This fundraiser had several tables of raffle prizes and gifts for the silent auction displayed at the ballroom of the famous Luminarias Restaurant in Monterey Park on April 27th.

Many of the 330 guests purchased their tickets and picked their favorite prizes and stated their bids for the auction that was held at the end of the evening.

Gilbert Stokes welcomed the guests to this very special event to help keep the library opened.

Bob Gin, President of the Monterey Park Library Foundation welcomed everyone to this special event. He introduced Mike Eng, the Master of Ceremonies, to the audience. He gave a brief history on Mr. Eng who over came many hurdles in life be become successful. Mr. Eng served on our City Council, in the State Assembly and a Trustee of the Los Angeles Community College District. He has dedicated his life to helping students get a good education.  He has also dedicated his life to helping everyone achieve success in our American dream.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 301 presented the colors and Mayor Pro Tem Peter Chan led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Father John Kyebasuuta, Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas, gave the Invocation. He asked God to bless us in Monterey Park and raise funds to keep our library opened for all people. He asked God to bless our food we are going to receive tonight. He asked God to bless the people who grew it, the people who cooked it and the people who served it to the guests.

Mike Eng joked about setting a new record for the most tables ever sold at the library fundraiser. He said that Mayor Stephen Lam was over seas establishing a new sister city for Monterey Park and sends his best wishes.

Bob Gin welcomed the guests to this event. The library lost $117,000 in 2018 because the bond failed. He explained this event called Fire & Ice is just a theme to support our library.  Please have a good time for our library. They hope to raise over $25,000 for our library tonight. 100% of these funds will go to support our library.

The Boardmembers had fun planning the many library events.

Janet Yu, our honoree, gives 100% of her time to support our library, the Lions Club, the Mark Keppel students and the Boy Scouts. He thanked Janet Yu for her support.

The Library Foundation works to purchase more computer equipment and supplies for the Kids Library, the Adult Library, ESL classes and Citizenship classes.

He thanked the guests for having such big hearts supporting our library. It is total knowledge.

City Librarian Norma Arvizu recalled that the library has a lot to fix when she started. She added more staff and programs to serve the community. We set the trend with over 15,000 people visiting our library a day.

She thanked all of the guests for their support. She thanked her Dream Team. The Foundation has raised over $160,000 for our library. The library has a role in our community. She asked what the library could do for your civic life? She thanked the Foundation for their assistance. She thanked the guests for being here to support our library.

Mike Eng introduced special guests who included Mayor Pro Tem Peter Chan, Councilmember Hans Liang, City Clerk Vince Chang, former Mayor Anthony Wong, former Mayor Francisco Alonso, Water Boardmember Thomas Wong, Garvey School Boardmembers Henry Lo and John Nunez, Alhambra School Boardmember Adele Andrade-Stadler, Alhambra School Superintendent Denise Jaramillo and retired Alhambra School Superintendent Dr.  Laura Tellez-Gagliano.

City Manager Ron Bow introduced Department Heads: Police Chief Jim Smith, Fire Chief Scott Haberle, Mike Huntley, Tom Cody, Inez Alvarez and retired Parks and Recreation Department Head Dan Costley. He thanked all of the residents for supporting our staff.

Gilbert Stokes and his band played many of the golden oldies as guests enjoyed the beat of the music and danced to the tunes.

Theresa Amador, Vice President of the Monterey Park Library Foundation, welcomed everyone to this special event. Tonight we are here to honor Janet Yu for her dedication to our library.

She introduced the Library Foundation: Bob Gin, Theresa Amador, Dolores Rillos, Mary Ann Garcia-Barlow, Shirley Batman, Alicia Martinez, Kristin Phung, Carol Sullivan, volunteer Larry Sullivan and Emerius Member Peter Chan.

She introduced the Library Board of Trustees: David Barron, Betty Morin, Jason Dhing, Gloria Guerrero and Andrew Yam.

She introduced the Friends of the Library Board: Nancy Ishino-Gilmore, Ellen Johannsen, Lilian Kawaratani, Rosalie Tolzman, Lorraine Esparza and Tiffany Guan.

She also thanked them and all of their library staff for their support of our library.

Mrs. Amador thanked all of guests for their support of our library.

Congressmember Judy Chu said she was very happy to be here to honor Janet Yu for her unselfishness and determination to make a huge difference for everyone.  At the library she started a recycling program for the library and raised $3,000 for new books. She helps the library staff and suggested that the library have computer classes in Spanish and Mandarin. She worked on our Measure LL bond issue.

Ms. Yu also volunteers her time with LAMP Optimists, the Boy Scouts, Mark Keppel students and Chinese American Citizens Alliance. She can be called Miss Monterey Park Library. She deserves this award.

Judy Chu and Bob Gin presented Janet Yu with a proclamation and the Library Award in the presence of Charles Yam, her husband.

Janet Yu thanked the Board for this award. She thanked the members of the Measure LL committee. She thanked Mike Eng, Yukio Kawaratani, Francisco Alonso and Peter Chan for getting Measure C passed for the library that matched the state funds of $26,000. She thanked the residents for their assistance on the library survey when she served on the Board. She thanked Norma Arvizu and Gwen Kishida for their assistance. She thanked Winston Wu for mentoring the students at the library. She thanked the LAMP Optimists for their support.

She enjoys all of the activities in the city. She thanked the Boy Scouts, students and parents of Mark Keppel and the Alhambra School District. She thanked her friends Cathy Wills and Shirley Hwong for their support.

She thanked her mother and Charles for their love and support. She thanked her son Andrew and asked him to continue to look up to her friends. She thanked all of residents for their support of the library.

Andy Yam said his mother works extremely hard in the background. She did it for him. She does so much for people. He is proud of her.

Peter Chan, Hans Liang and Vince Chang presented a proclamation to Janet Yu in the presence of Charles Yam and Andy Yam.

Peter Chan said we are here to thank Janet Yu and her family for her services to our community.

Hans Liang called this a very successful night. Janet Yu is a supported member of the library. He congratulated her!

Vince Chang said this award couldn’t match the work that you do for the library. This is an honor. Congratulations!

Janet Yu received a certificate from Assemblymember Ed Chau presented by Henry Lo in honor of this event.

Jason Dhing thanked all of the donors for their generous donations and support of our library.

Janet Yu, Charles Yam and Andy Yam posed for a family picture to celebrate the evening.

Mike Eng said the library needs your help. Please continue to donate to our library.

Bob Gin thanked the audience for supporting our library. The library is knowledge.

Another highlight of the evening was when the lucky raffle winners collected their prizes.

The party continued into the night with Gilbert Stokes and his band playing music for the dancing guests.