The banner on the wall announced the special event held on December 13th at the Capital Seafood Restaurant in Monterey Park. 160 guests were there to recognize our military members who have served to protect our country.

Keith Budovec from Entertainment & Special Lighting Effects was the Master of Ceremony for the evening.

The Guzheng was played by Qingege as part of evening’s entertainment.

Members of the Veterans of Foreign Post 2070 from Monrovia carried our colors and posted them.

The guests stood for our Pledge of Allegiance and our National Anthem played by Qingege on the Guzheng.

Arthur Fong welcome everyone to the special event. He introduced several guests that included Congressmember Judy Chu, Monterey Park elected officials: Peter Chan, Hans Liang, Henry Lo, Fred Sornoso and Vince Chang, Rosemead elected official Polly Low as well as several Military Officers.

He said in 2003 the parents funded the CAMS  foundation to support their children in the military.

He thanked the guests for supporting CAMS and eating the best food in Monterey Park.

Congressmember Judy Chu said she is happy to be here to celebrate with CAMS. You help the community recognize the Chinese American military members. She recalled her father served in World War II. He met with many men that served with him. He died in 2019 at the age of 91.

Thousands of  Chinese American men served in spite of the Chinese Exclusion Act that ended in 1943 to protect their country.

On May 4, 20127 she sponsored a bill to honor the Chinese  Americans with their military medals. The veterans felt gratitude to receive this recognition.

Men and woman are proud to serve our country. CAMS insures their legacy for many years. They still serve our community.

Judy Chu presented  retirement certificates to Commander Wong and Chief Wu. She thanked them for their many years of service to our country.

Arthur Fong presented Judy Chu with a certificate of appreciation from CAMS for her support.

Rosemead Mayor Polly Low said she serves the City of Rosemead and participates in their events. She supports CAMS. They are a great group to be part of.

Polly Low awarded certificates of  appreciation to Commander Wong and Chief Wu for their service to our country.

Arthur Fong presented Polly Low with a certificate of appreciation from CAMS for her support.

Monterey Park elected officials: Peter Chan, Fred Sornoso,  Hans Liang  and Vince Chang presented certificates of appreciation to Commander Wong and Chief Wu for their service to our country.

Fred Sornoso said Frank Alvidrez, his uncle is a World War II veteran. He lives across the street from his home. They spend many hours together. He thanked the military members for their service.

Hans Liang thanked the military members for their service.

Peter Chan said he is happy to be back here to welcome the guests of CAMS. We all work together.

Arthur Fong presented the Monterey Park elected officials with a certificate of appreciation from CAMS for their support.

Alhambra Mayor Sasha Perez said she is glad to be here and grateful to CAMS. Many of her family member serve in our military.

US Army Veteran Janet Chin serves as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army. She also worked with Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath in the San Diego area.

Janet Chin thanked the CAMS members for their support. She is a veteran. This community helps them.

She introduced Steven Yosh a fellow veteran to the audience. They have served together and have a longtime friendship.

Janet Chin presented Commander Wong with a gift in honor of his longtime service.

Janet Chin presented Arthur Fong with a gift in honor of his military service.

Janet Chin and Steven Yosh presented David Lane with two flags that have been flown over the Capitol Buildings in Washington, DC and Sacramento, CA.

Arthur Fong presented Janet Chin with a certificate of appreciation from CAMS for her support.

Monterey Park Councilmember Henry Lo thanked the guests for supporting CAMS. Please thank our military members for their service to our country. It  is like coming home.

“West Coast Funk” dancers former Navy lieutenant Kam To and his partner Kamky performed several dances to the delight of the audience.

Elected Officials: Hans Liang, Sasha Perez, Henry Lo, Fred Sornoso, Polly Low,  Peter Chan and Arthur Fong joined for a group photo in honor of the celebration.

Keith Koyano introduced himself to the guests. He is a candidate for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge in the 2022 election. He currently serves as a Felony Case Manager/Homicide Prosecutor in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Captain Hank Kim said CAMS is his Big Brother. He thanked the guests for supporting CAMS. He showed a special Slide Show that highlighted several Chinese Americans who fought for our country over the years from the Civil War to our current battle fields.

He said that many Asian Americans don’t like their children to serve in the military.

We need  empathy to support a free world.

He spoke about the conflict in Taiwan. We need try to keep the peace. China is trying to be a world leader. He said that United States has better military equipment and expert military members to help keep the peace now. China and the United States have mutual goals. We need empathy to keep the peace.

Arthur Fong presented Hank Kim with a certificate of appreciation from CAMS for his support.

David Lane thanked the guests for attending this Holiday banquet for CAMS. We are gathered here tonight for one reason and that is to honor our men and women serving in the armed forces, as well as our veterans and their families.

There is one veteran in particular who is unable to make there tonight, that is my dad, United States Marine Corporal Stephen Dennis Lane.

David Lane spoke about his dad who grew up in a small town called Oceanside in Long Island, New York. He was a track star and a really strong runner. He received a full scholarship to St. John’s University. He decided to join the Marine Corps instead at the age of 19. He served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. After his honorable discharge, he fell in love with the Asian culture and moved to Taiwan after he received his teaching credentials. He taught middle school at the Taipei American School in TianMu. He met and fell in love with his mother. He and his sister were born there. They moved to Hong Kong and he taught at the Hong Kong International School for another decade. After he and his sister graduated from high school they moved to Connecticut where he taught middle school from 2003 to 2013. He never got the chance to enjoy retirement as he taught middle school until the day he died.

United States Marine Corporal Stephen Dennis Lane passed away from lung cancer on July 23, 2013, only three months after I returned home from my year-long deployment to Afghanistan.

While my family and I have been deeply saddened by his loss almost the entire time, we can finally rejoice, for it is a good day.

Tonight, it is with great pleasure and the most excitement that I unveil to you all, the Chinese American Military Support  group’s first-ever scholarship, named in memory of my father, The Corporal Stephen Dennis Lane Memorial Fund.

With this fund, we will help servicemembers, veterans and their families by providing assistance so they can attain their teaching credentials and follow along in the legacy of my father-teaching and guiding the future of America,

David Lane, his mother Grace Lane and his sister Bridget Lane presented a scholarship check to the CAMS President Arthur Fong and Treasurer Vincent Lund.

The event featured several raffle prizes and Trivia Games.

Keith Budovec played the Battle Hymns for each branch of our services to the delight of members of each military branch.

Rear Admiral Donald Sze thanked everyone for attending this event. He gave the history of CAMS where the families support their military members. He said that CAMS is now found across our United States of America.

He said that we should speak up and vote to be counted. We should support our elected officials. He wished everyone Happy Holidays!

Arthur Fong presented Donald Sze with a certificate of appreciation from CAMS for his support.

Mike Fong serves as a member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board. He thanked the guests for being here to support our military members. He thanked them for their service.  He announced that he is running for the 49th Assembly District in the Special February 2022 election. Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season!

Arthur Fong presented Mike Fong with a certificate of appreciation from CAMS for his support.

Arthur Fong presented Grace Lane with a certificate of appreciation from CAMS for her support.

Arthur Fong said we need CAMS to help support our military. He thanked the guests for their support.

Keith Budovec from Entertainment & Special Lighting Effects can be reached at 909-899-8680 or www.kbdj.com