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News Archive
Jon Geiger, SCGS president (far right), presents inscribed bricks to Chinese Community leaders:(from left) Benjamin Lee,
Charlene & Jerry Lee, Christine & Omar Lee, Tian Ho Tien,
Wei Fang, and Faye Hong
Our most recent
fundraising initiative launched June 19 with a Brick Campaign Kickoff
dinner at the House of Hong in the Chinatown/International District.
With the support of leaders in the Chinese community and a great turnout
of 300 people, the event raised more than $45,000. Consul General Gao
Zhansheng of the People’s Republic of China Consulate in San Francisco
spoke with great enthusiasm about the Seattle Chinese Garden as a
landmark symbolizing the many important ties between China and our
region and state. Stay tuned for a report on the dinner with more photos and information on
ordering personalized engraved bricks soon!
Major leadership gifts from the
Municipality of Chongqing, the State of Washington, City of Seattle,
King County, the Miller and Norcliffe foundations, private individuals,
organizations, and corporations have contributed close to 70 percent of
the $4.5 million cost of building the courtyard. Our funding goal is in
sight, and with continued support from Garden members and friends over
the next few months, we can open the courtyard to the public in late
fall.
http://www.seattlechinesetimes.com/english/local-news/2426-chinese-community-raises-more-than-45000-for-seattle-chinese-gardens-first-courtyard
June 19th Community Dinner Kicks Off Brick Campaign
The 27 skilled artisans from China this summer will construct the
traditional gate, the tile-roofed walkways, intricate windows, and
garden area for Knowing the Spring Courtyard. Every person who buys a
personalized, engraved brick will help Seattle build an international
landmark while creating a permanent legacy to honor family and friends.
Thousands of bricks will reflect our diverse community and personal
support for the Seattle Chinese Garden.
Special
guest of honor at the June 19th dinner is Consul General Gao Zhansheng of the
People’s Republic of China Consulate in San Francisco. Please join us!
Attendees of the Brick Campaign launch even will be able to purchase
bricks at a special promotional price. Detailed pricing and order
information will be available on the website after June 28th.
Opening the Garden Gate a Huge Success!
太好了!
A high-spirited
crowd filled the Imperial Garden Seafood Restaurant on November 10,
raising $115,000 for the next stage of construction for Knowing the
Spring Courtyard. “The great turnout and enthusiastic support from many
old and new friends gives us a big push to forge ahead to complete
Knowing the Spring Courtyard,” remarked Jonathan Geiger, Seattle Chinese
Garden Society president. “We extend special thanks to our honorary co-chairs and hosts Christine and Omar Lee, owners of the Great Wall Mall, for their extraordinary support and commitment to the garden project, and for the countless ways they contributed to the success of the evening.”
More...
During
the “Opening the Garden Gate” benefit dinner, the Garden Society
honored Jerry and Charlene Lee for outstanding contributions to the
community. From left are event honorary co-chairs and Great Wall Mall
owners Omar and Christine Lee, SCGS president Jon Geiger, Charlene Lee,
SCGS vice president Jim Dawson, and Jerry Lee, chairman of Mulvanny G2
Architecture.
Docents Finish Busy 2009 Season
Over one hundred
visitors from near and far joined our monthly docent tours this year.
They watched a slide presentation on the magic of Chinese gardens,
learned about Chinese plants in the South Seattle Community College
arboretum, toured the construction of KSC, and enjoyed the garden at
Song Mei Pavilion. In addition to regularly scheduled tours, docents
introduced garden clubs, civic groups, and students from grade school up
to college age to the garden project.
Thank you to docent program
coordinator Judy Koenig and docents Sandy Marvinney, Leeh McArthur, Anne
Potter, Margaret Rothchild, Lorraine Toly, Dewey Webster, and Jan
Whitner for continuing to engage and inspire our visitors.
Docent Program Hits 10-Year Milestone
 A photo from one of first docent programs shows a group of enthralled
grade school children watching a master stone carver from Chongqing
putting the final touches on a small sandstone “Happy Buddha” (left).
Since the spring 1999 construction of Song Mei Pavilion, the docents
have introduced the Chinese Garden project to thousands of Seattle area
residents of all ages and visitors from afar. Board member Judy Koenig,
Garden Society president at the time, created the docent program with
the goal to present construction of Song Mei Pavilion as an engaging
educational experience for the community.
Dr. Peter Ku Retires
Dr.
Peter Ku has decided to retire from the Seattle Chinese Garden
Board. He has been an active and productive member of the team for many
years. Please join the Society Board and Staff members in thanking Dr.
Ku for his long and distinguished service. We wish him well in his
future endeavors!
Visit From The
West Seattle Blog
The
West Seattle Blog visited the garden recently. Click here to read their article and see new pictures of the site.
Seattle author Wendy Liu Donates Share of Book Sales to the Chinese Garden
Seattle author Wendy Liu is making
copies of her new book available to Garden Society members and friends,
with 50% of the proceeds contributed to the garden. We offer you her new
book "Everything I Understand about
America I Learned in Chinese Proverbs," which contains 39 essays,
developed around 39 Chinese proverbs/sayings and based on 39 of her
experiences and observations in America. Order your copy here and help the
Seattle
Chinese
Garden grow, too!
