The 19th Annual Kaiser Permanente San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival

Treasure Island, San Francisco

Saturday & Sunday, September 20 & 21: Racing: 8am – 5pm; Festival: 10am – 5pm


www.sfdragonboat.com

Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / (415) 693-0583 / news@davidperry.com

11 September 2014– San Francisco, CA: It takes a team to row a dragon – a dragon boat, that is taking part in the 19th Annual Kaiser Permanente San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival (www.sfdragonboat.com)On Saturday & Sunday, September 20 & 21, the waters around Treasure Island in the middle of San Francisco Bay will play host to what has been called “the ultimate team sport” for its ability to bring together diverse groups of people in a common, healthy cause.

“There are no star quarterbacks or pitchers,” says Linda Cheu, Director of the California Dragon Boat Festival that sponsors the event. “Only teams can win or lose dragon boat races.”

Cheu, who has been a key promoter of dragon boating for more than 20 years, points to the sport’s diversity as a reason for its increasing popularity.

“The Festival includes paddlers that are high school students, seniors, cancer survivors, competitive athletes, and teams from corporation, hospitals, museums, and community groups,” says Cheu. “All are attracted to this over 2,000 year old Chinese cultural tradition. The Festival has become one of the largest, free, family friendly event in Northern California. Last year we had around 40,000 attendees and we expect to meet or exceed that this year.”

This year’s Festival features an unprecedented number of new novice teams including Visa, Bank of America and the California Academy of Sciences. Other corporate teams include boats from Google, Wells Fargo, KPMG, AT&T, and PG&E, hospitals such as Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health’s Palo Alto Medical Foundation, San Francisco General, St.Mary’s Medical Center, and Chinese Hospital, and an array of community serving organizations including schools, labor unions, and other non-profits. There will also be dozens of visiting teams from around the United States and Canada. Not to be undone, San Francisco City Hall is represented by the “Golden Serpents,” representing ChinaSF, Mayor Ed Lee’s China business initiative.

“The corporate support is vital,” said Cheu, noting that the funds provided by the business community support the Festival’s youth program. “It provides a free, high quality, year-round, competitive dragon boating program for nearly 1,000 youth in San Francisco and around the Bay Area, focusing on immigrant youth who do not traditionally participate in mainstream school sports. The high school dragon boat program not only promotes fitness and a healthy lifestyle, but also teaches values of teamwork, leadership, perseverance, and hard work.”

Besides the thrill of cheering on a fleet of colorful 40-foot dragon boats as they race to the beat of Chinese drums, the two-day, admission-free festival features family-friendly live entertainment, cultural performers, fabulous food, and fun merchandise. Kids of all ages can enjoy free games with prizes, arts and crafts in the Flax Creative Arts Area, carnival rides, a three-story obstacle course, face painting, airbrush tattoos, animal balloons, roving dragon characters and more at the ever-popular Dragon Land. New this year is the interactive Microsoft Stores-sponsored Land of Smart Kids Area, featuring science, technology and math-oriented activities, fun with Surface Pro 3 tablet and Xbox One, and even coding! Parking and admission is free, and complimentary shuttles run both days between the festival and locations in San Francisco.

Cheu notes that dragon boating has continued to grow in popularity throughout the country – and world — citing as evidence the growing number of international competitors.

“The California Dragon Boat Association again expects record attendance in all divisions this year,” said Dave Chen, President of the California Dragon Boat Association and also a longtime dragon boat paddler. “It’s going to be another great weekend of good, hard racing, excellent entertainment and food, and great times on and off the water!”

In 1996 a handful of paddlers came together with the vision to build an organization to foster the growth and development of dragon boating in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each had little experience in starting up a non-profit organization most were relatively new to the sport themselves. With only commitment and their faith in dragon boating becoming a great activity for the community they moved forward to promote a sport people knew little about in an area already saturated with team sports.

So, what exactly is Dragon Boating?

For those unfamiliar with the sport, dragon boating simply put, is a boat of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steers person paddling to cross the finish faster than their competition. It’s a team sport in its purest form that encompasses the elements of power, speed, synchronization and endurance.

With its beginnings in Southern China, dragon boating today is the fastest growing international team water sport. Each year, race festivals are held around the world in Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and the United States, one of the largest festivals in the North America is held right here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The appeal to dragon boating is mainly contributed to the sport’s ability to accommodate a wide spectrum of skill levels ranging from novice to competitive, Chen explains. At the novice and recreational level, teams often form as a means of social outlet, team building and an alternative means of exercise. For the spectator, the true display of the sport’s intensity and skill is witnessed in the competitive ranks.

