Last pre-Reunion meeting!

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6/21/09
USNBEA Grand Reunion day is coming fast! This was our last meeting before the reunion and held at Frank's place. We had to 'tsibog' first. So many food at the table; salads,pancit bihon guisado,spring rolls (vegetable & togue type),and desserts like Eunice's puto bumbong, pan de sal ni Frank, more food (I don't know their names but they were absolutely good), and with some wine, 'ayos na naman.'
Then,we (Bob & Helene Montes, Lito & Eunice Blancaflor, Mario Suratos, Danny Libonao, Frank & Sony Tomelden, and Joe Suganob) went to more scheduling, organizing and preparing this year's reunion. And,we have to email more and phone each other, for more exacting details. Meeting adjourned about 6pm.
The USNBEA Grand Reunion 2009, is on Saturday, July 25, 2009 at Riverfront Park, near Fraser River, Vancouver, BC, Canada. See you there!

SRABC - Coquitlam Branch Annual Luncheon

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June 19, 2009--
Templeton Stroke Recovery went to Coquitlam Branch Annual Luncheon last Friday, June 19, via HandyDart.
Coquitlam group welcomed the SRABC branches from Burnaby (North & South), Delta, Douglas Park, Port Coquitlam, Shaughnessy, TEMPLETON and one person from Vernon Branch (Vernon, BC).
The luncheon was very good and entertainment, wonderful! Will be back next year, that's for sure!

Strides for Strokes!

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June 14, 2009-
Peace Arch Park was the place to be on Sunday, June 14, 2009. The Stroke Recovery Association of BC held its annual “Strides For Strokes.”
The Templeton group gathered at Templeton Park Pool early Sunday morning, (June 14, 2009). The HandyDart came at exactly 9am. Fourteen members and volunteers was really excited to go, being the first time that the HandyDart drove us from Vancouver to Peace Arch Park, near Peace Arch Border Crossing.
Branches from White Rock (host), Surrey, Coquitlam, Langley, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Shaughnessy and TEMPLETON came. Some branches (us included) had a table to show what they are doing in their groups. You could see all the smiling faces, meeting old friends and making new ones.
Featured: music by Ish Da Fish; very tall Mr. Bubbles; face-painting and a fire truck.
The emcee was Mark Madryga, senior meteorologist from Global TV Morning News, forecasted a very warm afternoon and was leader of the pack of very enthusiastic stroke survivors, relatives, volunteers and friends in walking around the park and the event raised $15,000 to support stroke survivors rehabilitation programs.

Hats Off Day 2009

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Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 9am to 2pm
The Heights is a special place! This North Burnaby neighborhood has a strong sense of community, and a thriving business district all within walking distance.
Hats Off Day is when the Heights merchants "take their hats off" to their community and their customers and the entire Heights community celebrates together. It's was a huge, one-day extravaganza featuring a colorful main-street style parade with real local flavor, and a big street party afterwards.
Artists Helping Artists (AHA) is in Heights' neighborhood so, we were there, too!
With lots of music, food, kids activities! It was fun!!!

F.I.S.T. Reunion 2009

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L-R, Standing: Margie Trinidad, Pennie Fabros, Marc Monisit, Bodeng Juatco, Roger Cabrera, Nonoy Lee, Jun Bagunu, Newton Tan, Kim Tan, Terry Juatco, Art Trinidad, Beng Yu, Andy Choy
L-R, Seating: Larry Rodriguez, Louie Mercado, Joy Bagunu, Lynn Juatco, Joe Suganob, Hershey Yu

Tribute to Jorge Joaquin (5/23/09)
Old pistoleros from FIST came to pay tribute to our fellow FIST shooter, late Jorge Joaquin.
Thanks to Jun and Joy Bagunu for calling old shooters, in such a short time (three days). And, he booked Toyo Shushi Authentic Japanese Restaurant (corner Cambie Street and 6th Avenue in Vancouver)
After, almost 20+ years, many of us have interesting stories to tell the group. And, we, obviously slowed down some over the years but still smooth--in dancing and--effortless in singing karaoke!
I hope, there's more FIST happenings in the near future!

Pista sa Nayon Night!

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Front row:
Luz Cavalo, Shirley Francisco, Zosima Iligan, Efigenia Sityar, Joanna Zuo
Back row:
Jose Mendoza, Shonee Mendoza, Sally Dacquel, Linda Santos, Jose Suganob, Cynthia Ziranovic, Angela Paiyisi, Fleur Domingo, Zeny Talusan, Violy Calobong, (unidentified)

'Pista sa Nayon' Night, (May 13, 2009) in Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood House, above were some of the volunteers, coordinated by Jose Mendoza and Angela.

New Vancouver Convention Center

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4/04/09
Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Center:
Some facts about the new Vancouver Convention Center:

• Six acre grass and wildflower roof has been cultivated to be the perfect nesting ground for song birds and is home to four beehives.
• With 40% of the convention building suspended over the harbor, its foundation has been specially designed to recreate a natural shoreline and acts as a marine habitat for sea urchins, starfish and sea lettuce, just to name a few.
• Vancouver Convention Center's unique seawater heating and cooling system makes it one of the most energy efficient building in Vancouver.
• The unique lumber stacked interior walls are built from sustainable BC Hemlock and were assembled by a robot named "Victoria" in Saanich, Vancouver Island.
• Look up. There's 45 km. of sustainable BC fir Glulam beams above your head.
• Everything is better when it's made from scratch, so that's how Convention chefs do things; in one of the country's largest banquet kitchens. And because everything's made from scratch, there's a lot less packaging to throw out, reducing the carbon footprint.

4 levels of astounding view of North Shore mountains.
Experience a sampling of trade shows - supersized. Helicopters, fire trucks, flower gardens and more, a real - life sample of exhibition and tradeshows on 220,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space.