An $8,000 Match for the Garden
The
Seattle-Chongqing
Sister
City Association (SCSCA) is
offering the Garden $8,000 for a matching challenge. The funds raised
will bring us another step closer to completing construction of Knowing
the Spring Courtyard. Here is how it works:
The
first sixteen friends to pledge $500 will see their gift matched with
$500, for a total of $16,000 in new support for Knowing the Spring
Courtyard. These "Super Sixteen" donors will be recognized on the
courtyard donor plaque and will be acknowledged in the next Garden
newsletter.
Gifts
of all sizes are welcome, and all donors from #17 on will be
acknowledged in the upcoming newsletter. Those who make gifts greater
than $500 will be recognized as "Matching Circle Patrons" and on the
courtyard plaque at the appropriate giving level. Help us widen the
circle of
Seattle
Chinese
Garden supporters at all levels.
So,
please make your pledge and be one of the first sixteen to magnify your
gift through the matching funds. Checks should be made payable to SCGS,
6000 16th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98106 with "Sister City Match" written on
the note line. You may also make your payment via PayPal by going here.
谢谢— and thank you
Seattle-Chongqing
Sister
City Association!
Master Creates a "Chinese Bonsai"
The
Puget Sound Bonsai Association welcomed members of the Seattle Chinese
Garden Society on June 22, 2009 to the Center for Urban Horticulture.
Robert
Cho, a long-time supporter of SCGS, created a specimen penjing (Chinese
for Bonsai), using traditional Chinese techniques. Jan Whitner,
an SCGS board member and horticulturist, gave a short presentation on
the Seattle Chinese Garden's plans and distributed Garden
literature. The Garden will eventually display a collection of penjing
in a dedicated courtyard and will have a nursery in which penjing are
developed.
Volunteer Garden Clean-Up Party
Volunteers
spent Saturday, June 6 helping us prepare the garden for
summer. Pictures are posted below! Are you intersted in signing up for
our next volunteer garden clean-up? Please contact us at volunteer@seattlechinesegarden.org.
Volunteers at
the garden (top left and right). Docent Dewey Webster weeding (bottom
left). Frank Su and Jade Wang cleaning up (bottom right).
The
Seattle Chinese Tea Appreciation Festival
Tea from China is one of
the greatest gifts to world civilization. On October 12, 2008 the
Seattle
Chinese
Garden society joined with Black Dragon Tea Bar to present the second annual
Seattle Chinese Tea Appreciation Festival. Brett Boynton, sponsor of the event and the gracious and knowledgeable owner of Black Dragon, assembled almost forty tea lovers at the
Chan
Education
Center to sip a wonderful selection of oolong and pu-erh teas and sample delicious vegan treats.
As part of the program, Garden board member and docent Jan Whitner presented a slide show on Chinese gardens and led a tour of the building site of the current construction project, the Knowing the Spring Courtyard. Participants left the event having enjoyed great tea, great conversation, and a peek at the foundations of the
Seattle
Chinese
Garden . The society looks forward to the day tea lovers will savor "two leaves and a bud" in the Garden teahouse - a unique structure to be built in
Sichuan architectural style and sited on a Lotus Pond. For information on how to support fundraising efforts for the teahouse, please phone the society office at (206) 282-8040.
Happy people at the garden(top left). Brett Boynton brewing tea for the guests(top right). Jan Whiter describing the garden(bottom).
The Boeing Company Contributes $20,000 to Chinese GardenIn October, 2008 the Boeing Company generously contributed $20,000 to the
Seattle
Chinese
Garden Society to support capacity building.
Garden Society Hosts Officials from Changshu Garden Company
The
Seattle
Chinese
Garden Society hosted three high-level officials from the Changshu Classical Garden Construction Company for a week in early September. The
Chongqing
Garden Bureau has contracted with the Changshu company to manage the construction of the traditional elements of Knowing the Spring Courtyard. The officials visited the site to see the completed foundation work and met with Garden Society leaders and our local contractor to plan for the completion of construction. COSCO Container Arrives in Seattle April 4, 2008
China Ocean Shipping COmpany has generously donated up to forty 40-foot containers to transport China-fabricated materials for the Garden. The first of these arrived in Seattle carrying stone foundations for the wooden columns that will hold up the roof of Knowing the Spring Courtyard.
Greeting this first shipment are:
Tim Banks-COSCO Seattle, Mike Craig, Jon Geiger-SCGS President and Yangming Chu-SCGS Executive Director
Chongqing Gives $1.2 Million for the First Courtyard
We have received a gift valued at 1.2 million US dollars from our sister city of
Chongqing. Chongqing has donated all materials, labor and associated in-China costs for Knowing the Spring Courtyard, the second traditional structure in the Garden. We anticipate opening this first courtyard in the fall 2010. Artisans from
Chongqing will arrive in spring 2010 to assemble the components using traditional tools and construction methods. Special educational programs will be offered at the site while the artisans are here. |
