Houston's Chinese name means "place for peaceful rest." I think this is very fitting. Certainly, the Houston ROC Senior Citizens' Association is a caring and warm place.
The association is based in the Houston Overseas Chinese Cultural and Education Center. This center covers over 10,000 square meters. It is spacious and transport is convenient. It is said that during Tseng Kuang-shun's time as director of Taiwan's Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee the property was acquired through the efforts of two center directors. Cheng Hsin-pen made initial arrangements and Liang Po-chien signed the contract to complete the deal. The saying "later generations shade under the trees planted by earlier generations" comes to mind. The PRC has been trying for years to buy a similar building as an activity center for Chinese in Houston, but without success. It seems that there is no other property as good in Houston.
The association has been established for ten years and has over 4000 members. As a result of the voluntary efforts of current and former presidents and vice-presidents-Sun Chao-han, Sun Tse-ping, Peng Jun-chun, Chang Yun-wen, Chu Wen-chiang and Jung Teh-shen-and other ladies and gentlemen, not only has the association been a great success, it is probably the best managed and liveliest Chinese senior citizens' association in the US. It helps Chinese seniors in Houston have a peaceful and enjoyable retirement and gives them a means to retain their ties with their beloved Republic of China.
The association sends an "activities for the week" sheet to members each month. On one side, a variety of "classes" are offered, including morning calisthenics, Chinese painting, English, knitting, dance, chess, bridge, choral singing, Chinese opera, Cantonese singing, Tai-chi and poetry. It can be said that everything is there that should be. On the other side is a list of activities for the month.
President Sun Chao-han is an expert violinist and chess player, is knowledgeable about literature and is a skilled painter. The choir he leads with Professor Wang Ya-wen is very successful. Last autumn it performed in LA to great acclaim. At Christmas the year before last, it performed Russian World War II songs at an apartment complex housing Russian Jews in Houston, moving many of the residents to tears. The poetry society holds a "focus poem of the month" activity. The association also holds talks and offers medical check-ups and vaccination sessions. It meets many of the needs of the retired Overseas Chinese of Houston.
Most pleasing of all is the senior citizens' apartments that are being built and the success of the citizenship courses. The Bureau of Immigration sends its staff to the center to carry out the citizenship examinations and the success rate is almost 100%. The library is well stocked with books. In addition to the spiritual "food" described above, free nutritious lunches are served. No wonder some senior citizens love the association so much that they spend more time at the center than at home.
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At the Houston ROC Senior Citizens' Association's fifth anniversary party, everyone put their best foot forward for a performance of the aboriginal dances they had learned as children. The number went down very well.
The Senior Citizens' Association choir frequently travels to give recitals. Performing in English and Russian as well as Chinese, their singing is almost professional in standard.
The Senior Citizens' Association choir frequently travels to give recitals. Performing in English and Russian as well as Chinese, their singing is almost professional in standard.
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