The only newspaper dedicated to the St. Louis Chinese community.
                                                 Issue: 701   Date: 01/29/2004

The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) St. Louis Chapter
Embracing the Hopes and Aspirations of 
All Chinese and Asian Americans
2004 Annual Banquet, January 24, 2004, 
Mandarin House Restaurant

By Willa Boisseau, SCANews Senior Editor

The Organization of Chinese Americans, St. Louis Chapter, held its 2004 Annual Banquet on Saturday evening, January 24. The Mandarin House Restaurant provided a delicious and festive feast.

After the dinner Mr. Matthew Yu, president of the OCA, welcomed members and their guests. He asked everyone to treasure the associations formed with each other in the Chinese community. He emphasized continuing outreach to the community around them.

Mr. Robert Freuh, Executive Director of the World Trade Center of St. Louis, was the Keynote speaker. He spoke of economic change in the global economy and of the part St. Louis was taking in world business activities.

Community Service Awards were presented to Mr. Francis Yueh and his wife May, the director and publisher of this newspaper and website; Dr. Ta-Chung and his wife Wen Hwang Hsin. Youth Leadership Awards were presented to Parkway Central High School students Grace Horng , Eric Li, and Parkway West High School students Xiaogian Donica Liu, Rich Yueh 

Mr. Yu reviewed events of the past year, then announced the Association's planned participation in the World's Fair Expo in 2004. He introduced officers and members of the Board of Directors for the coming year. The Board will be headed by Mr. Jason Tang. 

For 2004 OCA development, Mr. Jason Tang said that OCA will focus on three goals, they are:

I. Double the membership. OCA needs membership growth to impact the
community.

II. Understand the political process and get involve in the state and
presidential election this year. - voter registration, cosponsor
candidate forum with other ethnic groups and encourage OCA members to cast their votes.

III. Reach out to other ethnic groups

1. Continue the annual joint picnic with FCC.
2. Work with Gitana Group to promote the Shanghai Song and Dance
Ensemble and join other ethnic communities in St. Louis to celebrate the
Centennial Anniversary of 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. (10 to 20% of the
profit will be donated to National OCA Building Fund).

Mr. Jason Tang said "We need support from all the organizations and corporate sponsors to reach these goals. Together, we can continue to make a difference in the community. We look forward to another exciting and successful year for OCA St. Louis."

Ms. Cecilia Nadal, owner of Gitana Productions, spoke of her organization's successful Chinese - South American - African American collaboration in the fields of arts and culture. 

Mr. Yu thanked the corporate and education area sponsors for their greatly valued support of the OCA. Door prizes, donated by Anheuser Busch Company and by St. Luke's Hospital, completed this year's successful meeting in the Year of the Monkey.