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.
2016 Highlights
New Year Celebrations at Mon Sheong
Chinese New Year (CNY) holds great significance in Chinese culture. Mon Sheong knows this of course, and organizes many festive activities for our residents. This year, we were pleased to welcome a number of government representatives including: MP Arnold Chan at our Scarborough Long-Term Care Centre on February 8 (1st day of CNY); MPP Reza Moridi, Minister of Research and Innovation and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, at the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Court and Mon Sheong Care Complex on February 10 (3rd day of CNY); and MPP Patrick Brown, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, at our Richmond Hill Long-Term Care Centre and Private Care on February 12 (5th day of CNY). With words of blessing and many red envelopes to deliver, our guests gave our residents a great time as they greeted them with enthusiasm.
Golden Seniors Celebration
The Golden Seniors Celebration held on April 16 was packed with close to 900 guests in attendance. Special guests included: MP John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; MPP Reza Moridi, Minister of Research and Innovation and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities; MPP Soo Wong; Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti; Markham Councillors Alex Chiu, Alan Ho, and Amanda Collucci; and Richmond Hill Councillors Godwin Chan and Castro Liu.
Fun Run & Walk
The 30th Fun Run & Walk was held on May 8, gathering close to 800 participants at the Richmond Green Sports Centre and Park in support of our work around the community. In addition to our regular 5K run and 5K walk, a special Paws and Claws 5K walk and a competitive three-legged race added to the morning’s excitement. What a meaningful way to honour moms on Mother’s Day!
Minister Moridi Celebrates Seniors’ Month
June is Seniors’ Month in Ontario. Hon. Dr. Reza Moridi, Minister of Research, Innovation and Science, visited Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Court to celebrate the occasion with the Chinese residents living there—and not with them only, but also with the many seniors of varying ethnic backgrounds whom he invited from across the community.
Annual General Meeting
Mon Sheong Foundation held our Annual General Meeting on June 23, where our Board of Directors reported on the organization’s activities over the past year. Direction and development for the coming year were also discussed. New board members were elected and appointed. The new Board of Directors included: Tim Kwan, Chairman; Garth Low, First Vice Chairman; Clement Tsang, Second Vice Chairman; Doris Chan, President; Amy Tam, First Vice President; Jo-Cy Lee, Second Vice President; Teresa Tazumi, Secretary; Dennis Au-Yeung, Treasurer; and Frank Chau, Special Advisor to the Board. David Cheng and Ying Duong were elected as new board members.
Chinese School Graduation Ceremonies
Outstanding students were recognized at the Mon Sheong Foundation Chinese School graduation ceremonies in early June. Awards that were presented included Mandarin Scholarships, Leon & Susan Foon-Chim Wong Endowment Fund Scholarships, and P.S. Quan Awards for Academic Achievement. Consul Yang Baohua and Vice Consul Wang Zhen of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto were on hand to congratulate students at the North York campus ceremony.
Markham Mon Sheong Care Complex Topping Out Ceremony
A symbolic topping out ceremony was held for the new Markham Mon Sheong Care Complex on July 16. Mayor Frank Scarpitti and other members of the Markham City Council were on hand to participate in the momentous occasion. The Mon Sheong Care Complex is situated on Sun Yat-Sen Avenue, named after Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, widely considered the founding father of the Republic of China. As we seek to promote Chinese culture and heritage by caring for the elderly and nurturing the young, this holds great significance among Toronto’s Chinese community.
Chinese Immersion Summer Camp
The Chinese Immersion Summer Camp, run by the Mon Sheong Foundation Chinese School in July, provided children with a casual, engaging environment to learn Putonghua or Cantonese. By teaching the language through music, games, and arts and crafts, educational effectiveness was enhanced and the students were able to enjoy a fun, fulfilling summer.
Forever Yonge Community BBQ
The 2nd Forever Yonge Community BBQ was held on July 23 outside Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Court. Joining more than 1,500 participants young and old were representatives from all three levels of government. 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.
Golden Jubilee Awards of Excellence Scholarship
The Golden Jubilee Awards of Excellence Scholarship was created to commemorate Mon Sheong’s 50th anniversary. Its goal is to promote leadership development and celebrate outstanding students within the community. On August 29, award winners were recognized at a special ceremony. Each recipient can receive up to $4,000 in support of their continued excellence.
Mid-Autumn Festival Party
The Scarborough Community & Volunteer Services Centre hosted the Mid-Autumn Fesitval Party on September 10, inviting 100 seniors from the community to gather for a complimentary celebration. Aside from the hearty lunch, there were also great performances, games, and lucky draws to entertain the participants. MP Arnold Chan was on hand to join in the fun.
Alice Wong Visits Markham Mon Sheong Court
On September 16, Hon. Alice Wong, MP, came by to visit Markham Mon Sheong Court, our new dedicated senior apartments located in the heart of Chinese community. Wong engaged with the seniors, witnessed the progress of the residents’ line dance class, and took in the facility’s quality services and extensive amenities.
Mon Sheong Telethon
The Mon Sheong Telethon successfully took place on September 18. Public response was as enthusiastic as ever, with more than $210,000 flowing in from across the country and around the world. The national broadcast featured twelve real life stories about our residents and volunteers, with live interviews interspersed throughout the program to give our viewers a glimpse into our senior care and community support services and our efforts to promote Chinese heritage and culture.
Appreciating the Support of Mandarin Restaurant
Mandarin Restaurant has been a great supporter of our work over the years. It especially admires the efforts of our self-funded Private Care service, and pledged $150,000 to fund continued development of our community initiatives to benefit more seniors and families. In turn, we raised a plaque in the Richmond Hill Mon Sheong Care Complex to thank Mandarin for its generosity.
Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant Contestants Meets with Seniors
Our Richmond Hill Long-Term Care Centre was pleased to welcome this year’s Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant Contestants on October 19. Each of the ladies joined a resident to fashion a beautiful decorative piece, showcasing their talents and creativity. Some of the contestants even performed with instruments and Korean pop dance, bringing great joy to the seniors.
Cathay Ball: “The Peony Masquerade”
More than 1,300 guests, each with a peony mask in hand, gathered at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on November 5 in support of the 25th Cathay Ball. To reflect the evening’s unique theme, the masks all carried a distinguished Asian flavour, radiating with the allure of the beautiful blossom depicting honour and prosperity in traditional Chinese culture.
Community Christmas Party for Seniors
On December 4, 250 Chinese elders residing downtown, each aged 65 or older, participated in the 45th annual Community Christmas Party for Seniors at the Mon Sheong Home for the Aged. Highlighted by a complimentary festive turkey lunch, the program was filled with entertaining performances, including one by local artist Jonas M. who sang a series of classics and distributed fabulous gifts to the elderly.
