Maria Ting, one of Orphanage Club's amazing helpers, wrote an account on what she experienced during the returning annual PSB Christmas Party: My Experience at the Annual Orphanage Club & Pearl S. Buck Foundation Christmas
Party
By Maria Ting
This past Christmas season, I participated in an event that I have only heard about
but never became involved in. It is the annual Christmas party that the Taipei
American School Orphanage Club (OC) and the Pearl S. Buck Foundation host for
over 650 guests for disadvantaged families, which most recently took place on
December 23, 2018 at TAS. This tradition began in 1980 and has continued for nearly
38 years. The faculty sponsor for the Orphanage Club is Mr. Richard Arnold, my high
school history teacher and lifelong mentor. I never joined the OC as his student, but I
am happy that my daughter became a member this year, 29 years after I graduated.
The Orphanage Club has always been legendary in my memory. It was founded in
December 1970 by a handful of TAS students, accompanied by Mr. Arnold, to assist
the children at Chung-Yi Orphanage. Today, in its 48th year, the OC continues to
support the Chung-Yi Orphanage, the Catholic Welfare (Cathwel) Orphanage, and so
much more. Each year, under the leadership of 15 committee chairs, over 150
student members from grades 6 through 12 organize a wide variety of events to
improve the lives of these children and others in and outside of Taiwan. These
events are made possible through fundraising efforts by the student members,
which include organizing rummage and book sales, flea markets, game booths at the
popular PTA International Food and Spring Fairs. I’ve learned that since its founding,
the Orphanage Club has donated over US$2.5 million to charities both locally and
abroad, extending its reach as far as Africa and Southeast Asia. Whenever I chat with
Mr. Arnold about the OC, I am impressed by how much direct assistance OC has
provided. I am further moved to learn that OC members, and many of their parents,
remain active and committed to OC’s mission years after graduation from TAS.
The Orphanage Club was introduced to The Pearl S. Buck Foundation (PSB) in Taiwan
and its executive director, Mrs. Eva Fong, through a departing faculty member some
40 years ago, and from that fateful meeting the annual Christmas party tradition
began. PSB Taiwan was set up in 1968, through the tireless efforts of Mrs. Fong, to
assist Amerasian mixed race children living in Taiwan. Many of these children were
fathered by foreign soldiers who visited the island on leave for recreation and relief
from their military duties throughout Asia. The children faced discrimination and
suffered from self-identity issues, but through Mrs. Fong’s extraordinary
commitment, compassion, and genuine concern for each child, they grew up to be
pillars in society who also give back to PSB. Today, PSB’s services has expanded to
include new immigrant families in Taiwan. Mrs. Fong retired in 2000 but continued
to attend the Christmas party every year, only unable to attend for the first time in
2018.
My participation in this year’s Christmas party began with a casual question from Mr.
Arnold about collecting 350 shopping bags to hold party favors for the young guests.
After further conversation, I learned the actual guest list would also extend to their
families, which meant at least 650 people in total. The party’s agenda included
providing a large feast to feed all of the guests, fulfilling 300 individual gift requests,
and awarding five student scholarships. Eager for myself and my children to have an
opportunity to help those less fortunate, I signed up to assist the OC members
however I can.
I began by spreading the word about the party and what were needed to make it
successful: volunteers to set up, decorate and clean up, welcome guests and service
the luncheon; sponsorship for various menu items and goody bag items, and more
importantly, the gifts that 300 children wished for from Santa. The response I
received was immediate and overwhelming. Parents, graduates, faculty, staff and
members of the community-at-large, many of whom are ACC members, jumped in
with both feet to donate their time, money, and expressed willingness to help in any
way. Friends with previous experience shared their expertise with me. Strangers
contacted me and asked about what gifts to purchase.
The names of everyone we wish to thank from this experience are too many to list
within these pages’ margins, but from the first moment of my involvement to the
last Christmas decoration removed after the party, my spirit was constantly lifted
and heart full by their acts of kindness and generosity. The OC family also rallied with
returning graduates and current students working together to complete all
outstanding tasks. On the big day, the halls and cafeteria were beautifully decorated
, and the food happily served and quickly consumed. PSB’s 50th anniversary this year
was made even more special by the return of the Amerasian children who attended.
Performance by the PSB families and by TAS students were well-received. Santa
came to distribute each gift. It was a joyful, memorable and rewarding time for all
involved. My children and I will be back again next Christmas.
For more information on how to be become involved with the Orphanage Club,
please visit www.tasorphanageclub.com and their Facebook page
@tasorphanageclub
To support upcoming events of the the Pearl S. Buck Foundation in Taiwan, please
visit https://reurl.cc/OkWYy and their Facebook page @psbf.taiwan
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