Benefit for Quake Victims

[GeneChing]

We are working on this special event through our non-profit branch, the Tiger Claw Foundation.

Martial Arts Benefit for Quake Victims will be a master's demonstration at the Ultimate Internationals, our Tiger Claw Elite Qualifier next weekend. It will be local martial artists coming together to support a worthy cause.

More to come...

[GeneChing]

"Chang said the alliance is planning a kung-fu competition fundraiser May 24 at the Santa Clara Convention Center" is inaccurate. There is already a competition scheduled, the Ultimate Internationals, which has an extensive Chinese division. The fundraiser will be a demonstration showcase of many martial arts styles.

More to come...

Bay Area mobilizes quake relief efforts
Anastasia Ustinova, Chronicle Staff Writer

(05-13) 20:42 PDT -- Since Monday, the phone has not stopped ringing at the San Jose residence of Charles Mu, the president of the Northern Californian Sichuan Folks Association. Friends, colleagues and members all wanted to know how to help victims of the earthquake that struck China's Sichuan province.

"When there is a happy thing, people come together, and when there is a sad thing, people come together," said Mu, whose group represents about 300 Chinese Americans from Sichuan.

With the news about the devastating earthquake spreading quickly through e-mails, text messages and blogs, dozens of Bay Area Chinese American organizations are mobilizing their fundraising efforts to help the victims of the disaster.

While the telephone lines in Sichuan were down most of Monday, George Zou watched the aftermath of the earthquake broadcast on YouTube and saw pictures that his friends took with their cell phones. Luckily, his parents, brothers and cousins, who live about 150 miles outside the provincial capital, Chengdu, were not affected.

"The earthquake awareness there is nonexistent," said Zou, one of the 150 members of the Silicon Valley Sichuan University Alumni Association. "Chengdu has not been affected by an earthquake of such magnitude in years."

Scrambling to come up with a quick relief plan, the alumni association and other Chinese American groups are holding emergency meetings throughout the Bay Area.

"Within 24 hours, we mobilized all the organizations we know, and we all said, 'Let's join our efforts,' " said Albert Chang, co-chair of the Pan-Chinese American Alliance, which represents 55 business and family groups in the Bay Area. "Now we are trying to set up a bank account where people can send checks."

Chang said the alliance is planning a kung-fu competition fundraiser May 24 at the Santa Clara Convention Center and a concert featuring Chinese singers later in the month.

Volunteers with the Shin Shin Educational Foundation, based in Cupertino, have spent more than a decade rebuilding 26 elementary schools in Sichuan, and lost all the communication with them after Monday's earthquake, said member Betty Lee Young. Named after the Chinese motto, "group effort will bring prosperity," the foundation has already allocated $10,000 from its emergency fund to send to the schools.

"Those buildings were very dangerous and old - if it rained, the kids could not go to school - and we helped to rebuild them," Lee Young said. "We would like to know what the situation is with the schools, but the Chinese government is not giving us any information."

On Tuesday, the local Chinese-language newspapers extensively covered the aftermath of the earthquake and the fundraising efforts of the Chinese community, said Edward Liu, a local immigration lawyer and community activist.

"Blogosphere is also full of news not just from inside China, but all throughout the ethnic Chinese overseas diaspora scattered in over 135 countries, with at least 40 million overseas Chinese," Liu wrote in an e-mail. "And China's authorities have been amazingly open in allowing press access."

Sing Tao News ran a 10-page story Tuesday on the Sichuan earthquake and the local relief campaign, and kicked off a fundraiser in its affiliated offices in New York, Hong Kong, Vancouver, Toronto, London and Sydney. The newspaper organized similar campaigns after Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Whenever there is a major disaster, we do the fundraising very quickly," said editor in chief Joseph Leung. "(Our readers) are used to that, and yesterday we started getting phone calls from people asking how they can to donate."

According to a statement by the Chinese consulate in San Francisco, a disaster relief headquarters has been set up in China to coordinate rescue work, medical care, security and information.

Tuesday, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom called for donations to support the earthquake relief efforts and said he is planning to send members of his staff to China to assess the emergency response.

Newsom said he will collaborate with the Chinese government "so that San Francisco can do its part to assist those in need and learn from our Chinese counterparts in disaster response."

How to help
Organizations you can contact to make donations to help the earthquake victims:
Northern Californian Sichuan Folks Association: (408) 238-3614; www.sichuanfolks.org
Sing Tao News: 625 Kearny St., San Francisco, 94108; (415) 989-7111
Shin Shin Educational Foundation: www.shinshinfoundation.org
Red Cross: www.redcross.org
MercyCorps: www.mercycorps.org
CARE: www.care.org
Save the Children: www.savethechildren.org

[GeneChing]

Check Tiger Claw Foundation for the latest updates. Gigi and I were at a press conference this morning at Li Shudong's school in Cupertino. About 50 masters and teachers came out to represent with many master from Sichuan, including my own master Tony Chen. Then Gigi went to do a TV interview. All of this is Chinese media so far - they've been extremely quick to respond and taking the lead in the relief effort.

Here's our Sichuan quake thread on the main forum.

[GeneChing]

We plan to have an English version of this up very soon, but you all are used to subtitled kung fu flicks, so I'm sure you can figure out what we're trying to say.

Martial Arts Benefit for Quake Victims 05-24-08

Please note that the time has been changed to 7:30 to give us a little more wiggle room for completing the Ultimate Internationals. Additionally, there is no conclusion time, so disregard the 10 PM.

[GeneChing]

You'll find an article just below the fold on page B1 of today's World Journal. It's a little confusing because the group photo is one the neighboring 512 article. That group was present at the press conference and I believe is getting involved, but the photo should really be associated with our article.

Yes, that's me on the far left of the pic. I regret not tying my hair back.

