PAST EVENTS
An archive of our past events and initiatives.
2019
February 28, 2019
Chinese New Year Charity Dinner with Open Table (photos)
2019年2月28日，艾克顿华人协会和Open Table 合作，成功举办了中国新年慈善晚宴。Concord 的First Parish Church, 座无虚席，有近90人参加，除了来自华协的义工和表演者，几乎全部是非华裔。咱们从下午2点40分开始准备晚餐，除了厨房负责人Stephanie 和其他两位Open Table的义工，我们华协的7位能干朋友撸起袖子，很麻利地分工合作，到5点15分做出了一顿丰盛的晚餐，包括头抬：饺子和凉拌紫菜；正餐：牛肉炒辣椒，拌青菜，炒饭，还为素食者做了豆腐炒番茄；甜点：汤园，柑子，葡萄。
从4点45分到5点半，在大厅里有文娱活动，包括艾克顿-博思宝路高中的中文老师李日新的以中国新年传统和习俗为主题的演讲，王明福叔叔的独唱，王叔叔和家珍阿姨的合唱，叶美茜阿姨的太极拳，蔡新芬老师的越剧，罗礼全叔叔的巴乌独奏和扇子舞。除了蔡新芬老师，另外几位叔叔阿姨都在80岁左右。能歌善舞，真是了不起！
另外，4点30分，在门厅处严圭宜女士开始制作新年花篮，用花语祝福大家🐷年吉祥，身体健康，心想事成! 两盆精美花蓝用于抽奖。Open Table准备了一个中国新年点心盒抽奖。咱们华协的彭卓瑞用新年饰品布置了一个华协展台，很有气氛。
5点，华协的另外5名义工穿着亮丽的唐装或者旗袍来做招待，他们和其他近10位Open Table的义工一起，端菜送水，让来宾们享受了高级餐馆的服务。
感谢各位义工，没有你们的才干和辛苦努力不可能做得这么准时、到位、圆满！咱们的厨神是：赖强、田红兵、芶燕妮、任亚平、付江、林珊珊、杨绍文；咱们的美帥招待有：杜先菊、史建英、顾仲瑶、李希青、戴朝阳、陈宏光。感谢大家对协会活动的支持！很多参加者对我们用中文说谢谢，还主动起身为我们鼓掌。短短几个小时的开心劳动能让这么多人享受到中国新年的丰盛、中华文化的美好，是件令人十分愉快的事情。
下次华协的活动，我们期待你的参与，期待有更多的朋友加入我们！
February 9, 2019
Chinese New Year Stamp Unveiling Ceremony (photos)
February 8, 2019
Chinese New Year Celebration at Acton Housing Authority (photos)
2018
May 20, 2018
ACACS Annual Meeting (photos coming soon)
Our annual meeting was held at the Bellow Farm Clubhouse on May 20th 2018 from 6-10pm. Presentations regarding our organization: who we are, what we do, why ACACS were given by the board directors. Three board directors were elected at the meeting. Three best dishes awards were given to the cooking contests winners.
April 8, 2018
Education Forum: American English Accent Improvement for Chinese Speakers (photos)
This workshop was given by Wendy Wiberg from English Onsite. Wendy is a licensed speech-language pathologist in the Commonwealth of MA and is a certified member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She shared five easy techniques for making significant improvement in the accent of Chinese Speakers of English to a full house of audience.
April 2, 2018
Acton Town Meeting (photos coming soon)
The information gathered regarding Article 26, the Town Entering into the Intermunicipal Agreement was shared among the community.
March 30 - April 1, 2018
Washington DC Cherry Blossom Trip (photos coming soon)
ACACS collaborated with a travel agency, Lecture & Travel International for a three-day bus tour to Washington DC for cherry blossom. 51 people on the trip thoroughly enjoyed the great cherry blossom viewing at Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, Tomas Jefferson Memorial, and East Potomac Park (Hains Point). We also visited Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the United States Capitol, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the White House, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Air and Space Museum. On our way to DC, we stopped at Independence Hall and Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.
