinese New Year festivities, Hong Kong celebrity Joe Tay, Richmond Hill Councillor Castro Liu, radio host Joseph Tsang, and former radio host Terrence Au joined together to visit the Richmond Hill Long-Term Care Centre. They celebrated with the residents by playing games and handing out gifts, and ended off a wonderful afternoon by wishing them a new year filled with joy and happiness.
The Honourable Alice Wong Visits the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex
With the Chinese New Year festivities still ongoing, Alice Wong, Minister of State for Seniors, took the opportunity to visit the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex on February 27 as part of her preparations for designing better senior care services throughout the country. Minister Wong was pleased by the extensive care provided to the seniors, including the latest Private Care service, and warmly greeted the residents of Mon Sheong Court.
50th Anniversary Celebration Book Presented to the Richmond Hill Public Library
The Foundation presented its 50th Anniversary Celebration Book and accompanying DVD set to the Richmond Hill Public Library on April 1. All of the council members from the Town of Richmond Hill were in attendance at this meaningful event. The 50th Anniversary Exhibition was also on display for two weeks to share this significant milestone with the community.
The Honourable Dr. Reza Moridi Visits the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex
The Honourable Dr. Reza Moridi, Minister of Research and Innovation and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, visited the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex on April 10. Minister Moridi was especially pleased with the extensive services and amenities that Mon Sheong was able to provide through its own funding, and encouraged the Foundation to continue its work for the benefit of the community.
Golden Seniors Celebration
The 2015 Mon Sheong Golden Seniors Celebration was held on April 20 at the MEC Markham Event Centre. With over 900 guests in attendance, the annual event honors the contributions seniors have made to their families and society. Special guests at the event included Mr. Joe Li, Regional Councillor of the City of Markham; Mr. Alex Chiu, Councillor of the City of Markham; Mr. Alan Ho, Councillor of the City of Markham; Mrs. Amanda-Yeung Collucci, Councillor of the City of Markham; Mr. Castro Liu, Councillor of the Town of Richmond Hill; and Mr. Chin Lee, Councillor of the City of Toronto.
Fun Run & Walk
More than 800 participants gathered at Milliken District Park for the 29th annual Fun Run & Walk on May 10. With the fundraiser held every year on Mother’s Day, it is a great way to celebrate and honour moms for their hard work and contributions. As with previous years, the event featured a 5K run, a 5K walk, and a wide range of family friendly activities, raising over $80,000 in support of Mon Sheong’s programs and services.
DiSCOVER 2015
The Mon Sheong Youth Group hosted its DiSCOVER program from May to July, giving its participants the opportunity to learn and experience the Chinese culture while broadening their perspective. The program comprised of a leadership retreat, speaker seminars, Mandarin classes, a development challenge, volunteering opportunities, and the much anticipated Trip to China. The program was well appreciated and fully support by the community.
Chinese School Graduation Ceremonies
The graduation ceremonies of the Mon Sheong Foundation Chinese School were held in early June, with a number of awards and scholarships presented to outstanding students. These scholarships included the Mandarin Scholarships, Leon & Susan Foon-Chim Wong Endowment Fund Scholarships, Woo’s Scholarships, P.S. Quan Awards for Academic Achievement, and the Dr. Sim Fai Liu Awards for Outstanding Achievement. Consul Zhong Hong Nuo and Vice Consul Wang Zhen of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto were on hand at the North York campus ceremony to offer their greetings.
Annual General Meeting
The Mon Sheong Foundation held its Annual General Meeting on June 18, where its Board of Directors reported on the organization’s activities over the past year. Direction and development for the upcoming year were also discussed. In addition, new directors were elected to the Board and officers were appointed to the Executive Committee. The new Executive Committee consists of Mr. Tim Kwan, Chairman; Mr. Garth Low, First Vice Chairman; Mr. Clement Tsang, Second Vice Chairman; Ms. Doris Chan, President; Mr. Eddie Tsang, First Vice President and Chair of the Honourary Governors; Mrs. Jo-Cy Lee, Second Vice President; Mrs. Teresa Tazumi, Corporate Secretary; and Mr. Dennis Au-Yeung, Corporate Treasurer. Mr. Frank Chau, who retired from his role as president, would continue to serve as Special Advisor to the Board. Mr. Simon Ng, co-chair of the Youth Group, was elected as a new director while Mr. David Li, previously a Director, would continue to serve the Foundation as Vice Chair of the Honourary Governors.
100th Birthday Party
The Mon Sheong Home for the Aged hosted its annual 100th Birthday Party on June 27 in celebration of nine centenarian residents’ birthdays. Mayor John Tory took part to celebrate with the seniors. Volunteers of the Home also prepared special performances and birthday cakes for the residents and their families to enjoy.
