Celebrating the Successful Conclusion of the 2024 CEFS Centre Harvest Festival
In the golden autumn season, with the sun shining bright, lush green trees, and soft grassy fields, the CEFS Centre successfully held its 2024 Harvest Festival at Berczy Park North. This year’s festival, made possible with the support of the Federal Government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, was a testament to our community’s unity and spirit. It brought together over 10 senior organizations to showcase the talents of seniors, promoting multiculturalism and celebrating the harvest. The participating organizations included Fengcai Senior Activity Centre, Paradise Senior Association Markham, Markham Sunglow Senior and Family Association, Markham XingHe Starlight Association, Markham Ward 6 Seniors Association, Good Neighbours of York Region Association, Markham Taichi Club, New Canadian Community Centre Markham Branch, Yikang Seniors Club, and Toronto Yue Opera Group.
At the heartwarming opening ceremony, Susan Li, the Executive Director of the CEFS Centre, delivered a moving speech. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the members and local organizations for their active participation and support. Susan emphasized that the Harvest Festival, held close to Thanksgiving, is not just a celebration of the season’s bounty but a powerful expression of gratitude for life and each other. She also highlighted the festival’s role in making our community a warmer and more vibrant place.
The event was graced by MP Paul Chiang, Markham Regional Councillor Allan Ho, and York Region District School Board Chair Ron Lynn, who all came to celebrate the Harvest Festival. Though unable to attend, MPP Billy Pang sent a heartfelt congratulatory letter. Their support and praise for the festival, which gave Markham residents a platform to showcase their talents, is a true testament to the community’s success. They all expressed their gratitude to the CEFS Centre for creating opportunities for community members to connect and learn from one another. They also commended the volunteer team for their energy and contributions to the community, making everyone involved feel proud and appreciated.
As part of the festival, the CEFS Centre held its annual Volunteer Awards Ceremony to honor all its volunteers’ hard work and selfless dedication. In addition to senior services, CEFS Centre offers family support and youth activities, all made possible by volunteers. The volunteer team spans all age groups, with many families participating together. The prosperity and growth of the community are deeply rooted in the efforts of these volunteers. Today is your day! We hope the spirit of volunteering will inspire more people to contribute to building a better neighborhood. Last year, over 200 volunteers served the CEFS Centre.
The Harvest Festival is a time to share the fruits of labor. Community members proudly brought homegrown produce, including winter melons, pumpkins, gourds, chayote, tomatoes, peppers, and various autumn flowers. These were grown from the seedlings and vegetable seeds distributed at the CEFS Centre’s Spring Flower Festival and are now in full bloom. Members showcased their hard work and shared the joy of growing and harvesting.
Special activities were also prepared for the children. This year, the kids’ section included a bouncy castle, crafts, fun games, and pumpkin painting. The children had endless creative fun, filling the air with laughter, a beautiful reminder of the innocence and happiness of the younger generation, while parents and kids enjoyed valuable bonding time together.
A special thank you to Mr. Dawin Kong, who sponsored the Harvest Festival as a community advisor and provided financial support for the event. Thanks also to Mr. Li Ning, a parent of youth volunteers, who donated prizes for the volunteers, and Ms. Weng Qianping, a parent from the Family Mutual Support Group, who donated the bouncy castle, games, and craft materials for the children’s activities. She was also the first to arrive and help with event setup. Additionally, a senior member who wishes to remain anonymous generously sponsored the pumpkin painting activity. Their contributions are deeply appreciated and have made this event possible.
The Harvest Festival is a testament to the unity, gratitude, and cooperation of our community. Through events like this, we not only celebrate a bountiful harvest but also the warmth and friendships shared within our neighborhood. May everyone find happiness and smiles in this wonderful festival! The Harvest Festival has strengthened our community ties and showcased the unique charm of multiculturalism, reinforcing our sense of togetherness and belonging.
Messages from Community Members:
Taoyuan: Warm congratulations to the CEFS Centre on the successful conclusion of the Harvest Festival! May CEFS Centre continue to grow, becoming a paradise for both seniors and children and a platform where young people show respect for the elderly and contribute with love!
Jin: Warm congratulations on successfully hosting the 2024 Harvest Festival by the CEFS Centre!
Nancy Yu: Congratulations on the successful conclusion of the Harvest Festival! May the CEFS Centre’s activities thrive, becoming a paradise for seniors and children and a platform for young people to show love and respect for the elderly!
Ruiying Zhang: Many hands make light work! Cheers to the volunteers for their dedication! Let’s learn from them and salute their efforts! Volunteers are beautiful and noble; their selflessness unites the strength of the CEFS Centre. Wishing continued success to the CEFS Centre!
Weng Qianping: The Harvest Festival concluded successfully. The bright sunshine reflected the joy of the harvest, with a variety of activities, the vegetable and fruit exhibition, and the children’s pumpkin painting being the highlights of the festival. Everyone enjoyed the gifts of nature and the cohesion of the community.
Ruiqi Tian: The CEFS Centre planted seedlings in the spring and harvested fruits in the autumn. The display tables were filled with harvest bounty, and the community celebrated with passion and teamwork, sharing the results.
Chen Shaowen: Congratulations to the CEFS Centre’s Harvest Festival! With abundant fruits and joyful guests, may the CEFS Centre’s festivals continue to be celebrated, and may the community thrive year after year!
