May 28, 2008
MVMA did it again, Rain or Shine!

In its 20th year, the Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association’s Annual Academic Awards Picnic welcomed over 200 students, parents, community members and leaders. Held at Cabin John Regional Park on Sunday, May 18th, the picnic carried on through the raining weather and recognized over 80 outstanding students, K-12.  Also keeping with the long-standing tradition to support future leaders, MVMA extended college scholarships to two graduating seniors, generously donated by Lanni Nguyen of State Farm Insurance and Anh Dao Nguyen in the name of her mother, Theresa Nguyen.  This year, MVMA was delighted to recognize outstanding teacher Patricia Kompare, from James Hubert Blake HS, for “opening up her arms and providing [students with] a strong educational foundation for them in their new country.”

MVMA was honored to have Montgomery County Board of Education Member, Patricia O’Neill, continue her support by participating in the awards ceremony.  Chuck Short, Special Assistant to MC Executive Ike Leggett and Julius West, Outreach Director from Congressman Chris Van Hollen’s Office, were also present to show their support.  MVMA’s President Hoan Dang began the ceremony by expressing the importance of education in the Vietnamese Community and letting the awardees know that they brought extreme honor to their families.  Executive Director Diane Vu followed with her sentiments, congratulating the students for their hard work and expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the staff and volunteers for making the picnic happen.

MVMA would like extend its deepest appreciation to board members, staff, volunteers, donors, students and families for helping to keep the awards picnic a community tradition.

January 26, 2008
Welcoming in the New Year

To welcome in the “Year of the Rat,” the Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association hosted its Annual Tết Lunar New Year Festival at the University of Maryland, College Park’s Samuel Riggs Alumni Center on Saturday January 26th.

The Tết Lunar New Year is the most celebrated holiday in many Asian cultures, particularly in the Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean communities and for the past 25 years MVMA has successfully carried on this tradition. The Festival started with a thrilling Dragon Dance provided by the Giac Hoang Temple and welcoming in guests that included:

• Isiah Leggett, Montgomery County Executive
• Marilynn M. Bland, Prince George’s County Council Member
• David Lee, Executive Director, Governor's Office on Asian Pacific American Affairs
• Sumitra Siram, Constituent Services, Office of Congressman Chris Van Hollen
• Shirley Brandman, VP, Board of Education Montgomery County and
•  Representatives from Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson’s office.

The “Miss Ao Dai 2008” Pageant winner took home $500. Entertainment continued with the Most Adorable Children Contest and Talent Contest where dancers and singers got a chance to show off their skills.

For most vendors in the marketplace, the festival began at 8am when they unloaded their items. By 9am, the Alumni Center was bustling with activity from the vendors, staff, and volunteers. This year the marketplace included 20 food vendors selling a variety of food and drinks such as bubble tea, fried rice, Pho noodle soup, Pad Thai, Sticky Rice, and other traditional Tết Foods. In addition to the food vendors, there were 25 other companies and organizations eager to reach out the community.  

The Tết Festival is just one of several annual events that MVMA hosts to uphold its mission of serving, supporting, and advancing the Vietnamese Community while celebrating its heritage. In addition to the Tết Festival, MVMA also hosts an Annual Health  Fair and an Annual Academic Awards Picnic in the spring.

We would like to thank our Gold Sponsor Adventist Health Care along with Comcast, State Farm, Pepco, VATV and CrystLe Line for their support. 

Special thanks also goes out to: Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Prince George’s County Councilmember Marilynn Bland, David Lee, Leigh Ann Lawrie and the Samuel Riggs Alumni Center staff, Prince George’s County Health Department, Khanh Tran, CT Printing, Invited Guests, Judges,  MVMA board, staff and  volunteers, vendors, and festival attendees for making this event a success.  May your new year be filled with excellent health, happiness and prosperity.  Chúc quý vị một năm mới an khang thịnh vượng.

June 10, 2007
19th Annual Community Award Picnic

Please join us on Sunday, June 10th, for our 19th Annual Community Award Picnic at Lake Needwood, to recognize the success of students from K-12. Every year we recognize students who have been nominated by their schools for their academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement. At this event, we will also award college scholarships to entering college students. There will be plenty of food and activities during this picnic.

