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.

Honorary co-chair Christine Lee and Mimi Gates, director emeritus of the Seattle Art Museum.

“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.”

Special guests included Consul Zhou Yunliang, head of the Political and Press Section of the People’s Republic of China Consulate in San Francisco, and Antonio Sanchez, an international trade and economic advisor to Lt. Governor Brad Owen.

Gary Oertli, interim president of South Seattle Community College, opened the program with a welcome to all and introduction of special guests, including Consul Zhou Yunliang, head of the political and press section at the People’s Republic of China Consulate in San Francisco, and Antonio Sanchez, director of the state Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Affairs and a senior staff member in the office of Lt. Governor Brad Owen. Both recognize value of the Garden as a community cultural and educational center and reflection of our state’s important ties to China and are enthusiastic about helping us achieve our goals.

SCG president Jon Geiger with Kathleen Conroy, managing director of corporate affairs for Cisco Systems, who accepted the award honoring Cisco’s “Connecting Sichuan” earthquake rebuilding initiative.

During the evening we honored Cisco Systems, Inc., for its extraordinary three-year initiative to help Sichuan Province rebuild communities devastated by the May 2008 earthquake. Kathleen Conroy, managing director for Corporate Affairs, accepted the award and spoke about Cisco’s impressive work with schools and health care facilities in the earthquake zone. Click here for a summary of the initiative’s year one accomplishments.

Ming Zhang (right) senior partner of MulvannyG2 Architecture, a corporate sponsor of the event, chats with other members of the business community.

Local Luminaries

The Garden also honored Jerry and Charlene Lee for their outstanding philanthropic work on behalf of many organizations in the Seattle area. Jerry Lee is chairman of MulvannyG2 Architecture, one of the top ten architecture firms in the U.S. and a firm highly admired for its community philanthropy. Jerry and Charlene charmed the crowd with their personal stories and their deep commitment to giving back to the community.

Mike Craig, past president of the Seattle Chongqing Sister City Association, Seattle City Council member Jan Drago, and SCG president Jon Geiger.

Joining us to honor the Lees and Cisco, and to support the Garden, were luminaries from the region’s business, civic, cultural sectors and Chinese community included Boeing Company vice president Fred Kiga, Seattle City Councilmember Jan Drago, Mimi Gates, director emeritus of the Seattle Art Museum, Susan Hutchinson, director of the Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, Joe Borich, president of the Washington State China Relations Council, Ming Zhang, senior partner of MulvannyG2, and Judge Warren and Nobie Chan. We were also honored by the presence of Jimmy Locke, father of U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.

Enjoying the event are (from left) Evelyn Yenson, SCG board member Susan Heikkala, and Gregg Rodgers, an attorney with Garvey Schubert Barer and board member of the Washington State China Relations Council.

Sold to Bidder Number …

Auctioneer John Curley gets the bidding going on a lacquer painting that replicates part of the mural from a famed Taoist temple in Shanxi Province.

Auctioneer John Curley hardly stood still for a nanosecond as he both entertained and enticed attendees to bid high for a wonderful and diverse array of live auction items. A couple from San Francisco were the winning bidders on the auction’s choicest item — a week for 12 in a newly restored villa in the heart of Tuscany. They and their friends have an outstanding vacation in store during 2010. Other popular items were vacation escapes from the San Juan Islands to Sedona, Arizona, garden design consultations, works of Chinese art, and a rare tour of Dale Chihuly’s Ballard Studio.

The Raise the Paddle portion of the auction generated an impressive $42,500 for the Garden, inspired by eloquent testimonials from Nobie Chan, a former trustee of South Seattle Community College who was influential in the decision to site the Garden there, and Judy Koenig, a long-time Garden Society board member, past president, and heart and soul of our educational mission.

Long-time Garden members and supporters Stella Chien and Jeni Mar.

“A huge thank you to everyone who supported the Garden through their contributions and presence,” Geiger said. “Our corporate supporters deserve a special round of applause, including The Boeing Company, Omar and Christine Lee and the Great Wall Mall, the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, Riddell Williams, and United Commercial Bank, and also Top Cellars of Washington and Corus Estates & Vineyards for their donation of the wine accompanying the dinner. These contributions were indispensible to a successful event.”