The Chinese Historical Society of New England (CHSNE) held their eighteenth annual meeting and dinner on September 24, 2010 at China Pearl.  Throughout the night, dishes after dishes of Asian cuisine were served, totaling 11 courses that ranged from seafood in a bird’s nest to yee fu noodles.  It was a night of business and social affair.  Over 100 members, friends, and guests were present to mingle and dine.

The meeting started with a tribute to David Wong, co-founder of CHSNE, who passed away earlier this year. Wong was an active member of the Chinatown community who made countless contributions to the community and will be remembered by many.  One of his many contributions includes the Chinese immigrant memorial at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Part of the agenda for the night was announcing the annual report of activities and the annual election of board members and officers.  A notable position change is that Sherry Dong will be taking over Peter Kiang and Deborah Dong. Peter Kiang and Deborah Dong were the former co-presidents of CHSNE. Peter Kiang was president for 7 years and Deborah Dong was president for 3 years. The board will consist of continuing and new members and officers.
In the midst of the event, three awards were presented: the Wong Scholarship Award, CHSNE/Waterman-Waring-Langone Scholarship Award, and the Sojourner Award.  The Wong Scholarship Award was established by Stephanie Fan and Valerie Wong to honor their mother Katherine Chin Wong.  The award was presented to Daniel Tam, a student from Northeastern University.  Anna Nicole Dartley, from Mount Holyoke College, and Jonathan Huang, from Suffolk University, were the two newly inducted CHSNE/Waterman-Waring-Langone scholars.  They joined 6 continuing recipients on stage to accept their award.  Recipients of this award must show commitment to community activities and awareness of their cultural heritage.  The Sojourner Award was presented to Madeline Wong, who was among the first Chinese females to work in life insurance in Boston.  Madeline Wong set an example that opened doors and opportunities.  Mrs. Wong is not only successful in her career but she is also cofounder of Kowloon restaurant and a supporter of numerous Chinatown organizations.

CHSNE is a non-profit organization that strives to preserve the history of Chinese immigration in the New England. For more information on scholarships or CHSNE, please visit www.chsne.org or email info@chsne.org.

Diana Li is a Sampan correspondent.