|
By Donna Coble, President
It's official! FCC-St. Louis has received notice of its incorporation as a not-for-profit in the State of Missouri. We still have a few other steps to take before we can cross this item off our "to do" list, including securing our 501 (c) 3 designation from the Internal Revenue Service.
The board of directors approved the FCC-St. Louis bylaws at its meeting October 14, 2002. So why are we going to all this trouble for our little volunteer organization? Here are a few of the reasons:
* Being designated as a tax-exempt organization will permit us to buy supplies for our events without paying sales tax.
* Businesses or other groups wanting to make a contribution to underwrite the costs of an event like Culture Day will have a tax deduction incentive to do so.
* Donors, whether FCC member or friends, can give money to the organization and realize a tax advantage. Our Julie DiCarlo Fund in particular will benefit from this nonprofit incorporation.
There are a few other newsworthy items to share -
Beth Coogan, our secretary for the past year or more, has moved to Philadelphia. While it is a great move for her family (husband gets a better job and they move closer to extended family), she will be sorely missed here in St. Louis. I am happy to share that the board has unanimously agreed to appoint Laurie Lambros as secretary to fill out Beth's term. She worked tirelessly on this year's Culture Day and she has helped out with other events in the past.
Marilyn Cook, a CPA by profession, officially took over as treasurer this month. Other Board Members and committee chairs include: Lynne Spina, Vice President; Nancy Mietzner and Donna Schnieders, Membership; Anne Meneely, Communications; Rick Westerhold, Outreach; Mary Simms, Programming Chair; Kathy Ferris, Chinese-American Community Liaison.
So, FCC-St. Louis is going strong . And it's all the result of the dedication of our hard-working volunteers. Volunteering is a great way to meet other families with children from China - not only is the invitation to volunteer extended to FCC members, but also to the St. Louis Chinese American community. If you are interested, call Lynne Spina at 636-386-2320.
Finally, have a great holiday season and watch for information in January about FCC Chinese New Year celebrations.
T.C. Peng Receives Vision in America Award
On Thursday, November 7, 2002 several FCC members were on hand when our advisor and friend, Dr. Tzy C. Peng, received an award from the International Channel Cable Channels Partnership, the Vision in America Award. Hosted by Mandarin House Restaurant and in conjunction with Charter Communications, this reception was an opportunity to honor T.C. for his many contributions to the Chinese community since immigrating to this country in 1952. Many FCC members are familiar with T.C.'s quarterly magazine, the Chinese American Forum, and have had their adoption stories published as part of his "spanning the cultural bridge" series. Dr. Peng has served as an advisor and consultant to FCC-St. Louis for more than five years.
"We the People" is a program established by International Channel Networks that celebrates the experience of becoming a United States citizen and recognizes the success and contributions of immigrants in America. We the People includes the following elements:
Online resources to assist immigrants in the process of becoming U.S. citizens. A "Tell Us Your Story" page on their website
("http://www.internationalchannel.com").
"In America," an International Channel original documentary series profiling prominent immigrants in America today and tracing the history of immigration to the U.S. Separate episodes focus on Chinese, Asian Indian, Russian and Vietnamese immigration.
Vision in America Awards that honor ethnic community leaders across the U.S. who provide support to their immigrant communities.
Also receiving an award at the reception was Tony Gao, an immigration attorney who has served the local community for more than ten years. Mr. Gao is currently vice president of the St. Louis Chinese American Association and was a director of the board of the Organization of Chinese Americans, St. Louis chapter.
Those attending the event were shown a segment from the International Channel's "In America" series related to Chinese immigration. Copies will be made available to those in attendance and any other FCC members wishing to see this video should contact Donna Coble for information.
|
