February 2020 newsletter
February 1, 2020
Dear Members and Friends,
Happy New Year! Wishing you good health and all the best.
February is the shortest month of the year. For the parents whose children are leaving for college for the first time, this year will feel shorter than most. This will be a significant moment in their lives, filled with stress, worry, and skepticism, but also excitement for what's to come as they embark on this journey.
Many of us work hard and reserve our savings for our children to receive the best and the highest education. Furthermore, we want to ensure our children enjoy financial freedom for peace of mind. If we take a step back, however, and ask ourselves ``How do we want to groom our children?", the most common answer is that we want to groom them to be successful. But how do you measure success?
Grooming our children is a lifelong mission. Similar to gardening, you need top-quality soil and nutrients to nourish plant roots so that they may thrive. For our children, we need to give them soil and nutrients that contains "strong family values" and "good moral character" as the organic compounds. No matter how wealthy and well-educated someone may be, these compounds are necessary to be in-tune with society and to be a responsible citizen. I urge all parents to help their children develop strong family values and good moral character to guide their life journeys.
Remember the following 3-2-1 principles to assist them in their development:
3 -ty's (Responsibility, Reliability, and Integrity) 2 Hearts (Passionate Heart and Compassionate Heart)
1 Spirit (True Love to People)
Peninsula Chinese Business Association is committed to supporting youngsters to achieve their goals. Five years ago, we launched the "Encouragement Scholarship" program to encourage and acknowledge those who have successfully demonstrated their dedication to helping society. This program is rapidly growing, having evolved from one school to four cities today, and it continues to expand in nearby areas. This year, we will be dedicating our Annual Gala fundraising event to celebrate those youngsters who achieved their successes. I hope you all will join us by then, on this special day to support the program and witness the celebration.
Sincerely,
Johnny DaRosa President
johnnydarosa@post.harvard.edu
致 美國華聯商會會員及朋友們:
恭祝大家鼠年身體健康，萬事勝意! 二月，是一年當中最短的月份。對於家有孩子第一次上大學，又或是將面臨空巢的父母來 說，更倍感這一 年的時光飛逝。離家上大學，將是孩子人生中一個重要的里程碑，當中充滿壓力、 憂慮和疑惑。但同時，他們將為 踏上人生新旅程而感到興奮、充滿活力及鬥志!
我們不斷勤奮工作，為孩子儲蓄;除了希望他們能夠接受最好、最高等的教育，還要讓他 們完成學業後， 可免除經濟負擔，及享有舒適生活。但是，如果我們退一步想，問問自己:「我想 如何培育孩子?對他們有何期望 ?」。一般父母的答案，都是希望他們能夠成功。但是，你們是如 何衡量成功的呢?
培育孩子是父母的終身使命，亦似是園藝，植物需要優質的土壤及豐富養份,令它們蓬勃生 ⻑。等同孩子亦 需要此等條件;優質土壤就是「强大的家庭價值觀」，豐富養份就是「良好品德」 ，這都可以令孩子茁壯成⻑。我 認為，無論人們有多富裕，或是受過良好教育，這些價值觀，都是 作為一位有責任感的良好公民，所具備的條件及 元素。 因此，我懇請各位父母，為你們的孩子樹立「强大的家庭價值觀」及「良好品德」。更要堅定地成 為他們的 好榜樣，此等引導，將會令他們的人生，邁向更圓滿。
大家可以跟隨以下 3-2-1 原則，以可幫助孩子將來的發展:
3 種美德 ( 責任感、可靠、誠信) 兩顆心 ( 熱心、同情心 ) 1 種精神 (對人有真愛真誠)
五年前，美國華聯商會，啟動一項名為「鼓勵前進獎學金」計劃;目的是為幫助年青人達 成目標。 更鼓勵 及表掦一群致力為社區、社會服務的年青人。此計劃發展迅速，惠及學生由最初的一所學校 ，現已擴展至多所學校 ，及遍佈四個城市。此計劃亦會繼續向周邊社區擴展。本會希望可以鼓勵更 多學生參與，齊為我們的社會出一分力 。
我們將會於本年度舉辦「年度聯歡晚會籌款活動」，也藉此慶祝曾獲奬學金的年青人。屆時，我衷 心希望及歡迎各 位蒞臨参與，在這特别日子，共同支持這項籌款活動及見證此慶典。
祝大家生活愉快，
美國華聯商會會⻑,
羅世傑謹啟
johnnydarosa@post.harvard.edu 二零二零年二月一日 中文翻譯: Doris Wong (嘉嘉工作室創辦人)