FANHS Stockton Chapter Meeting Minutes for February 3, 2007
By Violet Dutra, Treasurer
President Terri Torres called meeting to order at 10:10AM. Also in attendance were Anita Bautista, Lupe and Frank Tibon, Leatrice Perez, Maria Vea, Deanna and Moreno Balantac, Violet Dutra, Bob Cabigas, Jerry Paular, Frances Tibon Estoista, Christine Bloch, Dawn Mabalon and Mel LaGasca.
Terri passed around various correspondence and flyers:
Menu from the Golden Lumpia Restaurant that Terri and Anita went to for the Central Valley Asian American Chamber of Commerce’s January mixer – a possible candidate for catering our events.
A newspaper article about Amanda Polzin, a Pinay basketball player for the Harker School in San Jose.
Emails regarding the annual visits from the students at Stanford, UCLA, and San Francisco State.
A Christmas card from the Teczons
Sacramento FANHS’ monthly flyer for January 2007
An email regarding an exhibit in San Francisco presented by the Manilatown Heritage Foundation from Feb. 10 through March 31, 2007
A newsletter from the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
An email announcing the new officers for the Rio Grande FANHS chapter
An email about upcoming workshops regarding the population growth of San Joaquin County
The December 2006 newsletter from the Sonoma FANHS Chapter
Dawn Mabalon passed around flyers for the upcoming Little Manila Foundation Wine Tasting Gala fundraiser to be held on March 10, 2007
Mel LaGasca passed around photographs from our December 16 Christmas Party/Potluck/Meeting, photos of the Christmas tree that our chapter exhibited at the San Joaquin County Museum’s Festival of Trees event in December, and a flyer for an upcoming history event on Feb. 8, in San Jose for Black History Month entitled “Speed City: The Black Power Years, 1965-1969”.
Minutes: Minutes from the December 16, 2006, meeting were approved as written.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Membership:
Family 69
Seniors 71
Individuals 20
Students 7
Total members 167
New member as individual – Jamison Boyer
The following members donated extra money to the chapter operating expenses when paying their dues:
Astrid Antaran
Aileen Boyer and Family
Dorothy Burkner
Bob Cabigas
Rosaline Dickinson
Lois Enebrad
Pacifico Fuertes
Lillian Medley
The following members donated extra money to the FANHS Museum when paying their dues:
Manuel and Donna Revillar
Rizaline Raymundo
Collections: Bob Cabigas reported that a work session would be scheduled for the storage areas for sometime in the spring. He also reported that he had no expenses for 2006. The only expenses will be for the cost of the storage units, which Terri will keep track of – the payments are due in May and in June 2007.
Activities: Violet Dutra reported that several people have voiced an interest in having a family picnic/potluck this year. A discussion followed with a tentative date to be on September 8, 2007 and to be held at Victory Park. Terri will check with other chapters to see if that date is available for them to attend.
Deanna Balantac requested to be on the food committee for our annual October awards event. We have to decide as to where the event will be held and how we will handle the food, insurance, security, set-up, and clean up, depending upon the place that we choose. We will be discussing this at future meetings.
Terri reminded people to start thinking about who should be nominated for this year’s award and to be sure to get all the information together before the July 1st deadline.
Education/Exhibit Committee: Terri reported that Virgie Melear was in the process of completing the display for the Tracy Library exhibit - “Filipino American Authors” – and Bob Cabigas and Anita Bautista will help Virgie put up the display on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
Historians: Moreno and Deanna Balantac requested photos from our December party/meeting to put into the chapter binder.
BUSINESS
Treasurer Report:
Bank Statement as of 2/2/07:
General Savings $5,761.40
General Checking $ 660.01
Museum Savings $5,970.56 – will transfer some of the funds to the Museum misc. CD.
Museum Checking 1,977.06
Museum Equipment CD $10,883.10 – will convert to a 2 or 3 yr CD at the March 16th maturity.
