Dear Legionnaires 親愛的會友：

We extend our sincere wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season filled with health and happiness to you and your loved ones; may your home be filled with comfort and peace. The Lunar New Year is right around the corner and we wish you and your families a happy, healthy, safe, and prosperous New Year, the year of the Horse.

Following the tremendous success of our inaugural cruise to Bermuda two years ago, the Kimlau Post organized another exciting cruise trip, this time to the beautiful Bahamas. Forty members and their families participated in this fun-filled journey aboard the Symphony of the Seas, enjoying another unforgettable travel experience together. Post members were blessed with marvelous weather and calm seas throughout the voyage. Everyone felt extremely fortunate, fully aware of the risks of cruising the Caribbean during September, the heart of hurricane season. In fact, Tropical Storm Imelda formed and intensified into a hurricane shortly after the group disembarked, making their smooth and safe journey even more remarkable. As expected, the cruise offered plenty of good food, spectacular stage shows, and endless entertainment. Members enjoyed a wide variety of activities suited to every taste, from exciting on-board attractions to simply relaxing and taking in the ocean views.

One of the most memorable highlights was a special ceremony honoring veterans on board, presided over by the Cruise Director. The ship’s grand atrium was filled with veterans and their families, proudly saluting a giant American flag suspended from the ceiling. The ceremony featured a moving rendition of the National Anthem and a solemn playing of “Taps,” creating an emotional and unifying moment for all present. Post members also enjoyed a sunny beach day at Royal Caribbean’s private island Coco Cay and visited several famous landmarks in Nassau, Bahamas. Overall, it was a joyful and memorable cruise filled with laughter, camaraderie, and shared appreciation for one another, a perfect continuation of the Kimlau Post’s spirit of fellowship and adventure.

After months of delays, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation has finally commenced work on the long-awaited renovation of the Kimlau Memorial. In late September, protective wooden construction fences were installed around the monument to secure the site. The project is now officially underway, with a projected completion date of July 2026. As reported in previous newsletters, the Kimlau Memorial restoration is an independent initiative, separate from the broader Chinatown Connection Project, which includes the redesign of Kimlau Square and the reopening of Park Row.

Over the years, the Kimlau Memorial has experienced steady deterioration. Despite numerous requests to the Parks Department dating back to the early 2000s, essential repairs were repeatedly postponed. The Post has met with city officials on several occasions to advocate for restoration, but progress was often stalled by inter-agency coordination issues. Three years ago, the Parks Department commissioned an engineering study to determine the root cause of the memorial’s structural cracks. Unfortunately, while the study was being conducted, the condition of the monument worsened, with large cracks appearing in the supporting columns. The city eventually deemed the structure unsafe, temporarily barricaded the area, and installed metal brackets to stabilize it. The Post has persistently requested access to the engineering study’s findings. A follow-up meeting with representatives from the Parks Department and the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) was held on October 23, 2024, where the study results were finally discussed. Based on the findings, the Parks Department confirmed plans to move forward with phased procurement to complete the full restoration. The Post will continue to monitor the progress of this long-overdue project and keep our members informed of key developments as work advances toward restoring the Kimlau Memorial to its original dignity and condition.

Our Post also attended the 14th anniversary commemoration ceremony of PVT Danny Chen’s death at the corner of Canal Street and Elizabeth Street where the street was co-named Danny Chen Way. The Lt. B.R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post 1291 participated in the annual Double-Ten Parade through the streets of Chinatown. The day’s celebration began with a solemn flag-raising ceremony in front of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA), followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Dr. Sun Yat-sen statue in Columbus Park to honor the founding father of the Republic of China and recognize his lasting contributions to freedom and democracy. The parade commenced at 5:00 pm, filling the neighborhood with vibrant colors, patriotic spirit, and community pride. Following the parade, more than 70 members of the American Legion family gathered for a festive dinner at Sun Hong Wong Restaurant. It was a joyful evening of camaraderie and celebration. On October 19, 2025, a delegation from the Taiwan Veterans Affairs Council, Republic of China, led by Deputy Minister, retired Lieutenant General Fu Cheng Cheng visited our Post. The Veterans Affairs Council has maintained regular contact with us, with their last visit two years ago. We share a common mission, supporting veterans through transition services, healthcare, employment, and dignified aging. During the visit, the delegation presented gifts to our members and invited our Post to visit Taiwan to strengthen ties. We deeply appreciated the exchange and look forward to continued cooperation with Taiwan’s veterans organizations.  

