Dear classmates (by bcc),
I write to give you full details of the 60th birthday celebrations in Nov. this year and invite your registration and participation. You will be pleased to know that a small working committee has been formed for the celebrations with Chris Ng serving as Secretary, Patrick Chan as Treasurer, Caesar Chan and Peter Law as Trip Advisers and Ip Fuk Wah as Seafood Dinner Co-ordinator. Anthony Kwan has also opened a section in our class website for posting your Qs. on anything related to the celebrations and replies from our working committee members (see link below). We have now worked out nearly everything and would like to invite you to confirm your participation before 15 Aug. by completing the form attached. Full payment for the China trip will be required by 1 Sept.
1. Birthday gala dinner — the dinner will be held on Friday, 8 Nov. with reception beginning from 6:30 pm and dinner served at 8 pm. The venue will either be the Police Officers’ Club in Causeway Bay or the Shing Hin Rest. at City U. near Kowloon Tong MTR Station. You will be informed after the close of registration when an assessment has been completed at both venues and the no. of participants known. Anyway, a room big enough for 7 tables (but can be reduced to serve only 4 tables) has been inspected and reserved at the Police Officers’ Club after the July classmates lunch there. You are now requested to indicate in the attached form whether you and your family would like to join. Cost, estimated to be around $400 pax., will be shared equally among all participants and collected on the spot. No advance payment is required.
2. China trip — The trip will start on Sat. 9 Nov. and last for 4 days and 3 nights, with the last 1 day and 1 night being optional. In short, we’ll travel by high speed train to Shao Quan where we’ll stay for 3 days with 1 night in a hot spring hotel. The optional last day will be spent in Shenzhen (SZ) to enjoy some special good food (whole lamb dinner, seafood lunch, dumplings dinner, etc,) and visit some scenic spots. The entire trip will end after dinner on Tues. 12 Nov. in SZ and you will be back to HK before 11 pm. Detail itinerary is attached. The all inclusive cost of the entire trip is estimated to be $4,200 and any surplus will be refunded, unless otherwise agreed by participants. Single room accommodation is also available at extra charge. Please see enrollment form for details.You can also select to join the SZ one day tour without staying overnight in SZ on Mon. 11, Nov. and meet the group in the morning of 12 Nov. at a lower charge. If you are interested, please return the completed enrollment form to Chris Ng and bank in the required money in HK$ to Patrick Chan at the account shown in the enrollment form. For all participants of Shao Quan tour, please also attach to their enrollment form a copy of their Home Return Permit OR Passport I.D. page (showing their personal info. and photo) together with China visa (all still valid on 9 Nov.) for the purpose of purchasing their high speed train tickets.
3. Seafood dinner — Following discussion at the July classmates lunch, it has been agreed that we’ll dine at 7 pm on Friday 15 Nov. at Paramount Banquet Hall (百樂門宴會廳 香港仔 南寧街 香港仔中心5期1樓 F鋪) in Aberdeen Centre, Aberdeen, HK Island. Ip Fuk Wah has a colleague at WYHK whose family operates a wholesale fresh seafood company there and can provide ‘catch of the day’ at lower than market price for cooking at this rest. Ip Sir has tried this with many other classes in WY and found both the price reasonable and service acceptable. Again, registration is required for reserving better quality seafood, bigger fishes and booking tables. Advance payment is not necessary since cost, estimated to be around $350 pax., will be equally shared among all participants on the spot.
4. Wine sponsorship — I am pleased to inform you that Andrew Ng Yiu Man, a lost sheep from Australia and who is in the wine business there, has agreed to donate 96 bottles of wine (half Shiraz and half Cab Sauvignon) for our celebrations. Our salute to Andrew who can be contacted at [email protected] if you want to say hello.
5. Souvenir sponsorship — We are still looking for a souvenir sponsor and if you are willing to help, please let me know. All participants are also welcome to indicate in the enrollment form the type of small souvenir they prefer to receive.
I hope you will come to this class celebration which is open to every classmate and not just those who are 60. It is just another gathering to say hello to each other, enjoy some good food and wine, and travel together with good company. If you have any Q., please post it in the link below and we’ll try to answer them for the info. of all classmates.
Cheers,
Daniel Mak
30 Jul 2013
PS — I also include a list of possible Q & As for the celebrations under FAQ. You are of course welcome to raise other Qs.
[Last update: 20130730]
On Ah Chuen’s 60th Birthday
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Form 1 boys Woodcutter n’ soldier in old school hall
“Hit-wall style” soccer skill developed on chapel wall
Early 80’s we played bridge and mah-jong
Biweekly in winter, spring, summer n’ fall
Hit long tennis rallies, executed net volleys
Ventured on hi ridges, explored creeks n’ valleys
So many ways to exercise the body and brain
He’s at his best centering ball from the right wing
Sundays met at Po Leung Kuk, Caroline Hill Road
Then to Gov’t Stadium to cheer for South China goals
To celebrate conquering the tip of Lion Rock
We drank lemon Seven-up “on the rock”
In Cantonese the cold drink’s called “zero-7”
In cinemas we watched movies featuring “Double-O 7”
Bathed in Chung Shan hot spring piped to the house
And tried to learn golf on the brand new course
Both of us quit after consistent 140-plus scores
Not to mention constantly losing balls
Took a jet plane to Taiwan on a group tour
On tour coach we sang like The Brothers Four
Co-rented a unit on Cheung Chau east shore
For many weekends slept on Tung Wan apartment floor
Tung Wan first saw our class’ outing in Form 1
When Miss Cissy advised against renting swim trunks
She said: “Rental swimwear are not clean”
That’d never been thought of by us pre-teens
45 years later on Nov.11, Two Thousand11
Hiking on Cheung Chau kicked off our reunion
Tung Wan again saw the class of ‘71
With spouses sharing wine, seafood and fun
Climbed to see sunrise on cold Lantau Phoenix
Summit breakfast shared chocolate from a tiny piece
Another trip to Lantau was to camp for a few days
One evening set up tents at Silver Mine Bay
Among us there’s no boy scout or girl guide
While still asleep all were soaked in the rising tide
Though “salty-wet” not how our character’s described
That’s the smell n’ look of these foolish guys
The fast winger’s faster in finding a fiancée
Then each a groomsman on each other’s wedding day
Stella’s and Fonda’s names both end with an “A”
They became mamma, still fond of Lamma Yung-shue Bay
Our families invited to BBQ in Tai Po and Shek-O
Kids n’ adults all loved food grilled on charcoal
Men’s-only nights in Lee Garden Yum Sing Bar
Cheers and laughter mixed with Löwenbräu
We invested in his stocks-heavy Yum Sing Fund
In 2011 received handsome gain and dividends
Ah Gai once spent months at Prince of Wales
Philip brought Eric to see weak uncle on many a day
Good ‘n challenging times with Philip Chuen-gor
That dated back to the century before
On earth such times can repeat no more
But someday, somewhere, somehow
Whether it’s in an old school hall
Or on big stage in a new theatre
Whatever play or game doesn’t matter
Wouldn’t mind remaining as a small character
This soldier will play endless times more
With Dear Philip the Woodcutter
KWOK Hok Chuen’s 60th birthday, 18th May, 2014