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Attending
Trung Tâm Thúy Nga's program:
Tim
was invited by Thuy Nga's "Paris By
Night" to Southern California, USA for an interview about Maison
Chance ("Lucky
House" or "Nhà May Mắn" in Vietnamese) which she established more than 15 years ago. On the
evening of September 13th 2007, Tim arrived at Los Angeles airport along with a Catholic Sister, Hien, and a Buddhist Nun, Duc Hue. They do charity works in remote area of Vietnam. They
also were invited by Thuy Nga for the same purpose. Thuy Nga is the number one
recording company providing state-of-the art music videos performed by the top
Vietnamese artists. It is one of the best Vietnamese music production company
in Vietnamese community overseas.
September
13 and 14 were spent as practice sessions and dry runs for live and tape
performances on September 15 and 16. The performances on the 15th
and 16th went extremely well from start to finish in front of 6,000
combined spectators.
Paris by Night's Master of Ceremonies, Nguyễn
Cao Kỳ Duyên, interviewed Tim about her
mission and Maison Chance. Here, Tim had an
opportunity to talk about her charity work more than 15 years in Vietnam to the
audience. She also presented her plan about the future expansion of Maison Chance. If you have not
heard about her interview and want to know more about Tim's vision for Maison
Chance, you can see the interview on Thuy Nga's DVD 90 titled "A portrait of Vietnamese Women" theme which
will be released in December 2007.
After
the 2 days performance, Tim gathered great interests from artists, performers
and others. They all were touched by
Tim's volunteerism spirit, her commitment to the cause for humanity and more
important for the many disable and misfortune Vietnamese in Vietnam. They all in turn committed to support Tim's
dreams and efforts to carry out this charitable works.
Event
Maison Chance September 21st, 2007 in Little Sài gòn
In July of 2007, Cyril/Truc, a Vietnamese who lives in Paris, France,
introduced Tim's first interview by a TV station in Vietnam, to the international
community via YouTube.com (video on internet).
Because of theYouTube.com broadcast, Tim's charity work was exposed to many
people living outside of Vietnam.
They began contacting Maison Chance by emails and offer to
help - many of these people reaching out to Maison Chance were Vietnamese
Americans living in the Southern California
area. When Tim arrived in Orange
County, a former member
of the Vietnamese Student Association of Southern California suggested that
they should hold a fundraising dinner and art auction for Maison Chance while
Tim is there. The fundraising dinner was held at Parcel Seafood Restaurant in
"Little Saigon" on Friday, September 21, 2007. About 400 people attended the dinner to hear her presentation about Maison
Chance through slides show and talked about a future plan to expand her
project. They were very impressed and moved by her
works; their hearts went out for her. Tim brought along with her arts produced by
Maison Chance's beneficiaries, as auction items for the evening fundraiser. There
were also pieces of arts contributed by local Vietnamese Americans for the
auction and the photograph Thuyet had put up 2 pictures for auction. The final auction of the evening for a piece of art
went for $3,000 USD. All hand-made art products by Maison Chance were sold out.
Vietnamese singer Mina Thương Uyển and others entertained guests with selective songs. The
fundraising dinner ended with an announcement that an astounding total of
$35,000USD was raised for the evening.
The fundraiser was a huge success - beyond anyone's imagination.
During
the remaining days while still in California,
Tim had several interviews with local television and radio stations
broadcasting in to major Vietnamese American markets through-out the country (Orange County,
San Jose/Bay Area, and Houston).
She also met and exchanged ideas with groups of physician, Buddhism and new
benefactors.
How
fortunate for a short journey to California
as like "Celestial Body has its vision"! The Vietnamese American community was
moved by the Swiss woman who has decided to give up her life to help abandoned
children and disable people live on streets of Vietnam for more than 15 years. By
all means, they get together and act willingly to support Miss Tim. Within her two weeks stay in California, Tim collected more than $65,000
USD for Maison Chance with many of these dollars came from the
Vietnamese American community.
Tim
left the United States to
return to Vietnam
on September 26th. She took with her, wonderful memories as well as
the loves she received from the Vietnamese abroad. Likewise, she left her love
behind for a wonderful Vietnamese American community in California.
On
behalf of Maison Chance we would like to say thanks to:
Thuy Nga's
Paris By Night for their sponsorship for the trip as well as the interview to
promote this Maison Chance's worthy cause.
The
former Vietnamese Student Association of Southern California. They worked hard and make it happened for good causes.
Singer Mina Thương Uyen, anh Nguyễn Đức Đạt,
anh Phạm Việt Vũ and Premiere Production -
Sound and music entertainment.
All local TV and Radio stations. Interviews and promoting Maison Chance's cause..
Paracel Seafood Restaurant - meeting location, meals, and supports.
All benefactors, collectivites and all brothers
and sisters in OC.
And all new and distanced friends from around US.
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