March 27, 2018
Acton Town Election Information Sharing (photos coming soon)
The contested candidates’ information was shared among the community
February 22, 2018
Open Table Community Chinese New Year Dinner Celebration (photos coming soon)
Open Table provides two free meals to those in need in Concord and Maynard every week. This year they provided Chinese New Year Dinner at Concord on Feb. 22, 2018. We joined other volunteers for the food preparation and serving. One of our Board Directors taught some simple Chinese wordings to everyone at the celebration.
February 11, 2018
ACLS 15th Anniversary & Chinese New Year Celebration (photos coming soon)
ACACS sponsored and supported the Acton Chinese Language School 15th Anniversary & Chinese New Year Celebration.
January 28, 2018
Education Forum: Taking Your Career to the Next Level (photos coming soon)
This seminar provided by Karianne Panos from MCML Consulting focused on career development and advancement, in particular the all-important self-advocacy skills needed to seize key career opportunities. Communication strategies used by effective managers and leaders were covered in this workshop so that participants can begin to use language that will increase their visibility in their workplace. The strategies and techniques taught by Karianne were from her long-term research and personal experience and they were convincing and powerful.
January 25 - present, 2018 (ongoing)
Acton Food Pantry Translator Service (photos coming soon)
A group of ACACS members attended volunteer orientation on Jan. 25, 2018 at Acton Food Pantry for Chinese Translator Service. Ever since that orientation, they have been taking turns to provide that service every Wednesday morning from 10-12 pm.
2017
November 12, 2017
American Chinese Medical Association: 2017 Fall Community Health Education Event
October 14, 2017
Welch & Dickey Loop Trail Hiking & Foliage Viewing, White Mountain, NH
ACACS organized Welch & Dickey Loop Trail Hiking & Foliage Viewing on Oct. 14, 2017. Over 30 members participated, including a few youths. Everyone enjoyed the great outdoors and the nice weather. The day concluded with a special group dinner at Sichuan Gourmet in Burlington.
October 12, 2017
Acton-Boxborough United Way Day of Caring
ACACS participated in the AB United Way Day of Caring on the afternoon of October 12, 2017. We collaborated with OMR Architects (a local company) on the Acton Housing Authority Project (68 Windsor Avenue, Acton) for fall clean-up, i.e raking leaves, in the common area of the senior residence (a complex of 68 units).
September 9, 2017
ACACS Annual Member Gathering & Special Board Election (photos)
ACACS organized a member gathering on Sept. 09, 2017 from 6:00-10:00pm at the Bellows Farm Club House. A cooking contest was held and three best dishes were awarded. Everyone had fun spending the evening together and playing group games.
At this Special Board Election, two new board members were elected to fulfill vacant board positions.
May 6, 2017
Annual Member Meeting
The ACACS annual member meeting was held on May 6, 2017 from 6 to 10PM at the Bellows Farm Club House.
April 22 – April 29, 2017
Acton Cleanup Week
ACACS co-organized Acton Cleanup Week with Green Acton.
February 6, 2017
Let’s Talk! Bridging the Cultural Gap Between You and Your Child by Dr. Josephine Kim.
ACACS and the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District co-sponsored this educational seminar at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School (ABRHS). Dr. Kim shared her research on how cultural expectations and differences manifest in daily interactions between parents and children, and how sound attachment and communication skills can be used to buffer stressors in children’s lives.
January 29, 2017
Chinese New Year Celebration with Super Hunger Bunch Fundraising
ACACS organized a Chinese New Year Celebration member gathering with a delicious menu for a charitable cause on Jan. 29, 2017 at the 80 Thoreau Restaurant in Concord. All proceeds went to the Greater Boston Food Bank.