In November, the annual Veterans Day Parade was held on Sunday, November 9th, to honor the sacrifices of our veterans and active members of the armed forces. The parade proceeded along Mott Street and concluded at the Kimlau Memorial, where a solemn ceremony took place. Local elected officials and community leaders participated in the procession to pay their respects. Unfortunately, this year’s parade was missing the presence of the Midshipmen from the Naval Academy and the Cadets from West Point and New London due to the government shutdown. We remain sincerely grateful for the Midshipmen’s and Cadets’ participation in past years and look forward to welcoming them back next year to continue the strong friendships we have built together.

On November 19th, our Post attended the Chinatown Business Improvement District (Chinatown BID) fundraising gala held at the House of Joy Restaurant. Once an annual highlight that brought together leaders and supporters from across the Chinatown community, the event had been paused since the onset of COVID. This year marked its long-awaited return after six years, even though on a smaller scale due to limited venue capacity in Chinatown. Our Post is proud to be a charter member of the Chinatown BID. Past National Sergeant-at-Arms David Louie served as the organization’s inaugural chairman, followed by Adjutant Gabe Mui, who led as chairman for five consecutive years. Adjutant Mui continues to represent our Post on the Chinatown BID Board of Directors, remaining actively involved in matters vital to the Chinatown community. He currently serves on several key subcommittees; including governance, finance, auditing, and programming, and chairs the nominations committee. Chinatown residents and community leaders recognize the importance of maintaining a clean, safe, and vibrant neighborhood to ensure its continued survival and prosperity. Our Post was among the early advocates supporting the creation of the BID, participating in its planning and testifying before the New York City Council on the need for such an organization in Chinatown. Since its establishment, the Chinatown BID has launched numerous initiatives to improve the quality of life in the area. These include installing better street lighting and security cameras, organizing annual flower plantings to beautify the neighborhood, and championing the Open Streets program to provide residents with safe spaces to gather, relax, and enjoy their community.

Our Post also hosted its annual Thanksgiving celebration on November 16th in the Chairman Peter Woo Auditorium, close to 200 members of the Legion, Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion, and their families came together to share a joyful holiday meal. Our scholarship program continues to be an outstanding success, and we take immense pride in the academic achievements of our members’ children and grandchildren. Since the program’s reinstatement in 2005, nearly 300 scholarships have been presented to deserving recipients from our Post family. At the annual Christmas celebration on December 14th, the Scholarship Committee proudly recognized 17 outstanding students who demonstrated exceptional academic excellence in their studies.

We sincerely thank the families of Maj. Stanley Lee for making donations to create scholarships in memory of our long time members. We also want to thank our member Dung Hon Leung for his continuing support of the Post scholarship program by donating a total of $9,000 over the last seven years. The purpose of these scholarships is to encourage members and member’s progeny for higher education. The “Maj. Stanley Lee Memorial Scholarship” of $1,000, is in its seventh year of a ten-year program and was awarded to Nicole Hom, daughter of Wayne Hom and the “Dung Hon Leung Scholarship” of $1,000 was awarded to Alexander Tucker, grandson of New Wong.

 We were pleased to hand out the above awards, as well as the Post Scholarship awards (equal to $700 each) to fifteen well deserving recipients during the recent Post annual Christmas party. We would like to congratulate them all on their outstanding achievement and wish them continued success in their future endeavors. Please note that the post has revised the scholarship application period to allow students to submit their scholarship applications from January 1st to August 31st.

我們衷心祝福節日帶給大家健康和幸福。我們向您和您的親人致以最誠摯的祝福； 願您的家充滿舒適、平安和幸福。農歷新年將至，在此謹祝大家心想事成，身體健康，家庭和睦，生活愉快，馬年行好運。新的一年帶來了新的希望，亦帶來了興奮的心情來迎接今年忙碌的挑戰。

