UNDER bright sunny skies, SUCCESS Foundation’s annual fundraising event, Walk with the Dragon, celebrated its 30th year at Lumbermen’s Arch, Stanley Park, in Vancouver with over 12,000 participants and raised $400,180 for the continuance and enhancement of important social services at S.U.C.C.E.S.S. for the Metro Vancouver communities.
“The longevity and success of Walk with the Dragon rely on the community’s continued encouragement and support. Since the event’s inauguration in 1986, over $12 million have been raised to provide appropriate services and programs to support the betterment of the community. This includes the vulnerable population of seniors and youth,” said Sing Lim Yeo, Chair of SUCCESS Foundation. “The amount of money that we raised involves the copious efforts and resources of many sponsors and volunteers. Our immense gratitude and appreciation to them.”
Walk with the Dragon each year garners the staunch support of elected officials from the three levels of government and prominent community leaders. This year Premier Christy Clark and Jason Kenney, Minister of National Defense and Minister for Multiculturalism, representing the Prime Minister, were among those present.
The event began by waking up the 100-foot long robust SUCCESS dragon from its year-long hibernation in a symbolic Dragon Eye-Dotting Ceremony. Once the Dragon was awakened, it led an entourage of participants, including over 300 teams, on the 7-km sojourn around the Stanley Park seawall. Music and songs then envelope Lumbermen’s Arch to a fever pitch with giveaways and prizes at the carnival style game booths perfect for the whole family.
“The past 30 years of Walk with the Dragon have seen numerous changes and evolutions. From a gathering of a couple of hundred participants to today’s attendance of over 12,000, the most significant change is the faces of our supporters. What began as an event predominantly attended by Chinese-Canadians, the Walk attendance now mirrors the diverse cultures of the clients that SUCCESS serves. This year’s Walk celebrates and embraces multiculturalism. Even our stage performances reflect the best in different cultures, including Latin, Philippine, Japanese and Korean,” said Bill Lau and Johnny Tsang, Co-Chairs of the 2015 SUCCESS Walk with the Dragon.
SUCCESS in 2014 provided over 143,000 client-services to the Metro Vancouver communities. Although the bulk of the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. operating budget derives from various levels of government grants, there remains the need to fundraise for the outstanding balance. Proceeds from events such as Walk with the Dragon will ensure those otherwise would be underserved to have access to important services and programs such as senior health care at the SUCCESS Simon K.Y. Lee Seniors Care Home and the two SUCCESS senior assisted living residences: Harmony House and Austin Harris Residence; the SUCCESS Youth Leadership Millennium Program; the Multicultural Early Childhood Development Program; and the SUCCESS Chinese Help Lines.