Dragon boat racing is one of the earliest known forms of aquatic competition and is celebrated at festivals and races throughout the world. This mythical celebration is a symbol of Chinese culture and spirit and is one of the three largest festivals in that country, with its roots going back over 2,000 years.

Legend has it that Qu Yuan, a scholar and advisor to the emperor of the Chu Kingdom, jumped into the Mei Lo (Mi Luo) River in despair and protest against government corruption. Local fishermen raced out in their boats to save him. They beat drums and pounded their paddles on the river’s waters and threw rice dumplings wrapped in silk into the river to distract the water dragons and keep them from eating from Qu Yuan’s body. Dragon boating evolved from the re-enactment of this legend at annual festivals.

After 19 years, the California Dragon Boat Association is now the largest dragon boating organization in the Bay Area and organizes one of the largest competitive dragon boat festivals in the United States. In addition, the Association oversees the largest high school and college dragon boat program in the nation.

“No one who has discovered dragon boating – either on the water or as an on land volunteer leaves unchanged,” says Cheu. “Only recently are people outside of Asia beginning to see and experience the magic team and community building aspects of this ancient sport.”

San Francisco Bay Area Regional Center rebrands as Golden Gate Global

Noted EB-5 Company has raised nearly $200,000,000 dollars since 2012

www.3GFund.com

Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc / (415) 693-0583 / news@davidperry.com

9 September 2014 — San Francisco, CA: With an eye towards increased job growth and expanding immigration investment into the Bay Area and beyond, the esteemed EB-5 investment organization, San Francisco Bay Area Regional Center (SFBARC) has rebranded as Golden Gate Global (www.3GFund.com)

“San Francisco is our home and our inspiration, a golden gateway to global enterprise and the entrepreneurial spirit,” said Ginny Fang, CEO of Golden Gate Global. “Our connections are made across cultures and across oceans. Our clients are international and our investment opportunities, world class. With new opportunities and new demand, our brand has expanded to meet a continually growing need. We’ve always been international. Now, our name reflects that reality.”

Golden Gate Global (GGG) is federally-designated to facilitate foreign direct investment into the United States through the EB-5 immigrant investor program. This program, operating under the auspices of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is designed to both encourage the flow of foreign capital into the U.S. economy and assist in domestic job growth. Under the EB-5 program, foreign investors can receive immigration benefits for investing $1 million, or $500,000 for Targeted Employment Areas, in the United States. Those investments must be shown to create at least 10 permanent, US jobs. Contingent upon the success of creating such jobs, investors and their qualifying family members are offered the prospect, but not a guarantee, of lawful permanent residence in the United States.

“Golden Gate Global, through its EB-5 projects such as The San Francisco Shipyard is a prime example of how government and business can work together to create jobs and grow an economy,” said Fang. “Hundreds of clients from over 12 different countries have invested with us to achieve their family immigration goals while at the same time providing permanent jobs for United States workers and supporting the development of a new community.”

One of GGG’s most prominent projects is the 775-acre San Francisco Shipyard development in the City of San Francisco. The project will create 12,000 new homes, a regional retail center, offices and more than 300 acres of parks.

Data from the USCIS indicate that 6,346 EB-5 petitions were received last year with more than $3.25 billion in capital formation.