繼兩年前首次百慕達郵輪之旅獲得熱烈迴響後，本會今年再度籌辦了一次令人期待的郵輪旅遊，這次的目的地是風光明媚的巴哈馬群島。四十位會員及家屬搭乘皇家加勒比「海洋交響號」展開這段充滿歡樂的旅程，大家共同度過了一段難忘的美好時光。整個航程天氣晴朗、海面平靜，會員們都感到十分幸運，畢竟九月正值加勒比海颶風季節。在本會會員平安順利的旅程結束後不久，熱帶風暴伊梅爾達便迅速形成並增強為颶風。郵輪上活動豐富、美食佳餚應有盡有，精彩的舞台表演與各式娛樂節目讓人目不暇給。會員們各取所好，有的參加船上設施活動，有的則悠閒地欣賞海景、享受假期。此次旅程中最令人印象深刻的是船上特別舉行的退伍軍人致敬儀式，由郵輪娛樂總監主持。典禮在郵輪宏偉的中庭舉行，退伍軍人及其家屬齊聚一堂，莊嚴地向懸掛於天花板的大型美國國旗敬禮。儀式中演唱國歌時，全場氣氛莊重感人，令人動容。此外，會員們還在皇家加勒比的私人島嶼可可灣享受陽光沙灘的一天，並參觀巴哈馬拿索市著名景點。整趟郵輪之旅充滿歡笑與友誼，大家互相關懷、共同享樂。

經過數月的延誤，紐約公園管理局終於展開期盼已久的退伍軍人忠烈坊應做的維修工程，九月底，施工單位在忠烈坊周圍設置木圍欄以確保工地安全，標誌著工程正式啟動。預計維修工程將於二零二零六年七月完工。如前幾期通訊所報導，退伍軍人忠烈坊的修復計畫屬於獨立工程，與更大範圍的「華埠連結計畫」分開進行，後者包括重建劉錦廣場及開放柏路。

因為紐約公園管理局多年忽視對退伍軍人忠烈坊應做的維修，忠烈坊近年已現破落而其結構更是每況愈下，自二零零零年至今日，儘管本會屢次請求急需維修工作及曾多次會議討論維修計劃，但仍被公園管理局拖延。直至三年前，公園管理局承諾進行深入工程研究，以確定忠烈坊支柱出現裂縫的根本原因，但在這三年中，支柱的裂痕惡化，裂縫變得越來越大，市府判斷忠烈坊為不安全建築物，以鐵馬路障包圍忠烈坊防止行人受傷，隨後用鐵架包著支柱裂縫，穩定坊烈坊不會掉落。本會多次要求查看期待已久的工程研究報告，終於在今年十月二十三日，公園管理局及紐約市經濟發展處會面討論工程研究報告，獲悉他們認為可以分階段修復忠烈坊。本會將持續關注拖延多年的工程進度，並及時向會員通報最新發展，期望退伍軍人忠烈坊早日恢復原有的莊嚴與風貌。

本會會員參加在十月初在華埠堅尼路及伊利沙白街街角舉辦的陳宇暉逝世十四週年紀念。依往年一樣，本會參加中華民國雙十國慶遊行。當天的慶祝活動以莊嚴的升旗典禮揭開序幕，地點設於中華公所門前，隨後於哥倫布公園的國父孫中山先生銅像前舉行獻花儀式，以表達對中華民國國父的崇高敬意，並緬懷他對自由與民主的偉大貢獻。下午五時，遊行正式開始，五彩旗幟飄揚。遊行後本會會員齊聚新鴻旺酒家共進晚宴，席間洋溢著濃厚的友誼與歡慶。

十月十九日，中華民國退輔會代表團在副主任委員、退役陸軍中將傅正誠率領下蒞臨本會參訪。退輔會與本會長期保持聯繫，上次來訪已是兩年前。雙方秉持共同理念，致力於協助退伍軍人順利退役服務、提供醫療照護、就業輔導及尊嚴養老等服務。代表團致贈紀念品予本會會員，並誠摯邀請本會組團訪台，以深化交流。本會對此次互訪交流深表感謝，並期盼未來與台灣退輔機構持續加強合作，共同推動退伍軍人服務。

本會依例舉辦一年一度的退伍軍人節遊行活動。今年的遊行於十一月九日星期日舉行，旨在向所有退伍軍人及現役軍人致上崇高敬意，感念他們的無私奉獻與犧牲。遊行隊伍沿著勿街行進，最終在退伍軍人忠烈坊前舉行隆重而莊嚴的儀式。多位民選官員及社區領袖也參與行列，表達對退伍軍人的敬意。可惜的是，今年因政府停擺，馬里蘭州海軍軍官學校的中文文化交流學會及西點軍校與新倫敦學院的學員未能如往年般參加。我們衷心感謝他們多年來的熱情參與，並期盼明年能再次歡迎他們的到來，延續我們多年來建立的深厚友誼。