The Vietnamese American community has a lot to be proud of. As we receive incoming nomination letters from public schools in Maryland, we are very impressed with Vietnamese American student not only academic performance in school, but also of their leadership and community service. Here is what a teacher has to say about Hien, an 8th grader:

"Hien is a student highly deserving of recognition. Hien is maintaining A's in math, ESOL, and his academic support class, while doing very well in science, US history, and English, all difficult classes for ESOL students. He is also a role model when it comes to good school behavior and hard work. Hien is proof that, if you believe in yourself, you can make anything happen."

For the first time, this year we are also honoring teachers who made a difference in the lives of their students.

To access the nomination forms, college scholarship package, and picnic flyer, please refer to the front page of our website. To view job and internship opportunities available in this area and through our contacts, please visit our job forum [click here] Please contact us at 301-588-6862 or info (at)mdvietmutual.org for additional information.

The Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association (MVMA) welcomed in the Year of the Pig with its Annual Te^'t Festival held on February 10, 2007 at the Samuel S. Riggs Alumni Center on the University of Maryland College Park Campus. MVMA also organized its Annual Heath Screening Fair in conjunction with this biggest of all holidays.

The turnout was higher than expected because of the change in location. Over 2000 people came out to enjoy the delicious food, entertainment, and health screenings, giving us a higher than expected turnout. For the past two years, MVMA has held its Te^'t Festival at Springbook High School. The new location, spacious and convenient for all, was a factor in the turnout: free parking was readily available and the Alumni Center’s staff was more than helpful. After the festival, Maryland’s Alumni Event Coordinator invited us to come next year. We are working to book the next date for the festival.

Vendors started to unload their items at 8 o’clock in the morning. By nine, the space was filled with vendors, their helpers, volunteers, and entertainment contestants. MVMA Board Chair, Mr. Hoan ?a(.ng, and Executive Director, Ye^'n Lê opened the ceremonies with welcoming remarks. The entertainment started out with the dragon dance where people came up to lì xì, or give money in red envelopes to the dragon dancers in hope of a great start to the New Year. Other entertainment included the Children’s Beauty Contest and the Vietnamese Áo Dài Contest, which are highly popular with the audience. Of course, the Karaoke Contest was popular for those who wanted to sing.

We were honored to have in attendance Ms. Ellen Janes, State Director of Senator Barbara Mikulski’s Office and Mr. Julius West from Congressman Chris Van Hollen’s Office. Also present were Mr. David Lee, Executive Director of Governor's Office on Asian Pacific American Affairs, Montgomery County Council President, Marilyn J. Praisner, councilmember Roger Berliner, Montgomery County Board of Education member, Ms. Judy Docca, Prince George’s County Board of Education member, Ms. Donna Hathaway Beck, and Ms. Cindy Chan, Asian Pacific American Liaison of Montgomery County Executive’s Office.

For the first time in our entertainment section, we had Huye^`n Linh-Giang Tha?o Vietnamese Opera Troupe performing. The entertainment section ended with staff and volunteers singing karaoke.

Meanwhile, approximately 80 festival attendees received free healthcare screenings including vision, hearing, eyes (glaucoma), hearing, bond density, blood pressure, body composition, carbon monoxide, and Dermascan (facial skin testing) generously sponsored by the Washington Adventist Hospital. Most popular were the glucose and cholesterol screenings that were provided for a small fee. One health fair participant, Tien, expressed his appreciation, “My dad just came over from Vietnam and has no insurance. I am glad that I was able to bring him and have him checked for everything.”

In addition to the screenings, health fair coordinator Diane Vy Vu made sure that health education on various topics such as Hepatitis B/C, cancer and nutrition were also offered. “It is important that we stress to our community the importance of preventative care. For example, Vietnamese women have the highest rate of cervical cancer among any group in the United States with 43 cases compared to 8.7 cases per 100,000 among the general population. That’s almost five times higher! We come from a culture that does not understand the significance of preventative care (i.e. pap smears) so this was a great opportunity to educate our public.”

Other services provided that day includes information on the Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (which is a state-run program for uninsured low-income pregnant women and children under the age of 19) and free sign-ups for diabetic shoes for seniors with Medicare. The health fair also gave MVMA the opportunity to partner with the Primary Care Coalition to administer a survey to gain information on barriers for the Vietnamese Community in accessing health care. Since so little data is available about the Vietnamese community, this information will allow MVMA to better assess and cater to the needs of its population.

