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More than 300 guests attended the 35th annual Banquet Gala hosted by the South Pasadena Chinese-American Club (SPCC) on Feb. 24 at Monterey Park’s NBC Seafood Restaurant. The approximately $22,000 raised will help fund the club’s community programs.
“The annual SPCC Banquet Gala is my favorite SPCC event of the year,” said Yuki Cutcheon, SPCC president, in an email after the event. “It brings together the community of South Pasadena in all its beautiful diversity and in the full spirit of togetherness, service, and love for our wonderful city and school district,” she said.
Guests at the fundraiser enjoyed a 10-course dinner. The menu featured such dishes as roasted Peking duck and lobster with ginger and onion.
Cutcheon addressed the audience throughout the evening. Katy Nielsen, SPCC board member and administrator of programs and personnel services at the school district, served as the evening’s Mistress of Ceremonies.
The Chamber Ensemble Group from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts performed. Students in the South Pasadena Middle School’s Orchestra Ensembles also played. Yu Ye and Daisy Feng performed traditional Chinese dances for the audience.
Magician Kevin Li astounded audience members with his abilities. In one instance, he asked guests to recall a favorite meal from childhood. He then invited a guest to stand and test his ability to read minds. South Pasadena Mayor Evelyn Zneimer volunteered. To everyone’s amazement, he recited the name of the dish she had chosen. He then produced a balled-up piece of paper that contained the correct name of the dish: escabeche.
Zneimer explained that this Spanish dish “is deep-fried whole fish on a bed of sweet bell peppers with cut up lemons on top.” That was just one of Li’s astonishing feats of magic.
A silent auction offered many items. Included were a basket of Stella Rosa wines and Asian cultural items. Also up for bid were tickets to Lakers’ and Kings’ games and to the members-only Magic Castle club that features magic shows.
Former SPCC board member Tappan Zee won a 50/50 drawing at the event and received half of the raffle ticket proceeds. He then donated half of his winnings to South Pasadena Police Chief Brian Solinsky for the Police Officers’ Association (POA), according to Cutcheon.
Table sponsors donating $1,500 or $3,000 were invited to attend a VIP reception before the event. Wine and a variety of dim sum appetizers were served.
The sponsors were from many segments of the community. They included the Zee Family Foundation and the SPiCCy Mamas, a group of former SPCC board members. Becky Cheng of Athens Services, the city’s waste-collection company, and City Councilmembers Janet Braun and Jon Primuth also sponsored tables.
Providing an enjoyable evening for guests was important to SPCC’s mission. This is the nonprofit group’s only yearly fundraiser.
Sulynn Chee, SPCC VP of Cultural Activities, explained in the event program how the proceeds from the Gala will be used. “We provide educational and community grants in the fall, high school scholarships in the spring, and also hold public candidate forums,” Chee said. The club gives grants to SPUSD teachers and nonprofit community groups. College scholarships are awarded to SPUSD high school seniors.
For the past two years, she said, SPCC has also partnered with the city to host an annual Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration. They had “activities from over 16 different countries,” she said.
During the pandemic, the club focused on supporting South Pasadena businesses, she added. SPCC hosted bingo parties on Zoom that included guests ordering take-out dinners from local restaurants. Winners received gift certificates from South Pasadena businesses.
City officials attending the fundraiser included Evelyn Zneimer, mayor, and Jack Donovan, mayor pro tem. Councilmembers Janet Braun, Michael Cacciotti and Jon Primuth were also there. City Treasurer Zhen Tao was among the guests, as well.
Geoff Yantz, South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) superintendent, district staff and the principals of all three elementary schools attended. Karen Tamis, SPUSD board member, was also there.
Kristine Kwong, Pasadena City College Board of Trustees’ president and a resident of South Pasadena, attended and sponsored a table. Mike Fong, South Pasadena’s state Assemblymember Mike Fong, also attended the event. Carol Liu, former state senator, 25 SD, and her husband Michael Peevy were among the guests. Erica Nam, district representative for state Sen. Anthony Portantino, 25 SD, and Jennifer Tang, district director for Assemblymember Mike Fong, AD 49, also attended.
Membership in SPCC is open to anyone. For more information about joining it or making a donation, visit www.spcc-web.org
