Cambodian New Year Festival 2009 Committee

Dear Community,

Everyone seems very busy and very cautious at the moment of the economic downturn. Even with our valuable time and very tight spare time, the local community of Santa Clara, in collaboration with the San Jose Cambodian Buddhist Society, the Santa Clara Cambodian Women Association, the Cambodian American Resource Agency and active community members, still enables to form Cambodian New Year Festival 2009 (CNYF-09) committee in preparing and planning for the celebration of the coming "Year of The Ox 2553 B.E."

On behalf of the local community, I would like to congratulate Ms. Kara Uy and Ms. Davy Chea for accepting the nomination and voluntarily taking the role of the Chairwomen of CNYF-09 committee. Co-Chairs, Ms. Uy and Ms. Chea with their team, have been preparing their plan quietly and actively since December of 2008. Lots of progress have been made and will be announced soon. If you would like to join the team, please contact our Co-Chairs, kara.uy @ caraweb.org or davy.chea @ caraweb.org

This year, CNYF-09 will be celebrated on Saturday, April 11th, 2009. The morning program, Cultural Ceremony, will be celebrated at the San Jose Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc. (Wat Khmer San Jose). The evening program will be at the Napradak Hall, 770 Montague Expy, San Jose, 95131 and features:

• Khmer Talent Show
• Fashion Show
  
• Cultural Performance
• Social Dance
  

More update will be on http://www.caraweb.org/press

Wat Khmer San Jose
Under the leadership of Mr. Van Chek, President of Wat Khmer San Jose, the team of the temple renovation have been making their efforts to project that the temple should be ready by April for Cambodian New Year. Also, this is to inform local community that the new URL of the website is changed to http://www.WatKhmerSanJose.org More updated is on the way.

Cambodia New Year Festival 2009 Committee
Ms. Kara Uy - Co-Chair
Ms. Davy Chea - Co-Chair
Phillip Lim, Kelvin So, Van Chek, Channary Bill, Sovandy Heng, Thana Kong, Tahry Ros, Nepar Penn, Bun So, Paul Tun, Layso Lor, Sameth Lor, Perom Uch, Franliny Khuon, Jennifer Chan, Peter Chan, Chamroeun Yean, Vinita Kylin, Leslie Kim, Savary Dean, Raline Von-Below, Chanthoeun To, and many more.

Ms. Davy Chea, Co-Chair Ms. Chea joined CARA in August of 1999. She has also been a part of the dance troupe as a volunteer dancer. She comes from a long history of community service taking after her father who worked with Wat Khmer San Jose until 1998. She was the former President, former Vice President, and former Treasurer of the Independence High School Cambodian Club. She was rewarded with, "CARA Award" for her outstanding work in the community.

Ms. Kara Uy, Co-Chair Ms. Uy is an active volunteer to organizations that believe in positive change, including acting as a board of director for Santa Clara County Cambodian Women's Association. One of her greatest attributes is her dedication to the community. For almost a decade, she has been a Domestic Violence Family Advocate at Asian American's for Community Involvement. Kara’s creative endeavors include photography, music, writing and entrepreneurialism.

Best regards,
Chanthoeun To