To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Eastern Charity Foundation, Chairman Gary Wang of the Eastern Charity Foundation built the world’s first blue Christmas tree of masks, which is also currently the largest Christmas tree of a private enterprise. The Christmas tree is standing proudly in the headquarters building of Eastern Group in Zhonghe. Guests from the five major fund recipient organizations were also invited to attend the event, including Tseng Yu-Shan, principal of Cing-Shan Elementary School in Pingtung; Hung Wan-Li, principal of Feng Nian Elementary School in Taitung; Rev. Fr. Stephen Huang, director of the Catholic Kuang Jen Social Welfare Foundation; Lin Mei-Chun, vice president of the Sisters of Our Lady of China Catholic Charity Social Welfare Foundation; and Lin Yu-Ying, administrative team leader of the Defang Education and Training Center in Miaoli. Gary Wang, president of Eastern Group and chairman of the Eastern Charity Foundation, dressed up as Santa Claus to give out candies to the children from the remote communities as a part of the early Christmas celebration. Together with the famous Taiwanese tennis sisters Chan Yung-Jan and Chan Hao-Ching, as well as eight children, Gary Wang lit up the Christmas tree of masks in front of the Eastern Group Zhonghe headquarters. The 10-meter-tall Christmas tree, made of 3,000 masks, was first revealed in the dreamy NB blue tone symbolizing Eastern Natural Beauty, and has a super heart-warming name—“Natural Beauty Pray for Peace Christmas Tree.”
Gary Wang, chairman of Eastern Charity Foundation, said: “For 14 years, Eastern has been providing nutritious breakfasts and building meaningful relationships with the children. I even received a Christmas card from a beneficiary student three years ago after he grew up and was serving in the military, sharing that he now also looked forward to helping others. I was very moved. Although we don’t see each other often, Eastern’s love will always care for the indigenous children in the rural communities. I believe that only when children can go to school can they become the future masters of our country. For this reason, Eastern has long supported children with potential to pursue their dreams, and has invested in nurturing the sisters Chan Yung-Jan and Chan Hao-Ching to become the pride of Taiwan on the international stage. This year, due to the impact of the pandemic, many organizations that have long received donations from outside have a seen a reduction in their funding and supplies. Eastern has continued to be on the front line in these difficult times to provide care and support. I would like to thank God for blessing Eastern and allowing it to operate normally. Therefore, I have created the world’s first Christmas tree of masks at the entrance of the Eastern headquarters to share this blessing with everyone.”
International gold-medal tennis champions, the sisters Chan Yung-Jan and Chan Hao-Ching, attend the “Sending Love to Tribal Villages” gala every year, and were greatly moved by so many indigenous children showcasing their talents and their dedicated performances. Chan Hao-Ching said, “Even though it is raining, I am still touched by the atmosphere at the venue. Every year when I come to the event, my heart feels especially warm. I want to thank Uncle Wang for his unceasing care ever since we were small; it has served as a powerful support, allowing us to go on competitions around the world without worry.” Chan Yung-Jan said that after seeing Papa Eastern helping so many children enjoy a nutritious and delicious breakfast for 14 years, she would like to praise him as a role model of public welfare. She also recalled that she was only 14 years-old when she first met Gary Wang, but now she is 31 years-old and still receives long-term care and attention from Eastern. So she encouraged the children to bravely pursue their dreams: “Although the general atmosphere is a bit gloomy due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern is like warm sunlight giving hope for the future.”
Principal Hung Wan-Li of Feng Nian Elementary School in Taitung thanked Eastern for providing the children with the opportunity to visit Taipei. Participating in this warm and grand evening in the film studio, and lighting the lights on Christmas Eve together was the best gift for the children. Hung Wan-Li recounted that of all of the schools she has served at, all have benefited from Eastern over the past nine years. In addition to providing Breakfasts Made of Love, and providing pupils with exchange opportunities to Fujian and Guangdong, Eastern also takes time on a general basis to ask if they need assistance and to send their care. For example, thanks to the recent fundraising efforts of the Eastern Charity Foundation, Feng Nian Elementary School, a small school of only 72 students, won second place in the Taitung County Recorder Competition this year, thanks to the selfless help of Eastern.
