February 1, 2000
Second Annual Lunar New Year Celebration to Take Place at Middlebury College
The Middlebury College PALANA (Pan-African Latino Asian Native American) Center and the Asian American Community Coalition (AACC) are holding their second annual Lunar New Year Celebration to ring in the Year of the Dragon from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12. The event will take place in Middlebury College’s Ross Lounge in Ross Dormitory off College Street (Route 125), and is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door.
This year’s celebration will begin at 2 p.m. with a dragon dance presented by Addison County pre-school and elementary children from a number of schools and organizations, including Otter Creek Child Center, Saint Mary’s School, Playlab, and the Lincoln Pre-School. The children will create dragon costumes to wear during the dance.
At 2:45 p.m., Maggie Morgan-Wright of Middlebury College’s PALANA Center will offer welcoming remarks and Yenna Yi of the Asian American Coalition will provide an introduction to the program.
The afternoon will continue with a variety of cultural displays, activities, and performances including origami, calligraphy, Tai-Chi, the art of Chinese tea, Tibetan folk dance, Chinese martial arts, a Korean bowing ceremony, Indonesian dance, and games. Traditional and authentic food representing Asia’s diverse cuisine will be offered. The program is suitable for all ages.
The Haymarket People’s Fund and the ALANA community organization of Brattleboro are also sponsors of the celebration.
For more information, contact Yenna Yi, president of the AACC, at 802-877-2219, or Jodi Litchfield in the office of the president at Middlebury College, at 802-443-5936.
More about the Asian American Community Coalition and Middlebury College PALANA Center:
The Asian American Community Coalition (AACC) is a Pan-Asian group that works to promote greater unity and understanding within the local Asian community and the community at large through a variety of means, including cultural exchange. Members represent an array of traditions, including Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Indonesian.
The Middlebury College PALANA (Pan-African Latino Asian Native American) Center located at Fletcher House on South Street in Middlebury is the College’s multicultural facility. Established in the fall of 1991, it is a living and learning residential facility sponsoring programs and volunteer efforts. The PALANA Center’s central mission is to educate Middlebury College students about cultural diversity. Since its inception, the PALANA Center has sponsored and co-sponsored over 300 events with many segments of the Middlebury College and Addison County communities.
Events Calendar for Lunar New Year Celebration to Ring in the Year of the Dragon
Location for celebration events will be in Ross Lounge of the Middlebury College Ross dormitory, off College Street (Route 125). All events are free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door.
SATURDAY, FEB. 12
2 p.m. Dragon Dance by the children of Addison County
2:45 p.m. Opening Program: welcome by Maggie Morgan-Wright of the Middlebury College PALANA Center. Program introduction by Yenna Yi of the Asian American Community Coalition
3:15 p.m. Korean Bowing Ceremony; Indonesian Dance; Chinese Dance
4:30 p.m. Tibetan Circle Dance
2:45-5 p.m. Ongoing Activities and Exhibits, including calligraphy, origami, games, cultural exhibitions, art of Chinese tea, food, and Chinese martial arts
For more information, contact Yenna Yi, president of the Asian American Community Coalition at 802-877-2219, or Jodi Litchfield in the office of the president at Middlebury College, at 802-443-5936.
The celebration is sponsored by the Asian American Community Coalition, PALANA House of Middlebury College, Haymarket People’s Fund, and ALANA community organization of Brattleboro.