[GeneChing]

There's another article on page B11 of the Sing Tao Daily today. It's a larger article and a bigger picture. The Chinese press conference was yesterday at Li Shudong's school in Cupertino.

I'm upstaged in this picture by my master Tony Chen. That's just as well. Tony is from Sichuan. And besides, my hair wasn't tied back. Mind you, this isn't about me or my hair. People just always ask what I look like.

[GeneChing]

Our paypal donations function is now live.

[GeneChing]

Martial Arts Benefit for Quake Victims

If you're wondering about the difference in contact information, it's because Li Shudong has agreed to take on the Chinese speakers and we've agreed to take on the English speakers. We are actually both capable of doing either, but there are more English speakers here and more Chinese speakers there, so it was more convenient.

[GeneChing]

This is coming together very quickly, so please jump in if you can. We are looking for contributions, not just cash, but also items for raffle and silent auction. There's more info on the website, which we are now updating on a daily basis. You can make cash donations directly there via paypal. The Tiger Claw Foundation is a fully accredited non-profit organization, so cash donations are tax deductible. If you have an item to donate, it must be delivered to our office here in Fremont by Friday (only 4 days away).

Thank you for your support.

[GeneChing]

Both David Ross and Dale Dugas have pledged to deliver items for our raffle. The MSRP for these donations is tax deductible. All item donations will be fully acknowledged upon receipt. Raffle items must arrive here at our office by Friday to be included. Any late items will not be returned.

Contact me at Gene@KungFuMagazine.com if you wish to make a raffle donation. Send all raffle donations to:
The Tiger Claw Foundation
40748 Encyclopedia Circle
Fremont, CA 94538
ATTN: Gene

Additionally, there was news coverage on KCNS 38 (Chinese TV) late last night. I hope some of you caught that program. Gigi Oh was on representing the Tiger Claw Foundation.

[GeneChing]

Design Sifu and I just updated TigerClawFoundation.org again. We're updating daily until this weekend. This update added performers and sponsors.

Be sure to come out and support this Benefit. It's amazing what can be put together in just two weeks, especially when there's a good cause.

[GeneChing]

Rose He, who is a member of the Martial Arts Benefit for Quake Victims organizing committee, just donated three Chinese brush paintings for our silent auction.

Dr. Effie Chow just donated three DVD and book packages for our raffle.

Keep those prizes coming! I need to receive everything by tomorrow!

[GeneChing]

We suspect that many people are buying tickets just to show support and won't actually go to the show. Such is Chinese community sometimes. So there's still plenty of tickets that will be available at the door, but come early. We are totally hoping to sell out.

[GeneChing]

Here are the items we will be offering for our raffle and silent auction.
Thank you to everyone who donated. We expect a few more tomorrow.

Donations for Raffle, Silent Auction and sales

2007-2008 issues of Kung Fu Tai Chi
Retail Value: $40.00
Donated by Kung Fu Tai Chi

The Tiger Claw Foundation DVD collection: Kungfu Qigong Magazine Gala Benefit Feature Masters' and Cover Masters’ Exhibitions, Shaolin Trips: The First World Traditional Wushu Festival.
Retail Value: $65.00
Donated by the Tiger Claw Foundation

(4) The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin
Retail value: $15.00 each
Donated by the Josh Waitzkin Foundation

Chen Style Tai Chi Progressive Silk Reeling Series – 3 DVDs
Retail value: $150
Donated by Dragon Door Publications

(3) Chow Qigong prize packages: Miracle Healing From China, Qigong Basics & Exercises, Qi Pressure, Laws of 5 Element Meditation
Retail
value: $100 each
Donated by Effie Chow

Sanda/MMA training DVD package – 4 DVDs: Intermediate San Da Skills, 2005 Combat Sports Training Camp, disc 2, Brazilian Jiu Jituse No Gi Grappling for MMA vol. 2, San Da Tehcniques for MMA, part 2
Retail value: $160
Donated by David Ross, New York San Da

STAMPS

(2) Beijing 2008 Torch Relay Commemorative Stamp Collection
Donated by Arthur Ku

24k Gold-Plated Chinese Zodiac Stamps Commemorating the New Millennium
Donated by Gigi Oh

GIFT CERTIFICATES

Nine Course Gourmet Dinner for ten, prepared by Effie Chow
Retail value: $1000
Donated by Effie Chow

Weekend Qigong Training Program for two
Retail value: $500
Donated by Effie Chow

ART

Double Eagle Silk Embroidery
Donated by Arthur Ku

Gold Photos
Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s Mausoleum
Donated by Arthur Ku

Shanghai Pudong
Donated by Arthur Ku

Shanghai Bund
Donated by Arthur Ku

TRADITIONAL CHINESE PAINTINGS

Large Chinese Landscape (unmounted)
Donated by Arthur Ku

Bamboo Scroll
Donated by Arthur Ku

Great Wall Scroll
Donated by Arthur Ku

Three Fish and Flowers Scroll
Donated by Arthur Ku

Tiger Ceramic-cap Scroll
Donated by Kee Fung Ng Gallery伍奇峰畫廊

Bodhidharma Ceramic-cap Scroll
Donated by Kee Fung Ng Gallery伍奇峰畫廊

Bamboo Ceramic-cap Scroll
Donated by Kee Fung Ng Gallery伍奇峰畫廊

Bodhidharma by Tu Jin-Sheng
Donated by Tu Jin-Sheng

Bodhidharma by Tu Jin-Sheng
Donated by Tu Jin-Sheng

TEA
72 cartons of Liver Harmony Tea
Retail value: $10 each
Donated by Yellow Emperor Natural Healing Center

[Dale Dugas]

I am hoping that my box will get to you guys in time.

Sorry about that brother.