華埠商改區及華埠共同發展機構每年舉辦一次的籌款晚會自新冠疫情爆發後便停辦多年，今年十一月十九日在喜運來酒樓重新舉辦籌款晚會，雖然規模較以往縮小，籌款晚會因受到華埠餐館容量的限制，不像從前的大規模，但仍是凝聚社區各界領袖支持的盛會。本會是華埠商改區的始創成員之一，而前全美退伍軍人會總會糾察雷光達更擔任了第一位董事長，隨後本會梅本立幹事亦連續五年擔任董事長職位，梅本立幹事仍積極參與華埠商改區董事會重要決議及目前服務多個小組委員會，包括管理，財政，審核，並擔任提名委員會主席。本會深知華埠居民需要一個清潔，安全，充滿活力的居住環境，對華埠的延續與繁榮至關重要。所以本會一向支持創建華埠商改區的早期倡導者之一，參與早期規劃工作，並在紐約市議會作證，強調華埠亟需設立這一個組織的必要。自華埠商改區成立以來，啟動了多項措施以改善各項生活質素，其中包括安裝更好的街燈，加設治安攝像頭，種植花活動及美化華埠，推行「開放街道」及提供安全社區安全環境改善。

本會於十一月十六日在伍覺良董事長禮堂舉辦一年一度的感恩節聯歡餐會，近二百位美國退伍軍人會、婦女會、子弟會員及家屬齊聚一堂，共享節日的喜悅與溫馨。本會設立多年的獎學金得到非常成功的效果，會員的兒孫學業有成，使本會感到欣慰，同時亦向樂於資助本會獎學金的會員及家屬致萬分感謝。本會非常感謝李飛揚家人和Saunders家人及趙汝孝家人捐款設立「紀念獎學金」，同時亦非常感謝本會會員梁雲從在過去數年共捐款九千元設立「梁雲從獎學金」，頒發給成績優異的學生，以鼓勵會員及其子弟勤奮向學，力求上進。為期十年每年一千元的「Maj. Stanley G. Y. Lee少校紀念獎學金」頒發給譚超然女兒譚蕙心，一千元的「梁雲從獎學金」頒發給黃鳥孫子。

自二零零五年恢復頒發獎學金以來，已有近三百位優秀學生獲頒獎學金。於十二月十四日舉行的聖誕節慶祝活動中，獎學金委員會特別表揚了十七位學業表現傑出的得獎學生，以肯定他們的卓越努力與成就。本會在今年聖誕節聚餐時除了頒發上述的「獎學金」外，同時亦頒發本會設立每年七百元的獎學金給十五名成績優異的學生，希望他們繼續努力向學。本會並頒發「司徒旺中國文化獎學金」給一名成功地讀畢中文有關的課程。並請注意本會獎學金申請期間為由一月一日開始至八月三十一日截止。

1. Post Activities 會務

The following motions were approved during the October 12, 2025 General Meeting: 二零二五年十月十二日第二次會員大會通過下列議案:

a. Approved participation in the community “Double-Ten” parade. 通過參加雙十節遊行。

b. Approved to hold the Post Veterans Day Parade on November 9, 2025. 通過本年度軍人節遊行在十一月九日舉行。

 2. News/Announcement/Gossip  其他消息

a.  The Post lunar year 4723 New Year’s Eve celebration will be held on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 6 pm at the House of Joy Restaurant (28 Pell Street).  Anyone who wishes to attend must register with the Chinese Secretary from Monday January 12, 2026 to Sunday January 25, 2026 between 2 – 4 pm daily (except Tuesday and Saturday).  Dinner tickets are limited. Eligibility and cost for the dinner are as follow – 

1. Members with 2026 membership card – one $30 ticket each.
2. Companion ticket $30.00 each – limited to one per member, no exceptions.
3. Members of the Lt. Kimlau American Auxiliary Unit or the Lt. Kimlau Sons of American Legion Squadron are invited to join this celebration if they are not qualified based on the above requirement.  Cost is $30.00 and maximum 2 tickets each.  Must show your 2026 Auxiliary or SAL membership card when register.

