Christmas cheer, good tidings to all for guests at Shangri-La, Dalian
Yuan
Despite the winter chill, a charity ball amid the Christmas lights at Shangri-La Hotel, Dalian in northeastern China recently sent warmth to those in need of help.
Partnering with the International Club of Dalian and the AmCham Northeast China Chapter, the hotel in Dalian, Liaoning province hosted the Winter Charity Ball and a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in early December, raising 160,000 yuan ($23,310) for local charity organizations. The event attracted nearly 400 participants, including executives of local and foreignfunded businesses.
The annual ball has taken place for 10 consecutive years and has become a key year-end charity gala in the city.
Like its previous sessions, this year’s event also received strong support from local businesses, including foundry group Le Bélier China, Intel Semiconductor (Dalian), Air Canada and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
A charity auction at the end of the evening brought an excited buzz to the atmosphere. Auctioned items included travel packages and round-trip flight tickets and room stays at various Shangri-La hotels and resorts all over Asia.
The funds raised at the charity ball will be used to help the Little Dolphin Recovery Center, which is dedicated to the rehabilitation training of children with autism, the Dalian Rixin Social Orphanage and the Wang Dajie Elderly Care Home with their facility upgrades, staff training, new study equipment purchase and daily operations.
One of the beneficiaries, the Little Dolphin Recovery Center, was established in May 2006. The center covers 1,400 square meters and at present, it has 58 autistic children in its program and 18 professional teachers.
The center has carried out effective intervention and rehabilitation training for more than 600 children with autism. Staff members said most had improved markedly, winning the center wide acclaim from parents and local communities.
The Rixin orphanage was founded by successful businesswoman Lin Jie in 1997, with funding of 100,000 yuan. The founder herself was an orphan.
The orphanage has adopted nearly 50 babies and children since its founding. Some of them have studied in universities.
The Wang Dajie Elderly Care Home’s founder Wang Yining, a local resident, shares a similar experience. She became an orphan at the age of 13 and was brought up through help and support from her neighborhood.
After achieving success in her career, she established the elderly care home to accommodate the elderly with no income or children to support them.
But early in 2014 Wang was severely hurt in a car accident and is still receiving treatment and rehabilitation, which has affected funding for the operation of the elderly home.
Organizers said donations from the winter ball would help the elderly care home to overcome its current financial uncertainties.