On behalf of MVMA, thank you staff, board members, volunteers, vendors, health fair partners, and participants for your continuing support. May your new year be filled with excellent health, longevity, and prosperity. Chúc quý vi. mo^.t na(m mo+'i an khang thi.nh vu+o+.ng.

MVMA and Diane Vy V, health fair coordinator, would like to thank its partners who made this fair possible: Adventist Health Care, Asian American Health Initiative, Lions Club Community Outreach Foundation, Tony Tran, LaShonda Edwards from Roche Laboratories, India Easley from PG County MCHP, Michelle Markey from the Primary Care Coalition and Luis Martinez & Auxi Pachecho from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. Heartfelt thanks also go to the medical professionals and volunteers who dedicated their time.

On Saturday, December 2, 2006 the Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association celebrated with evening of entertainment to commemorate the media, volunteers and staff members for their dedication and support. Ten years ago the Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association (MVMA) launched a TV show named “MVMA Highlights” to capture Vietnamese American activities and histories in Maryland. The Vietnamese TV show has brought voice to the community, helped Vietnamese Americans stay connected with each other, and informed the public of community events and issues. MVMA took this opportunity to honor supporters like Vietnamese American Television (VATV), Montgomery Community Television, Little Saigon Television, and Viet Tien Television. Also honored were Mr. Phu Le (MVMA former Executive Director), and numerous volunteer reporters, and MVMA staff and volunteers who have been instrumental in advancing the Vietnamese American community.

The program began with opening remarks from MVMA’s Executive Director, Ms. Yen Le, who reflected over MVMA’s current programs, accomplishments and the needs the community still face: “While we have much to celebrate, 62% of Vietnamese Americans are still struggling to speak English, which is a major disadvantage for the community.” She urged the audience to continue this dialogue at MVMA’s membership meeting.

The show also featured a stunning Fashion Show performed by volunteers and local college students and coordinated by Ms. Pha Le, staff of MVMA and current student at University of College Park. An award ceremony followed afterwards where MVMA’s committed volunteers were recognized for their contributions to the well-being of families, senior citizens, and growth of the organization. Each volunteer was presented a certificate that reads,

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."
-Buddha

This signified the importance of each individual and how their collective contributions made a difference in the community.

Mr. Hoan Dang, President and Chair of MVMA, and Ms. Yen Le, and Mr. Nhan Vo, Executive Director of VATV, presented plaques to the aforementioned TV stations and volunteer reporters. Ms. Anh Dao Dang, MVMA’s former secretary, presented a special plaque to Mr. Phu Le for his initiative in creating the MVMA Highlights TV Program.

The event concluded with several performances by singers such as, Ms. Hoang Lan, Mr. Pham Phu Thinh, Ms. Bang Thanh, who sang well-known songs from composers Trinh Cong Son and Pham Duy, with the help of violinist, Pham Hien and guitarist and musician, Mr. Ngo Minh Tri.

September 23, 2006
Wolf Trap’s International Children’s Festival Brought Vietnamese Families Together

With the generous support from the Arts Council of Fairfax County which provided entrance tickets and snacks, 13 adults and 18 children from the Vietnamese Parenting Enrichment Project (VPEP) set out to the International Children’s Festival at Wolf Trap on a beautiful fall day. The children got excited as they saw a giant dragon moon bounce and soon participated in the face painting and mask decorating activities. Each child was also given a passport and received a sticker for every station they visited: India, U.S.A, Korea, and Turkey. The children participated in a 30 minute demonstration of Tae Kwon Do, learning to count 1, 2, 3 in Korean, "Hana, Dul, Set," and following the instructor’s series of directions on kicking, punching, and running.

The children also watched Korean dance performances and spent some time in the Technology center which held different stations organized by different high schools. Some learned how to paint trucks on the computer screen, others made play-doh figures to make a film with play-doh characters, and others got fascinated by the taping of participants who danced in front of a screen that was computerized to have different backgrounds.

The parents were happy to have the kids outside, commenting that they would have sat at home if they did not go out today. One mother commented on the beauty of Wolf Trap: "This place is very spacious. I enjoy the fresh air. More trips like this are needed." Some parents were nervous about going to outings due to the language barrier and felt reserved about getting involved with the kids. However, they stood by smiling seeing that their children were enjoying the day. This is the first time our VPEP families have had the opportunity to visit the Wolf Trap Performance Center. MVMA started VPEP in 2005 to encourage parents to be more involved in their children’s educational and social development through home visits, family workshops, and family mentorship. This trip was one of the creative ways we aim to enhance quality interaction between parents and their children. These days, parents’ working long hours, single parent households, limited English ability, and recent migration hinder parents from being involved in their children’s lives. VPEP is generously funded by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and the Freddie Mac Foundation.

