By David Li, bostonese.com
Quincy, Mass., June 9, 2014, — The seventh Quincy Asian Resources Inc. community banquet were held on May 30 at China Pearl in Quincy. Close to 600 guests, including candidate for governor State Treasurer Steve Grossman, candidate for Lt. Governor Cambridge City Councilor Leland Cheung, participated in the banquet.
Jannie Mark (second from right) honored at the banquet (photo by David Li).
Quincy mayor Tom Koch helped hand out various awards. The Scholarship recipients were high school seniors Henry Fong, Amanda Lee, Dingkang Liu, Yuyao Zheng, Yuling Chen, Simon Quach and Wilson Chen.
The Visionary Award went to Jannie Mark. Unsung Hero Award went to Gene Lee and Sandy Wong-Ng, and Quincy Public Schools was awarded the Community Partner Award. The banquet was sponsored by South Cove Community Health Center, Eatern Bank, China Pearl Restaurant and Quincy Medical Center.
“It is an honor to be recognized by QARI for my efforts for the past 50 years in fighting for equality. In the 1960s, we were one of just a handful of Chinese families in Quincy and unfortunately prejudice was not uncommon. I felt my first real sting of discrimination when my daughter, at age of 5, told me that she no longer wanted to be Chinese. And with this, I joined the nation’s movement for the fight for equalit,” said Jannie Mark in accepting the Visionary Award. Ms. Mark joined board of QARI in 1996.
State Rep. Tackey Chan led the fund-raising portion of the banquet. Appraise erupted in the restaurant when Gabriel Cheong, President of the Board of QARI made $1,000 donation, and Mr. and Mrs. Steve Grossman made $500 donation. The funding raising at the banquet will be awarded as scholarships at next year’s community banquet.