On 8 March 1981, a group of enthusiastic people gathered together and founded the “Sydney Chinese Child Care and Community Co-operative Society”. Its initial goal was simple: to establish a child care centre for the Chinese community.
After ten years of development, the Society had not only achieved its goal of “establishing a child care centre” but had also gradually expanded to provide other services needed by the community. In 1989, the Society’s name was changed to the “Chinese Australian Services Society” to reflect the diversification of its work.
On 9 March 1991, the Society celebrated its tenth birthday. The “CASS 10th Anniversary Celebration Dinner” was held at Yum Sing Seafood Restaurant. It was the first large-scale celebration organised by the Society since its establishment. Around 200 people attended, including management personnel from government services departments, Family Day Care carers, staff members, volunteers, Society members and friends in the community. No politicians were present.
At the celebration, Henry, as Chairperson, delivered a speech reviewing the Society’s development over the past decade. He thanked the volunteers, members, directors and people in the community for their support: “These achievements are the results of collective wisdom and concerted efforts from many people. Many people contributed selflessly their times, efforts as well as resources to every activity and service provided, e.g. the conduct of social surveys to collect data, fetes, summer camp and so on.”
Henry encouraged everyone: “It takes ten years to grow trees but a hundred to rear people. Therefore, there still is a long way for CASS to go before the objectives of CASS are fully fulfilled. We should continue to strive in the future, to improve our work and achieve this goal.”
At this joyful and significant occasion, guests presented certificates of recognition to people who had contributed to the Society, including children. A lively and relaxing karaoke session was also arranged. Guests, children from the Children’s Drama Class and Family Day Care carers took turns singing delightful songs. Finally, members of the Board went on stage together to sing the birthday song and cut the anniversary cake. Everyone was deeply moved.
To commemorate this important milestone, the Society published its first souvenir book, the CASS 10th Anniversary Souvenir Publication. It was edited by Steven Sim, with Henry Pan, Kiok Sin Ong and several other volunteers serving on the editorial team. The then Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon. R J L Hawke MP; the then Premier of New South Wales, The Hon. Nick Greiner MP, other dignitaries and senior government departmental officials contributed congratulatory messages to the publication.
By turning the pages of the Souvenir Publication, readers could trace the Society’s footsteps over its first decade in the section titled “A Brief Diary of CASS”: operating Campsie Child Care Centre and Darling Harbour Child Care Centre; developing Family Day Care services; establishing children’s playgroups and the Children’s Drama Class; undertaking the Croydon Elderly Home project for EACH; organising seminars on social issues; advocating for the rights of the Chinese community; providing social welfare information and assistance; and raising its own funds to build the Campsie Activity Centre. In another section titled “CASS and I”, staff members, carers and service users shared stories about the many memorable moments they had experienced with the Society.
🤔Next, the Society would focus on developing settlement services. There is more to share in the next article!