Popular Hong Kong Celebrities Wong Cho Lam and Leanne Li Visit Mon Sheong
Wong Cho Lam and Leanne Li paid a visit to the Scarborough Mon Sheong Court on July 4. Taking time out of their busy schedules, the couple spent a meaningful afternoon together with the residents, sharing many stories from their lives with everyone in attendance.
Chinese School Summer Camp
To accommodate the requests of parents and the needs of students, the Chinese Immersion Camp was held again in the summer, providing students with an immersive Putonghua or Cantonese environment where they learned the language through a fun-filled program including music and games. Children aged three to ten were welcome to join.
Forever Yonge Community BBQ
The Mon Sheong Foundation’s inaugural Forever Yonge Community BBQ was held on August 1 outside the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Court. Over a thousand people came from around the community, including MP Costa Menegakis; the Honourable Dr. Reza Moridi, Minister of Research and Innovation and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities; and local Councillors Castro Liu and Tom Muench. Aside from the delicious barbeque, the afternoon also featured a wide range of game booths and live entertainment, providing hours of enjoyment for everyone in attendance.
The Honourable Michael Chong Visits the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex
The Honourable Michael Chong, MP, visited the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex on August 12. He praised Mon Sheong’s ongoing initiatives and its recent introduction of the Private Care service which helps relieve the heavy demand on extended care beds.
Golden Jubilee Awards of Excellence Scholarship
A special award presentation ceremony was held for the Golden Jubilee Awards of Excellence Scholarship on August 31. The award, which was created to commemorate Mon Sheong’s 50th anniversary, encourages continued excellence from its winners. The $1,000 scholarship is renewable for each year of the recipients’ studies, up to a maximum total of $4,000.
Paul Calandra Visits the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex
Paul Calandra, MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, visited the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex on September 11. His tour of the facilities left him with a positive and memorable impression.
Mon Sheong Telethon
The 2015 Mon Sheong Telethon successfully took place on September 13. Public response was as enthusiastic as ever, with donations coming in from across the country. The final collected amount exceeded $210,000 and would be put toward further development of long-term care and other community services.
Mid-Autumn Festival Community Party
The Mon Sheong Scarborough Community and Volunteer Services Centre hosted the Mid-Autumn Festival Community Party on September 26. Nearly a hundred seniors aged 65 or over in the community took part to share the festive joy.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper Makes Special Visit to the Mon Sheong Care Complex
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife, Laureen Harper, visited the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex on October 11 to explore its extensive facilities and to develop a deeper understanding of the Mon Sheong Foundation’s initiatives within the community. Mr. Harper took the opportunity to personally greet the residents of the Mon Sheong Court senior apartment and Private Care. The Prime Minister held Chinese seniors in high regard and praised the Mon Sheong Care Complex, noting that this could be a model for the community to follow.
The Mon Sheong Care Complex Welcomes Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant Contestants
The Mon Sheong Care Complex was pleased to welcome the Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant Contestants during their visit on October 23. The ten contestants personally chatted with the residents and entertained them with singing, dancing, songs, dances, instrumental performances, and games, putting their skills and creativity on display.
Cathay Ball: “An Evening in Barcelona”
A massive display of the Barcelona landscape showcased the radiance of the vibrant city. The dynamic games lounge produced an air of palpable excitement. Such was the scene at the 24th annual Cathay Ball for the Mon Sheong Foundation, which took place on November 7 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building. The occasion brought together over a thousand government officials, business leaders, and prominent members of the community for a splendid celebration.
Fête Chinoise Supports the Mon Sheong Foundation Chinese School
Fête Chinoise was held on November 14 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto. Through the lens of weddings and events, the upscale gallery-style presentation featured an assortment of installations, each showcasing modern interpretations of cultural traditions, allowing guests to discover the delicate relationship between traditional Chinese customs and contemporary Western standards for themselves. All proceeds were donated to the Mon Sheong Foundation Chinese School.
Community Christmas Party for the Seniors
Around 250 Chinese seniors in the downtown Toronto community participated in the Community Christmas Party for the Seniors at the Mon Sheong Home for the Aged. Highlighted by a complimentary festive turkey lunch, the party was filled with fun games, lucky draws, fabulous take-home gifts, and fantastic performances, including Chinese opera performed by volunteers as well as remarkable singing by the winners of the Rising Star Singing Competition. Students of the Mon Sheong Foundation Chinese School were also on hand to deliver gifts to the elderly as a token of their care and respect.
