NYC Rings in a Snowy Year of the Snake with a Banquet, Auction & Entertainment

Not even a historic snow storm could stop the NYC Tri-State Branch’s annual Chinese New Year’s banquet and intensive from happening last weekend. The Year of the Snake was rung in Saturday night by 78 people at the James Beard Foundation. Between dumpling stuffing and auction displaying, volunteers spent a snowy Saturday at the Beard House getting ready. Expertly emceed by branch member/instructor Joy Janzen, the evening included a dynamic silent auction (packages included everything from super luxe wall paper to glass-blowing lessons), a feast of many dishes (ending symbolically with longevity noodles and our trademark yin and yang cookies), and world-class entertainment.

Sadly, some of our friends from Connecticut and New Jersey couldn’t make it in because of the snow (some 40 inches in parts). Continuing instructor and branch council member Greg Coleman sent regrets after many hours of shoveling. He also sent a collection of donations of $110 from Connecticut members to support the fundraising efforts of the event.

Carol Anne Gallagher from the Skaneateles location of the Syracuse Branch, who sits on the Northeast Regional Management and Northeast Regional Instruction Coordination Committees, managed to get into town from upstate New York before the worst of the storm. In addition to helping out in the kitchen on Saturday, she led a great intensive Sunday, working through the foundations and various moves of the set.

Although we are still tallying the receipts it was a great weekend by any measure. Thanks to everyone who made it possible by volunteering, donating, attending, performing, and helping to support the branch in any and every way.

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