Tseng Yu-Shan, principal of Cing-Shan Elementary School in Pingtung, thanked Eastern Group for extending its blessing to Pingtung’s indigenous communities, more than 300 kilometers away, three years ago. Eastern brought resources to Cing-Shan Elementary School and the pupils became children blessed by Eastern. According to Tseng Yu-Shan: “Education is the fastest way to shorten the distance between people and the world, and sharing is the necessary process to create and influence lives.” Through Eastern’s practical actions of love by making up the deficit in the limited educational resources, it has allowed children to receive their full blessing and grow up properly in the tribal community.
Many families were shattered by the Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999. In order to assist disaster relief efforts, rebuilding of homes, and counseling work, President Gary Wang of Eastern Group established the Eastern Charity Foundation the following year. Now, 20 years after its establishment, the Foundation’s service beneficiaries have expanded from disaster victims to include indigenous communities, children from remote and rural areas, and disadvantaged groups. The Eastern Charity Foundation incorporates the resources of the Group and invites ETMall’s 9 million members to donate 5 million invoices each year. To provide children with sufficient morning nutrition to start the day of learning with full energy, the “Breakfast of Love” has entered its 14th year of sponsoring children in remote areas.
“Care, Warmth, and Happiness” has always been the core philosophy of the Eastern Group, which has long provided support to the disadvantaged groups in Taiwan and sends care wherever its needed. Eastern’s charity work has continued uninterrupted for the past 20 years. During the pandemic this year, the public welfare activities have risen to another level. The “Eastern Farm” project has continued on from last year, while ETMall took the lead in actively cooperating with the national government policy to promote Taiwan’s high-quality agricultural products together with 11 county and city leaders, achieving domestic sales and helping small farmers. Care for the underprivileged and the senior citizens included a donation of a NT$10 million relief fund, while Eastern Global New Network Marketing (Eckare), upholding the Easton Group’s philosophy of “giving back to society for what is taken from society,” donated a thousand of bags of new Chihshang rice from Taitung to seven large welfare organizations during this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival and Double Ninth Festival. It was hoped that by helping disadvantaged families, they can spend the holidays with peace-of-mind. Further acts of care for public welfare include organizing blood donation drives and donating long-term care vehicles. As a tribute to our nation’s pandemic-prevention force, Eastern also donated the medical-grade STREMARK skincare products with a value of NT$30 million from Eastern Natural Beauty to thank the frontline healthcare workers for their dedication. All of these are the results of our joint efforts to protect Taiwan. We hope that we can send love through practical actions to the people of Taiwan to overcome the pandemic together. In the future, Eastern will continue to act according to our core philosophy of care, warmth, and happiness. We hope that through the power of media, social media communities, and sales platforms, more people can join together to show their love and help those in need, creating a cycle of kindness in Taiwan. We also hope to accompany more disadvantaged groups and children in the next 20 years.
To celebrate the Christmas season, Eastern Group is launching a double check-in raffle giveaway with “Natural Beauty Pray for Peace Christmas Tree” as the theme. First check-in event: from 11/13 (Fri) – 11/29 (Sun), you will receive 100 ET coins for checking in on ETMall’s Facebook fan page; share and like this post, and tag two friends in the comment section. Second check-in event: from 11/28 (Sat) – 12/27 (Sun), take a photo of the #NaturalBeautyPrayForPeaceChristmasTree in person at the ETMall Zhonghe headquarters, or go to any Christmas tree attraction in Taiwan, upload your photo with the Christmas tree in the comment section of this post, leave #NaturalBeautyPrayForPeaceChristmasTree in the comments, and you have a chance to win a Nintendo Switch Set in the lucky draw (one winner). Limited to one entry per person only. The set includes the new Nintendo Switch Console Neon Blue & Red Set (Extended Battery Life Console): market price: NT$9,780 + Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure (market price: NT$2,550). For those looking forward to getting a Christmas gift, don’t miss this rare chance to win in the lucky draw. What are you waiting for?! Take the MRT Circular Line to Jingping Station and take a happy photo of yourself with the dreamy and heartwarming “Natural Beauty Pray for Peace Christmas Tree” at the Eastern Zhonghe headquarters. For more information about the event, please go to the ETMall Facebook fan page.