After a full day of running around, everyone was tired and retreated to the Special Guest tent where each child was given a gift bag with a t-shirt, pencils, and gadgets as souvenirs of the Festival.

MVMA would like to send a special thanks to Mike Fonte, Thanh Tran, and Henry Nunez for serving as drivers despite the last minute request. MVMA staff slept very well that night.

On Saturday, August 26, 2006, the Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association (MVMA) held a Benefit Auction with the Lac Viet Gallery in Arlington, Virginia, and netted over $1,600 for the Golden Age Project for Seniors (GAPS). Started in November 2005, GAPS’ goal is to take a holistic approach in addressing the needs of Vietnamese elders: wellness includes not only being informed of healthcare services and disease prevention, but also includes feeling part of and connected to the broader community. So far, MVMA has enrolled over 50 seniors in the new prescription drug plan, visited seniors at the Vietnamese Senior Association of Maryland’s (VSAM) weekly meeting, partnered with Senior Connection to train volunteers to become “friendly visitors” to isolated seniors, and worked with Diabetic Solutions to provide free specialized diabetic shoes. Working with Lac Viet Gallery owner, Mr. Duc Lam Nguyen, and gallery manager, Ly Nguyen, who support the cause, MVMA received 25% of the sales proceeds. Lac Viet Gallery is known for being the first Vietnamese Art Gallery opened in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The Gallery has a diverse collection of unique Vietnamese needlework landscapes, antique furniture, and oil paintings. Mr. Nguyen, the owner not only exhibits the work of Asian American artists, but also his own! Artists showcased at Lac Viet Gallery include, Vu Thang, Hoang Ha Tung and China’s own Jia Lu.

The silent auction began at 11:00 am and light fare including wine, cheese and egg rolls was served. MVMA staff and volunteers wore traditional ao dai outfits to bring a sense of Vietnam to the event. Members of MVMA’s board, along with Mr. Lam Do, president of VSAM, came out to support the cause. When Vietnamese American Television (VATV) interviewed Mr. Do about the needs of seniors he stated that “The lack of healthcare and transportation are two major problems that Vietnamese face.” According to the 2000 U.S Census, out of 2,300 Vietnamese seniors living in Maryland, over 90% do not speak English. The language barrier not only leads seniors to feel isolated from the community, but also prevents them from having access to valuable information like healthcare policies and illness prevention information.

Toward the end of the Auction, Catherine Ho, a student at the University of Maryland, at College Park and 2005 Miss Vietnam U.S.A contestant, belted out the soulful ballad At Last, by Etta James. Many were astonished and taken away by her sultry voice. Toward the end of the auction, Ms. Ho graced us yet again with All the Man I Need, by Whitney Houston. The auction was well received by all: “The warmth of the staff in their ao dais and the graciousness of the owner, plus the great spring rolls and amazing singing by Ms Ho, made the auction a real delight,” said one Maryland visitor, Michael Fonte. “The gallery collection creates a mood of both peaceful calm with its many Buddha statues and, at the same time, dynamism with its lively paintings and intriguing furnishings. All this and for a great cause – one couldn’t ask for more!”

The Lac Viet Gallery’s support makes it possible for the Golden Age Project for Seniors to continue to serve Vietnamese elders who are held in high esteem in the Vietnamese culture. For more information about MVMA and Lac Viet Gallery, please visit www.mdvietmutual.org and www.lacvietgallery.com respectively.

Partnering with Lac Viet Gallery, the first contemporary Vietnamese art gallery in the DC Metro Area, Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association (MVMA) is proud to present a Benefit Auction on August 26th in Arlington, Virginia. Lac Viet Gallery will donate 25% of sales proceeds to MVMA’s Golden Age Project for Seniors (GAPS). GAPS, launched in November 2005, is designed to help Vietnamese seniors lead a happy and independent life by making sure that they have access to healthcare, social service, and recreational resources that they otherwise may not have due to language barrier. Elders are held in high esteem in the Vietnamese culture. They are a great source of knowledge to our community. Let’s ensure that that they are enjoying their golden years.