Museum Building/Misc CD $41,029.66
Total Museum $59,860.38
We’ve received a check from iGive.com for $25.10 for all internet shopping through 10/31/06. We also received a donation to the FANHS Museum from Trustee Lourdes Markley
Patrick Johnston Trophy: Terri reported that she still hasn’t been able to contact Patrick Johnston. Moreno Balantac said he might have a way to contact him through another party and will get the information to Terri.
Calendar and Cookbook: Terri reported that Little Manila is still working on the final account for the calendar sales – they are still receiving checks from individuals. Terri also reminded people to submit their recipes for the cookbook. Dawn Mabalon stated that they have about 20 submissions so far. The deadline is April 30, 2007.
PBS Documentary project: Anita Bautista reported that the project is in progress. Marissa Aroy has been meeting and interviewing individuals and the filming will be done in the upcoming months. The documentary, entitled “Little Manila: Filipinos in America’s Heartland” will be part of KVIE’s Viewfinder series, and will air on May 2, 2007. A special preview event will be held on April 30th in Sacramento. More information will be forthcoming.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Visiting Students: Dawn Mabalon has made arrangements for this year’s visiting students. The first group of students will be visiting on Feb. 24, 2007, and will be coming from UCLA, San Francisco State, and University of San Francisco. Approximately 50 students will be arriving and they will tour Little Manila first, and then meet over at the Daguhoy Lodge to listen to a panel of speakers. Speakers so far will be Deanna and Moreno Balantac, Letty Perez, Anita Bautista, and Dawn Mabalon. Our chapter will provide refreshments.
The second group of students will be coming from Stanford on March 28, 2007. The same arrangements will be made. Dawn also mentioned that another group might be coming in March also. She will let us know. Terri will draft a letter to Tony Soncaguayon of the Daguhoy Lodge to request permission for the two or three dates.
Mel also stated that members of the Filipino American educators also wanted to tour Little Manila on Feb. 24 to prepare for their upcoming annual October conference. Mel will handle the arrangements.
“Voices” Book: Letty Perez announced that she had several issues of the “Voices” book available for sale. Single copies are $20 each or $15 for students. If bought in groups of 10, then the books are $15 each.
New book, “Oracles”: Anita Bautista circulated a recent book she bought called “Oracles” by Patti Navalta Poblete. The author writes about her experiences growing up in a Filipino household/family.
Weston Ranch Library: Terri reported that she and Anita Bautista attended the dedication ceremony for the new Stockton branch library in Weston Ranch on January 19, 2007. Anita will be donating two copies of Fred Cordova’s book to that branch in our chapter’s name.
Memorial Bricks: Anita Bautista reported that when she visited KVIE for the documentary filming, she was able to locate the memorial brick that she had purchased in our chapter’s name from a few years ago. She also purchased one in her father’s name, but was unable to locate it. Terri also mentioned that Jimmy Ente had mentioned that the American Legion is selling memorial bricks for veterans to be placed at Stockton’s Weber’s Point on the Waterfront. He will get the information to Anita and we will pass out to our members.
Meeting was adjourned at 11:00AM for a short break before speaking with Kimberly Bliss (see below). The next meeting will be on March 3, 2007, at Dameron Hospital, at 10AM.
MEETING WITH KIMBERLY BLISS
Back in July 2006, Kimberly Bliss of Brooklyn, NY, contacted our chapter. She is writing a novel about a daughter searching for her Filipino parents, who came to the US in the 1950s, and she wanted to make sure that the attributes and background story assigned to her characters were realistic. Kimberly was born in the Philippines in 1970, but was raised in the US by white adopted parents and she wasn’t sure about her Filipino heritage. She asked questions of our members as to what Stockton was like in the 1950s and we were able to give her several examples of Filipino life. Kimberly had previously spoken with Fred and Dorothy Cordova about life in Seattle, and after visiting Stockton; she was going to Delano to learn about Filipino life there. She’ll keep us informed of her progress and will let us know when she is finished with her novel. She is very grateful to FANHS for their help. Terri gave her the contact information of the New York FANHS chapter.