President Bob Gin of the Monterey Park Library Foundation welcomed everyone to this Library Gala. Please enjoy yourselves and spend your money to help support our library.

Fire Chief Scott Haberle was the Master of Ceremonies on September 13th for the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library Fundraiser held at Almansor Court in Alhambra.  It is the 2019 Gala that is a major fundraiser for our library.

This event was sold out with 350 people in attendance for this Masquerade Party.

Mayor Hans Liang led leg our Pledge of Allegiance.

Larry Sullivan led the Invocation. Good Lord we are grateful for this friendship that we share. Help us reach out to each other. Thank you for Your prayers.

Bob Gin thanked all of the guests for their support of our library. Our Foundation has been able to purchase more books and materials, complete our Teen Area and Career Center as well as add ten more computers. He thanked all of the Foundation members, Board of Trustees and Friends of the Library for their dedication to our library.

Diana Garcia, our Librarian, thanked everyone for their support of our library and our Foundation. Our library service is to share with you all life long. She thanked the City Council and other elected officials for their support. She congratulated Ed Chen and Larry Sullivan. She thanked the audience for their support. She asked the library employees to stand up and be recognized for their dedication to the library.

Most of the guests dressed for the event. Guess who we are?

Meet the Lone Ranger or as he called himself the Lone Stranger. Guess who I am?

Dr. Sophie Wong, a former President of Alhambra School Boardmember and Bob Gin, the current President of the Alhambra School Board joined together at this very special event. Education is very important to all of our residents.

Scott Haberle introduced Congressmember Judy Chu; Daisy Ma and Henry Lo from Assemblymember Ed Chau’s office; Carla Boggs from State Senator Susan Rubio’s office; Monterey Park Mayor Hans Liang, Councilmember Peter Chan, Councilmember Stephen Lam; City Clerk Vince Chang; former Mayor Mike Eng; Alhambra Mayor Adele Andrade-Stadler; Alhambra School Boardmembers: Bob Gin, Jane Anderson and Wing Ho; Garvey School Boardmember Henry Lo; Water Boardmember Thomas Wong; Monterey Park City Manager Ron Bow; Department Heads: Mark McAvoy and Inez Alvarez, Monterey Park Police Officers, Monterey Park Firefighters and other city staff members.

Theresa Amador reminded the guests to purchase their raffle tickets and place their bids at the Silent Auction. There were many special gifts to choose from that were all donated by the sponsors of the Library Gala.

Theresa Amador and Judy Chu shared a special moment at this event.

Bob Gin asked the guests to enjoy their dinner before the Award Ceremony.

Judy Chu thanked all of the people who helped the Library Foundation raise $600,000 in 2006 to re-build our library. Your support has helped raise $15,000 for new books and remodeling our library. The Foundation raised $44,000 last year.

She called Larry Sullivan, Mr. Monterey Park. He is everywhere and so involved on the Library Board. He is a longtime member of the Lions Club and has served on the Planning Commission. He and his wife, Carol helped raise $75,000 for the Cancer Foundation.

They are a dedicated couple, who have been married for 26 years and are blessed with two adult children, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Bob Gin said there are so many good things to say about Larry Sullivan and all of the good things he does for all of us.

Bob Gin and Judy Chu honored Larry Sullivan for his generous service to Monterey Park.

Larry Sullivan thanked Judy Chu and Bob Gin for these awards.

Judy Chu said that she met Ed Chen many years ago on the Board of Equalization when they both served on it. She sees Ed Chen everywhere. He is Vice President of the Monterey Park Chamber and has served on the Temple City School Board. He is also a Sheriff Reserve Officer and volunteers his time to his hometown of Temple City.

Ed Chen is a Director of Governmental Affairs at Athens Services and a longtime supporter of Monterey Park.  He and his wife have three-year-old son.

Bob Gin thanked Ed Chen for helping us at our library.

Bob Gin and Judy Chu honored Ed Chen for his generous service to Monterey Park.

Ed Chen introduced his wife Joyce and their son Clifford. He is happy to serve Monterey Park. Thank you for these awards.

Carla Boggs said Senator Rubio could not be here tonight. She thanked Larry Sullivan and Ed Chen for their volunteer services to the library. She presented proclamations to Larry Sullivan and Ed Chen in the presence of Bob Gin.

Daisy Ma and Henry Lo from Assemblymember Ed Chua’s office praised Larry Sullivan and Ed Chen for their wonderful volunteer service to Monterey Park. They presented Larry Sullivan and Ed Chen with proclamations in honor of this special evening.

Alhambra Mayor Adele Andrade-Stadler said that she is a product of Monterey Park. Her mother raised four children by herself as a surgical nurse. They were latch key children who spent most of their days at the Bruggemeyer Library. She said the library helped to educate her siblings and herself. She thanked the library for helping her family.

She presented proclamations from the Alhambra City Council to Larry Sullivan and Ed Chen in honor of this special occasion in the presence of Bob Gin and Theresa Amador.

Bob Gin and Theresa Amador presented a special award to Thelma Huebsch for her volunteer service to our library. Thelma is100-years-old. She was not able to make this event tonight. She is still working in her chosen field and that keeps her very busy.

Many lucky raffle winners were very happy to receive their prizes throughout the evening.

Mike Eng welcomed everyone to this event. He will be the auctioneer for the Goodyear Blimp ride for two lucky people. Larry Sullivan requested the tickets from the Goodyear Blimp Company. It took a long time but finally he received the tickets that are being auctioned off tonight to raise funds for our library.

Mike Eng started the bid off at $1,000 and soon the bid was raised to $8,000.

Dr. Albert Young and Yvonne Yiu won the ride on the Goodyear Blimp. They shared the stage with Mike Eng, Bob Gin, Larry Sullivan and Carol Sullivan in honor of this every special event.

Scott Haberle thanked the many sponsors for making this event successful.

Bob Gin thanked all of the guests for spending their evening and money with the Library Foundation. We should meet our goal tonight.

Members of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance joined together for a group picture in honor of this celebration.

Gilbert Stokes & Friends provided music for this special event that included dancing.

The Monterey Park Library Foundation accepts donation. To donate please call the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library at 626-307-1269.