< P style = "text-align: center;" > < img alt = "AIDS Emergency Fund" src = "http://www.davidperry.com/images/stories/newslogos/dpa.png" /> < h2 > KTSF broadcast television pioneer and owner of Lillian Lincoln Howell’s death
 < h3 > 1921年2 26 – August 31, 2014 < br > < br > Asian language television will continue for the family hold
 < br > < br > Media Contacts: David Perry < br > 415.676.7007 < br > news@davidperry.com < br > < P > 2014年9 3 – San Francisco, CA: 8 On 31 May, the San Francisco Bay Area pioneer and long-term owner of the television station KTSF television industry Lillian Lincoln Howell quietly died in his home in the South Bay. She was born on February 26, 1921, at the age of 93 years old. < P > “My mother is a broadcast industry visionary people, but also a generous philanthropist,” said her son, which is the chief executive officer KTSF of Lincoln Howell said. “Her courage to take risks in this life, we created a television mission: service to underserved populations, she completed the mission, created her legendary future we will…” 
Howell was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Her father, industrialist and inventor John C. Lincoln with his mother Helen had three children, she is the eldest daughter. Her father is a pastor’s eldest son, he founded the Lincoln Electric Company in 1895. She was studying Pomona College and graduated in 1943. After graduation, she taught preschool in California, served as director of the leisure activities of children with disabilities in a Phoenix home. She married Carl Howell, has one only son Lincoln. In 1957, after the couple separated, Lillian moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area. In the mid-1960s, she learned that the US Federal Communications Commission’s market in San Francisco issued a new commercial television license. She applied for and won the US Federal Communications Commission of the license. She created a KTSF TV in 1976, designed to reflect the diversity of the Bay Area Asian American community. KTSF ownership in Howell, became the first focus of Asian and other ethnic programming language American television, providing TV programs in 12 languages. < P > KTSF began in September 4, 1976 broadcast from San Bruno Mountain, including Chinese and Japanese programs from abroad, as well as the United States show a replay. “My mother wanted to offer audiences other stations not covered,” her son said. “She committed a large number of Asian forms of the program.” At the time, only the composition of 5% Asian American population of the Bay Area. Today, Asian American population is higher than 23% of the television market. Over the years, KTSF make adjustments based on changes in population structure, we began to increase live news broadcast in Cantonese and Mandarin. < P > “Lillian Howell is unusual in that, despite her routine, to act according to their own pace, firmly pursue their faith,” said her daughter Barbara Bissell-Howell said of her. “She is not in the interests of television buy for the purpose, but to help the community. She was 90 years old when the neighboring, also continue to participate in the management of television weekly meeting. As the owner of television, she always put TV staff . The welfare in the first place ” 
Howell believes to contribute to the community through generous donations to charity, so she founded the Lillian Lincoln Foundation, for the topic she is interested in using the funds to support the production of the relevant documentary: Taiwan’s land reform, Japan primary education, and cultural exchanges elderly Swedish welfare system, small loans for Third World women, the United States and Vietnam between theater producers, and so on. < P > Howell leaving behind her son Lincoln Howell, daughter Barbara Bissell-Howell, her granddaughter Alisha Howell, and her brother David Lincoln. After a private funeral, we will hold a public memorial service.

Broadcast TV Pioneer & KTSF Owner Lillian Lincoln Howell Dies

February 26, 1921 – August 31, 2014

Asian Language TV Station To Continue Under Family Ownership

Media Contact: David Perry
415.676.7007
news@davidperry.com

9 September 2014 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA: TV pioneer and longtime owner of the San Francisco Bay Area television station KTSF Lillian Lincoln Howell died peacefully at her South Bay home on August 31. Born February 26, 1921, she was 93 years old.

“My mother was a visionary in the broadcasting industry and a generous philanthropist,” said her son, Lincoln Howell, KTSF CEO. “She took big risks in her life and created our station’s mission: to serve the underserved. That she did and as her legacy, that we’ll continue to do.”

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Howell was the eldest of three children born to industrialist and inventor John C. Lincoln and his wife Helen. Her father, the oldest son of a minister, founded Lincoln Electric in 1895. She attended Pomona College where she later graduated in 1943. Following graduation, she taught preschool in California, worked as a recreational director in a disabled children’s home in Phoenix, and married Carl Howell, with whom she had her only son, Lincoln. After the couple separated in 1957, Lillian moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. In the mid-1960s, she learned that the Federal Communications Commission was making a license available for a new commercial television station in the San Francisco market. She applied and was granted the license by the FCC. In 1976, she started KTSF television, whose programming was designed to reflect the diversity of the Bay Area’s Asian American community. Under Howell’s ownership, KTSF became the first television station in the United States to focus on Asian-language and other ethnic programming, offering programming in 12 different languages.

The station began transmitting from San Bruno Mountain on September 4, 1976, with Chinese and Japanese programming from overseas and syndicated reruns of U.S. programs.

“My mother wanted to offer programming to people that no other station was serving,” said her son. “She committed a substantial amount of her programming to the Asian format.”

At that time, Asian Americans made up only five percent of the Bay Area population. Today, the television market’s Asian American population is more than 23 percent. Over the years, KTSF responded to the changing demographics and began adding live newscasts in Cantonese and Mandarin.

“Lillian Howell was unique in that she marched to the beat of her own drum and firmly stuck to her own beliefs, regardless of popular convention,” said her daughter-in-law Barbara Bissell-Howell. “It wasn’t profits that motivated her interest in buying a television station, but rather helping the community Even as she approached the age of 90, Lillian continued to attend weekly manager meetings at the station. As owner, the welfare of her employees was always a priority.”

Howell believed in giving back through generous charitable donations and as such created the Lillian Lincoln Foundation which funds documentaries on topics of interest to her: land reform in Taiwan, primary education in Japan, the Swedish system of caring for its elders, micro-lending for women in the third world, and cultural exchange between American and Vietnamese theatrical producers, among others.

Howell is survived by her son, Lincoln Howell, her daughter in-law, Barbara Bissell-Howell, her granddaughter, Alisha Howell, and her brother, David Lincoln. A public visitation will be held at Crosby and Gray Funeral Home (2 Park Road, Burlingame, CA) on Saturday, September 13, 3pm – 7pm.