本會農歷年除夕聚餐定於二零二六年二月一日星期日下午六時假座華埠喜運來大酒樓舉行，歡迎本會會員及眷屬踴躍參加，請於下列時間（二零二六年一月十二日（星期一）至二零二六年一月二十五日（星期日），每日下午二時至四時（星期二及星期六除外）向本會書記處報名，領取農歷年聚餐餐券，先到先得，賣完即止。報名辦法如下﹕

一）凡本會會員憑二零二六年會員證報名者，餐券三十元一張，職員及前任主席十元一張。

二）凡本會會員憑二零二六年會員證報名者，可另購買三十元伴侶券一張。

三）凡已經參加本會婦女會及軍人子弟部者，如欲參加本會農歷年聚餐，但又不適合上述二項報名辦法者亦可購買餐券，每張三十元，每人以兩張為限。請憑二零二六年會員證報名。

b.  The 2025 Lt. B. R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post 1291 Scholarship Award winners are (本會獎學金得獎人名單如下): 

• Bradley Chen – son of Bo Chen (陳波兒子)
• Joyce Chen – daughter of Bangze Chen (陳邦澤女兒)
• Katelin Chen – daughter of Bo Chen (陳波女兒)
• Wilson Chen – son of Stanley Chen (陳朝達兒子)
• Nicole Hom (譚蕙心) – daughter of Wayne Hom (譚超然女兒)
• Preston Hom – grandson of Chuck Hom (譚卓滋孫子)
• Luke Kaiser – grandson of Richard Shin (單志然孫子) 
• Malia Kaiser – granddaughter of Richard Shin (單志然孫女)
• Elizabeth McDonaugh – granddaughter of Mark Eng (伍顯宗孫女) 
• Alexander Tucker – grandson of New Wong (黃鳥孫子)
• Aiden Wong – son of Henry Wong (黃偉生兒子)
• Anna Wu (伍瑋菌) – daughter of Jai Ming Wu (伍家明女兒)
• Christopher Wong – grandson of New Wong (黃鳥孫子)
• Hannah Wong – granddaughter of Poy Fook Wong (黃沛福孫女)
• Isabella Wong – granddaughter of Poy Fook Wong (黃沛福孫女)
• Tristan Wong – son of Henry Wong (黃偉生兒子)
• Vivian Wong – granddaughter of New Wong (黃鳥孫女)
• The Robert S. Wong Chinese Study Scholarship Award winner (司徒旺中國文化獎學金得獎人) is: Yunxi Sharon Shang (尚蕓溪) – daughter of Xiaohu Shang (尚曉虎)

Congratulations to all the winners在此恭祝各得獎者百尺竿頭，更進一步. 

c.  Members who joined from January 18, 2004 to January 17, 2018 are eligible to apply for Chinese American Veterans Memorial Building Committee (CAVMBC) membership. Please stop by our Post Headquarter between the hours of 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (except Tuesday and Saturday) to obtain the application form. 

會員在二零零四年一月十八日至二零一八年一月十七日加入本會者可申請成為華裔美國退伍軍人實業公司成員，請親臨本會索取申請表格（辦公時間，每日下午二時至四時，星期二及星期六除外）。

  d.  We are currently at 62% renewal in membership which is lack behind the Department goal of 75% at this time. Please renew as soon as possible so we can achieve 100% membership. Members can remit the $30.00 membership dues by mail or in person.   

現尚有近半的會員尚未繳交二零二五年至二零二六年會員費，請該等會員儘快將三十元會費以郵寄方式或親臨本會繳交（辦公時間，每日下午二時至四時，星期二及星期六除外）。

3. Taps 仙逝會員

We are sad to report the following legionnaires has passed on to the Commander of us all post everlasting.  

May Our Comrades Rest In Peace!

• New/Transfer Members 新入會會員

There were four new members approved by the last General meetings 

二五年至二六年第二次會員大會通過接納下列四位新入會會員：

Please join us to welcome the above new member.  Hope to see all of you in future functions.

我們歡迎上述新會友加入我們的行列，更希望他們多參加本會各項活動。

We hope the above information will be of interest to you and we hope to hear from you soon.  Let us know what we can do for you.  Until we meet again, stay well!

我們希望這份簡訊，對你有所幫助，更希望在不久的將來，能得到你參予本會各種活動的回應。假如我們有任何可以為你服務之處，務請隨時提出意見。

THE STAFF   本會行政小組仝人敬啟

Kenneth Wong黃建中, Bo Chen陳 波, Wilem Wong, 黃伯聰, Hon Pun Chan陳漢斌

Gabe B. Mui 梅本立, Howard Chin 陳煥寧

Ping Wing Chu朱炳榮, Wan Y. Tam 譚煥瑜