Richard Gorman, Treasurer of the Monterey Park Library Foundation opened

The Gala at the Empress Harbor Restaurant on June 19th. He welcomed the audience to this special event. The theme was “The Joy of Reading”.  He led the Pledge of Allegiance and introduced College Board Trustee Mike Eng as the Master of Ceremonies.

Trustee Mike Eng said that he was going to share many of his library jokes with the guests.

Foundation President Bob Gin welcomed all to this special event. The library is a big part of his life. He recalled the bookmobiles of his childhood. We are here to raise funds for new books and equipment. He thanked Librarian Norma Arvizu and her staff, the Foundation and Friends of the Library for their support.

Librarian Norma Arvizu stated it has been a three and one-half year journey for her and her staff. The community supports the library. You support the library. She spoke about reading that brings experiences to real life to the reader. She thanked the audience.

Mike Eng introduced some of the special guests that included Mayor Hans Liang, Mayor Pro Tem Peter Chan, Councilmembers Mitch Ing, Teresa Real Sebastian and Stephen Lam, City Clerk Vince Chang, Alhambra School Boardmembers Adele Andrade-Stadler and Bob Gin, Garvey School Boardmember Henry Lo, Water Boardmember Thomas Wong, former Mayor Francisco Alonso, City Manager Paul Talbot, Fire Chief Scott Haberle, City Department Heads Dan Costley and Mike Huntley and former City Clerk Dave Barron. He thanked the sponsors and donors for their generous donations.

He thanked the Library Foundation Board: Bob Gin, Joan Merino, Dolores Rillos, Richard Gorman, Theresa Amador, Joyce Chan, Peter Chan, Doris Lau, Alicia Martinez and Deana Sewell; Library Board of Trustees: Betty Morin, Kathryn Foster, Janet Yu, Maria Elena Yepes and Dave Barron; Friends of the Library Board: David Elliot, Harriette Nagata, Lilian Kawaratani, Ellen Johannsen and Tiffany Feng and the Library Staff for their support.

Author Kay Mouradian was the keynote speaker. She stated that libraries are important. She notices the type of books that she finds in peoples’ homes. She took a writing class at the old library in Monterey Park. Young people at the library welcomed her. She told the audience that you should be proud of your children spending their Sunday afternoons in the library. She enjoys research. She spoke about her research of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey and World War I. She borrower her books under the library loan program. She researched the papers from Henry Morgenthau, the United States ambassador to the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, from ten reels of microfilm from the Library of Congress at her local library. She called the library a magnificent place. Please continue to send your children there.

Bob Gin, Norma Arvizu and Mike Eng honored members of the Asian American Economic Development Enterprises for their generous support of the “Reading Rockets” Youth Literacy Program since 1997. The academic program tutors children in the 2nd through 6th grades helping them develop vital literacy skills.

Bob Gin, Norma Arvizu and Mike Eng honored Henry Situ and his family for creating Formgram.com to help organizations create apps, online forms and reports that are very helpful to the library staff.

Bob Gin, Norma Arvizu and Mike Eng honored Dean Clark for creating the new logo for the Monterey Park Library Foundation.

Bob Gin, Norma Arvizu and Mike Eng honored Author Kay Mouradian, Author Gene Aguilera, Author John Jung, Author David Reyes and Author Nancy Young for their book donations to the library and their participation in the library’s monthly book talks that are opened to the public.

The event featured a delicious 10-course dinner, a raffle for many wonderful donated gifts and dancing.

Members of the City Council, City Clerk,  Library Trustees, Foundation Boardmembers, Friends of the Library and supporters joined for a large family picture.

The Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library always welcomes donations of gently used books and money.  The library is located at 318 S. Ramona Avenue. For more information on the library hours and donations please call 626-307-1369.