Walk with the Dragon’s thousands of dollars to aid immigrants in Vancouver
Five hundred teams of fundraisers raised $506,000 for language training, job training, and other programs designed to help new immigrants to Canada settle in during the 22nd annual Walk with the Dragon fundraiser.
Some 14,000 people walked behind a 120-foot-long traditional Chinese dragon in a 5-km route around Stanley Park to raise money for immigrant-services society S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
“We’re really pleased,” said festival organizer Tony Moy. “We did really well today.”
Member of Parliament Jason Kenny, Premier Gordon Campbell and Mayor Sam Sullivan began the day with speeches and an eye-painting ceremony, which symbolizes when the chinese dragon awakes. “When a dragon comes out, that symbolizes good luck,” said Peter Jang, who led the roughly 20 people who hold the dragon up by long poles.
At the Lumberman’s Arch near the Vancouver Aquarium, many celebrated by watching performances, eating chinese food and munching on cotton candy.
For some, the event carried personal significance.
Man Che Tam, 82, came to Vancouver in 1977 from Hong Kong because she was sponsored by her son, who had become successful in the lumber industry.
For three months she felt isolated and alone in her East Vancouver home, unable to talk to her neighbours, ride the bus, or get past language barriers to use her business skills.
“I asked, is this where I want to be? Did I make a mistake by moving to Canada?” she said.
Her daughter-in-law brought her to S.U.C.C.E.S.S., where they helped her to learn English, she said.
In 1997, she had a devastating stroke, where she lost the ability to speak anything but her home language. S.U.C.C.E.S.S. again helped her learn some English while she recovered, she said. Today she is among the group’s best fundraisers. “It’s about courage… and finding a place to belong,” she said.
Thousands of Vancouver residents walked with a Chinese dragon Sunday, on the 22nd annual fundraiser for S.U.C.C.E.S.S., an immigrant social services agency.
The event began at 9 a.m. at Lumberman’s Arch in Stanley Park for a ribbon-cutting and “eye-dotting” ceremony. Speakers for the Walk with the Dragon event included Premier Gordon Campbell and Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan.
After a 5-km walk in Stanley Park, festival-goers planned to head to day-long festivities, including performances of dancing dragons, food stands, and entertainment.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S., which stands for the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society, hopes to raise $500,000 through the event.
The organization has been providing services for immigrants, including settlement programs, language training and employment programs in the Lower Mainland for 30 years.
Some 30 per cent of the $17-million annual budget for that service is raised through fundraising efforts like Walk with the Dragon.