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Fuzhong Community Celebrates the Successful Conclusion of the 2024 Harvest Festival
In the golden warmth of autumn, under a bright sun, with lush trees and soft grass, the Fuzhong Community successfully hosted the 2024 Harvest Festival at Berczy Park North. This year’s festival, supported by the Federal Government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, invited over 10 senior organizations to participate in a talent showcase. Through performances, seniors celebrated multiculturalism and the spirit of the harvest. The participating organizations included Fengcai Senior Activity Centre, Youle Seniors Association, Wanqing Association, Starlight Association, Markham Ward 6 Seniors Association, York Region Good Neighbours Association, Maple Taichi Club, Yifeng Association, Tongxin Association, Happy Life, Yikang Seniors Club, and the Toronto Yue Opera Group.
The festival kicked off with a welcome speech by Susan Li, Executive Director of the Fuzhong Community. She thanked all members and neighborhood organizations for their enthusiastic participation and support. Susan noted that the Harvest Festival, held close to Thanksgiving, is not only a time to celebrate the harvest but also an opportunity to express gratitude for life and each other. She gave special thanks to this free and inclusive country for providing immigrant families the opportunity to prosper and thrive. Susan also expressed deep appreciation to every community member for their support, which has made the community a warmer, more vibrant place.
Special guests at the event included MP Paul Chiang, Councillor Allan Ho, and York Region District School Board Chair Ron Lynn, who attended to celebrate with the community. MPP Billy Pang also sent a congratulatory letter. The officials praised the Harvest Festival for giving Markham residents a platform to showcase their talents and expressed gratitude to Fuzhong Community for creating opportunities for connection and learning. They also commended the energy and dedication of the volunteer team for their contributions to the community’s vitality.
The event also featured Fuzhong Community’s annual Volunteer Awards Ceremony, recognizing the hard work and selfless dedication of the volunteers. In addition to senior services, Fuzhong Community offers family support and youth activities, all made possible by the efforts of volunteers. The volunteer team includes people of all ages, with many families participating together. The success and development of the community owe much to these volunteers. Today is a celebration of their efforts! It is hoped that their spirit of service will inspire others to join in building a stronger, more connected neighborhood. Last year alone, over 200 volunteers served the Fuzhong Community.
The Harvest Festival is also a time to share the fruits of labor. Community members proudly showcased their homegrown produce, including winter melons, pumpkins, gourds, chayotes, tomatoes, peppers, and various autumn flowers. These crops, grown from seedlings distributed during Fuzhong’s Spring Flower Festival, were now in full bloom. Members displayed their harvests, sharing the joy and fulfillment of gardening.
Children’s activities were a highlight of the festival, with a range of new offerings this year, including a bouncy castle, crafts, fun games, and pumpkin painting. The children immersed themselves in creative fun, filling the air with laughter, creating precious moments of family bonding.
Special thanks were given to Mr. Dawin Kong, who sponsored the festival as a community advisor and provided financial support. Gratitude also went to Mr. Li Ning, a parent of youth volunteers, for donating prizes for the volunteers, and to Ms. Weng Qianping, a parent from the Family Mutual Support Group, who generously donated the bouncy castle, games, and craft materials for the children’s activities. Additionally, an anonymous senior member kindly funded the pumpkin painting event.
The Harvest Festival embodies the spirit of unity, gratitude, and cooperation. Through this event, the community not only celebrated a bountiful harvest but also strengthened the bonds of friendship and warmth among neighbors. May everyone take away happiness and smiles from this wonderful celebration! The Harvest Festival successfully fostered connections between neighbors and showcased the beauty of cultural diversity.
Messages from Community Members:
Taoyuan: Congratulations to Fuzhong Community on the successful Harvest Festival! May the community continue to flourish, becoming a paradise for both seniors and children, and a platform where young people show love and respect for the elderly!
Jin: Warm congratulations on the successful 2024 Harvest Festival hosted by Fuzhong Community!
Nancy Yu: Congratulations on the successful conclusion of the Harvest Festival! May Fuzhong Community’s events continue to thrive, becoming a paradise for seniors and children, and a platform for young people to express love and respect for the elderly!
Zhang Ruiying: A big round of applause for the volunteers! Their dedication is inspiring! Volunteers are beautiful and noble, and their selflessness unites the strength of the Fuzhong Community. Wishing continued success for Fuzhong!
Weng Qianping: The Harvest Festival ended on a high note. The bright sunshine mirrored the joy of the harvest. The rich activities, vegetable displays, and children’s pumpkin painting were festival highlights, bringing together the gifts of nature and the cohesion of the community.
Tian Ruiqi: Fuzhong sowed seeds of flowers and vegetables in the spring, and now, the garden is full of fruits; the harvest display was rich with produce, and the community was filled with celebration, working together to share the results.
Chen Shaowen: Congratulations to the CEFS Centre on the Harvest Festival! The bountiful harvest and joyful guests made the day a success. May the CEFS Centres festivals continue to thrive and the community prosper year after year!
我们还为孩子们精心准备了丰富的活动。今年的儿童活动新增了充气城堡、手工制作、趣味游戏和南瓜彩绘。孩子们在这里尽情挥洒创意,欢声笑语不断,为家长和孩子们创造了宝贵的亲子互动时光。