2016
November 12, 2016
Co-sponsoring Acton Traditional Chinese Music Night-Dream of Red Chamber
ACACS worked with Acton Chinese Language School (ACLS), Boston Chinese Musicians Association, and Acton-Boxborough Culture Council (ABCC) to organize a Traditional Chinese Music Night “Dream of the red chamber” at the AB High School auditorium. It was a great turnout and showcased wonderful Chinese music to the audience.
November 2016
General Election Ballot Questions Information
Informational flyers for 4 statewide ballot questions for the November election were designed and distributed through ACACS and other local Chinese-American Associations in Massachusetts.
October 5, 2016
Special Town Meeting
ACACS encouraged members’ participation in the special town meeting on Oct. 5, 2016 at ABRHS. We made suggestions to the town to share the presentations ahead of time if feasible.
September 25, 2016
A First Look at American Grassroot Political Organizations
A successful Education Forum was held on Sept. 25, 2016. Four Representatives from Acton Republican Town Committee and Acton Democratic Town Committee were invited as the speakers for the forum. Pizza and light refreshment were served. It was informative and well -received by the audience.
September 25, 2016
Massachusetts Chinese Association Alliance Meeting
ACACS hosted the first MA Chinese Association Alliance meeting from 2:00-4:00p.m on Sept. 25, 2016. It was an open forum discussion. Six Chinese-American Associations in MA attended (Lexington, Andover, Winchester, Wellesley, Newton, Belmont). Each association briefed the activities of their organization and expressed the interests to have periodical gathering to discuss common topics we care.
September 10, 2016
ACACS Family Outing
ACACS organized a member outing on Sept. 10, 2016, 4:30-8:30pm, NARA with a good turnout. It was BBQ/Pot luck style with Kids/adult activities. Awards were given to 3 best dishes and raffle tickets winners.
August 15, 2016
Qualified as President service award certifying organization
The President Award Certifying Organization status was approved on Aug. 15, 2016 and the volunteer hours from both members and youth members are eligible.
July 16 & 24, 2016
Gaining Ground Farm Youth Activity
ACACS organized youth volunteer activities in Gaining Ground Farm in Concord on July 16 and July 24. These events are well received.
July 2016
Established Richard Calandrella Community Service Award
ACACS initiated to establish Richard (Dick) Calandrella Community Service Award in recognition of Dick’s significant long term contributions to the Acton community and to the Chinese communities across cultural boundaries. The Award details will be further defined.
June 18, 2016
Boxborough Fifer’s Day (photos)
ACACS organized a running team to participate in the 50th Fifer’s Day 4 miles Road Race in Boxborough on June 18, 2016. Seventeen ACACS runners joined the race (total 118 runners in the event). ACACS also set up a booth along with other non-profit and commercial organizations.
May 22, 2016
Household Goods Ministry Volunteering
ACACS organized a volunteer activity for Household Goods on May 22, 2016 to help unload household items from truck to warehouse.
May 1, 2016
Seminar on Volunteering for Acton Town
ACACS organized a seminar “Volunteering for Town of Acton by Participating in Local Government” on May 1, 2016. Speakers were Mr. Charlie Aaronson, Chair of Volunteering Coordinating Committee; Miss Katie Green, Past Chair of Acton Board of Selectmen; and Mr. Peter Berry, Chair of Acton Board of Selectmen. This seminar was very informative and it was a good introduction on the process for selecting volunteers for the board and committees positions. The speakers also shared their personal experiences and sights on volunteering for our town.
April 30, 2016
Acton Cleanup Day (photos)
ACACS organized its first volunteer activity on Acton’s 20th Cleanup Day on April 30, 2016. ACACS took on the responsibilities of coordinating volunteers for table monitoring at the Center Acton Site in addition to picking up trash. About 20-30 volunteers participated.
April 2, 2016
Establishment of ACACS
ACACS was established on April 2, 2016 when the first Board with seven Board of Directors was elected at Bellows Farm.