We invite you to come out to support this great cause, meet like minded community members, enjoy some wine and hors d’oeuvres, and discover some local talented singers.

Lac Viet Gallery showcases about 100 pieces of original artwork by Vietnamese and other Asian artists including the internationally-renowned oil painter Jia Lu. Along with many of her original oil paintings, you will also find unique Asian furniture, accessories, and sculptures. This auction is one event artists and art lovers alike cannot miss out on! You can learn more about Lac Viet Gallery and Jia Lu at www.lacvietgallery.com and www.jialu.com. Please contact us at 301-588-6862 or info@mdvietmutual.org for more information or to purchase tickets ($20). Tickets will also be available at the door.

A Closer Look at the Golden Age Project for Seniors:
We received a call from a local nursing home requesting us to speak to Mr. D* about the hospital consent form. Mr. D* recently suffered a stroke and half of his body is paralyzed. The nursing home presented a consent form to Mr. D asking him for his consent to take him to the hospital if his heart stops again. He refused to sign the form. Not being able to get through to him, the nursing home counselor contacted us. We talked to Mr. D and learned that he is living in isolation at the nursing home and has no family in the U.S. His inability to speak in English further isolated him from the rest of the nursing home community. He saw no reason to continue living. We asked Mr. D if he would like to have a friendly visitor and he willingly agreed. It has been a month since we matched Mr. D with a friendly visitor who visits him on a regular basis bringing Vietnamese food and some other company. He no longer talks about death.
Like Mr. D, we find a significant number of Vietnamese seniors living in isolation and are in need of friendly visitors. Help us continue to support our seniors.

Contact information: Ms. Yen Le, 301-588-6862

The Vietnamese American community has a lot to be proud of: Over 58 students and two Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association scholarship recipients were recognized at MVMA 18th Annual Award Picnic and Award Ceremony at Lake Needwood on Sunday, June 11, 2006. The picnic brought together over 200 students, parents, community members and leaders from the community. Special guests included President of the Montgomery County Council, George Levanthal, Council Member and County Executive Candidate, Steven Silverman, County Executive Candidate Ike Leggett, the Board of Education Vice President, Sharon Cox, and District 1 Candidate Judith Docca.The program began with MVMA Board President Hoan Dang expressing the importance of education and letting the nominees know that they have brought extreme honor to their families. The speech was followed by Mr. Levanthal’s comment that they, too, can be the next Bill Gates. All the distinguished guests emphasized the parents’ significant role in their children’s academic achievement. “Do you know that your parents are the smartest people?” Ms. Cox asked the students.

Signs of pride spread across the parents’ faces as the recognition section of the program proceeds. Board Advisor, Ms. Tuyet Tran, read off each comment provided by the teachers which spanned from, courteousness, to respectful, to gifted, all the way to conscientiousness: “Nicholle Vo is an excellent leader. She is a great patrol, a member of the Math Olympiad team, excellent in all subjects, always organized, and always sets a good example.”

Students were selected by their schools after MVMA sent out nomination packages. Students from K-3 were awarded a set of children’s books each about a foot high! Other students were awarded gift certificates to Staples to help pay for school supplies next year. MVMA also awarded two scholarships to two very worthy students, Ms. Hong Loan La and Mr. Thuan Huu Nguyen. The scholarships were made possible through the generous contribution of Ms. Anh Dao Dang and Mr. Peter Ha.

Hong and Thuan not only excel in the classroom, but are also active with community and school activities. Both students had remarkable grade point averages 3.89 and 3.87 respectively. They were involved in Advanced Placement classes and were just great all around. Hong was a member of the Key Club as well as the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and the Asian American Club. Even with all that workload, she had time to lead both the Girls and the Co-ed Volleyball teams. Thuan has shown his accomplishments exponentially: he arrived in the United States four years ago and did not know any English. He only did one year of ESOL classes, after that he accepted the challenge of taking two Advanced Placement English classes. He has also won other scholarships including NAACP and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Thuan hopes to become a research scientist at NIH to find cures for Biological Disorders. We wish Hong and Thuan a lot of success in their first year of college. We ended the ceremony thanking the volunteers for their hard work in setting up the picnic, cooking hundreds of hot dogs and hamburgers, and cleaning the picnic area afterwards.