The week long reunion has ended last Thursday with a seafood dinner after a round of golf in the rain. The feedback received from classmates during the week and afterwards showed that the reunion was a great success. The dinner and its entertainment programme were loved by everyone and so were the four side programs. Everyone is now talking about when the next reunion should be held. However, before that, I would like to put on record the contributions from a group of classmates who have been working hard, some behind the scene for nearly a year, to make this reunion week a success so that you can give them the recognition they deserve;
1. Chris Ng Wai Shun, the secretary of OC, has brushed aside his bread and butter trading business to work nearly fulltime on all reunion logistics. Without his meticulous planning, log keeping, cost cutting measures and co-ordination, our reunion day and BBQ would not be as smooth as silk. He is also our liaison officer with the venue decorator, student photographers/videographers from WY, etc.;
2. Henry Tong Wai Kong, our treasurer, has not only projected correctly but kept track on our income and spending to make sure we have a surplus to donate to the school at the end. Our unaudited account shows a surplus of around $40,000. The audited account will be distributed to all of you next month after checking by our auditor, Philip Kwok Hok Chuen. Henry’s wife and daughter also manned the reception counter to give away souvenirs specially selected and purchased by Henry to all classmates, purchased and delivered flowers to each female guest at the dinner, etc.;
3. Patrick Chan Wing Hing, our catering manager, worked closely with the caterer to ensure the cost of dinner was within budget and the quality not only met but exceeded the standard expected by our classmates;
4. Ip Fuk Wah liaised with the school on venue, decoration, music, sound, video, etc. matters which required teachers, students and minor staff support and saved significant cost;
5. Anthony Kwan Lok Fong created a reunion website so that every classmate could keep track of our progress and he also stepped in at the last minute to ensure that our video presentations at the reunion dinner ran without problem;
6. Bob Lau Shu Sun for email communication with classmates, collecting karaoke songs for the choir and, gathering and converting old photos submitted by classmates for presentation at the dinner. Our thanks, of course, also go to the many classmates who have sent in their collection of old photos;
7. Samuel Hui Tung Wah for leading the choir and helping to liaise with the caterer;
8. Philip Woo Siu Lun for being the MC and conducting the wine auction;
9. Caesar Chan Wah Shing for purchasing the chest flowers for the guests and OC members. His wife also cooked several special dishes for the BBQ;
10. Thomas Ng Ka Lun and David Chu Kwok Ching for their generous donation of 100 bottles of wine for consumption at the dinner plus side programs. Everyone had more than enough drinks;
11. Lau Tai Chu for purchasing wine and offering part of his personal collection for the wine auction;
12. Camillus Chan Yue Chou for his remarkable stand-up comedy performance at the dinner;
13. Francis Hung Yun Wah for singing solo;
14. Sydney Chung Sheung Chi for playing trumpet solo;
15. Members of our award winning choir including Alfred Chu Kurtz, Samuel Hui Tung Wah, Alan Lo Po Kun, Peter Lo Pak Shiu, Anthony Lai Ying Pun, Bob Lau Shu Sun, Frank Wu Ka Lun, Louis Hsiang Huang, Camillus Chan Yue Chou, Thomas Ng Ka Lun, David Chu Kwok Ching, Lau Ming Charm, Simon Cheng Kat Hong, Simon Tam Kai Shing and Lap Yan Cheng for their performance;
16. The table host at each table including Henry Hu Fai Chung, Cheng Chan Fong, Caesar Chan Wah Shing, Francis So Yu Shing, Lee Wai Ping, Anthony Kwan Lok Fong, Anthony Lai Ying Bun, Peter Law Kee Leung and Peter Lo Pak Shiu for looking after our past teachers;
17. Mak Yuet Ming and Bob Lau Shu Sun for organizing the Cheung Chau outing and exceptional seafood lunch;
18. Ernie Tsui Yat Kwong for letting us use his bungalow in Tai Po as venue for the BBQ and preparing an excellent variety of food for the party;
19. Peter Law Kee Leung for planning and leading the well received 3-day Pearl Delta Gourmet Trip;
20. Peter Lo Pak Shiu for organizing the wonderful golf day and seafood dinner afterwards in Sai Kung; and
21. Cheng Lap Yan, Gabriel Cheung Tai Fu, David Chu Kwok Ching and Simon Tam Kai Shing for being our liaison officer with classmates in their respective city/region.
While the above 30 plus classmates have either performed at the dinner or played an important part in organizing the reunion week, my salute also goes to all the 64 classmates who attended the reunion. Without you, there would have been no reunion at all. The 34 wives and kids who came to support their husband/father have also added colours to and made the reunion even more meaningful. (Some classmates are considering fixing marriages for their kids after exchanging/viewing their photos! An unexpected by-product of the reunion.) We are also grateful to Father Stephen Chow for offering a mass to celebrate and commemorate this special occasion and to remember our deceased classmates, Fathers and teachers. The teachers present at the dinner or sent us a video message also deserve our special thanks.
So, it has taken the contribution of over 50 enthusiastic volunteer classmates, family members, Father, serving teachers, current students and minor staff of Wah Yan to work concertedly to make our reunion happen and it was their devotion and determination to give of their best which made it a success. Please therefore join me to thank them for what they have done. Perhaps, next time you meet any of them, buy them a cup of coffee or at least give them a pat on the back and say THANK YOU. When it is time to organize the next reunion, I hope you will volunteer to help too. None of us are expert in event organizing but together as a team and back by the Wah Yan spirit, we did create a memorable reunion week in 2011. Indeed, we have set a record for both the number of people attending and duration of a Wah Yan class reunion.
Reunion Photos and DVD
Some photos taken during the reunion week have already been uploaded onto our reunion website for your viewing. If you have reunion photos to share, pl. use Picasa.google.com to create and forward a link to Anthony Kwan before end Nov. We’ll be editing the photos and video clippings taken during the reunion week for inclusion in a DVD for sending to all participants in Dec. as a 2011 X’mas present so that they can recount the joy and pleasure of the reunion during this festive season with their family. For those of you who could not come to the reunion for one reason or another but would like to receive a copy of the DVD, pl. let Chris Ng know your mailing address and he will be glad to send you a free copy.
Review Meeting and Comments
The OC will conduct a review meeting in Dec. 2011 and you are welcome to forward your comments on the reunion day and its side programs also to Anthony Kwan before end Nov. for uploading onto our reunion website for sharing with your classmates, and of course for consideration by the OC.
So, until we meet in person again at the next reunion or sooner, stay healthy, enjoy life and keep in touch!
Cheers,
Daniel Mak Wah Hung
Chairman,
OC for Class of 1971 WYHK Reunion Week in 2011
[ first release 22 Nov. 2011 by CN ]
