Hsi Lai Temple Hosts Neighborhood Appreciation Party to Welcome the Community

Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple
February 7, 2025

"Welcome, Neighbors!" Hsi Lai Temple hosted a Neighborhood Appreciation Party on January 25, inviting nearly 400 guests, including local residents and representatives from Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), California Highway Patrol (CHP), Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), Hacienda Heights Improvement Association (HHIA), Hacienda La Puente Unified School District (HLPUSD), and University of the West (UWest). This event celebrated the upcoming Lunar New Year, fostering cultural exchange through a traditional lantern-lighting ceremony for peace and prosperity.

Guests were greeted with the "Eastern Art Exhibition" at the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery, while the Assembly Hall featured hands-on cultural activities. Attendees participated in creative paper-cutting crafts integrating snake-themed designs with the Chinese characters for "Fortune" and "Spring," calligraphy demonstrations of words like "Joy," "Compassion," and "Three Acts of Goodness," and a zodiac fortune wheel featuring calligraphic works by Fo Guang Shan Founding Master, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, highlighting characteristics of each zodiac sign. A ring toss game attracted children and parents, filling the hall with laughter and joy.

The banquet commenced with a vibrant lion dance by the North Shaolin Martial Arts Troupe, followed by Hsi Lai Temple Abbot Venerable Hui Dong leading guests to their seats in the Dining Hall. Notable attendees included Cpt. Glenn Emery, Captain of LASD City of Industry Station; Cpt. Melissa Hammond, Captain of the CHP Santa Fe Springs Station; Mr. Alfonso Jimenez, Superintendent of the HLPUSD; Dr. Lewis R. Lancaster, Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley; University of the West President Minh-Hoa Ta; HHIA President Phyllis Rokus; LACoFD Inspectors Octavio Corona and John Barrera; Mr. Chung Hwei Chang, CFO of KCAL Insurance; Ms. Mishelle Lin, Vice President of Asian Division at Rose Hills Memorial Park; and Ms. Echo Tsai, President of the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Los Angeles Chapter. Guests received warm applause, particularly first responders who had worked tirelessly during the recent Los Angeles wildfires.

In his bilingual welcome speech, Venerable Hui Dong expressed gratitude to law enforcement and emergency responders, acknowledging their dedication during the wildfires. He emphasized the importance of mutual support and unity in times of crisis and thanked neighbors for their understanding regarding traffic control measures during the temple’s Lunar New Year celebrations. He invited everyone to return for the upcoming Peace Lantern Festival.

The banquet featured an array of vegetarian delicacies prepared by Hsi Lai Temple venerables  and BLIA members, who also served the guests. Entertainment included performances by Fo Guang Friendship Scholarship recipient Ms. Zhang Guanyi, the Buddha’s Light Youth Symphony Orchestra (BLYSO), BLIA Los Angeles Young Adult’s Division (YAD) members Ms. Chen Zhiyiao and Ms. Lin Wenxi, and Mr. Logan Guilbert-Neal from the Hsi Lai Subchapter. Multiple raffle prize drawings were held, with distinguished guests drawing winners and offering Lunar New Year blessings.

Following the banquet, Venerable Hui Dong led attendees to the Main Shrine to chant for the Heart Sutra and reading of the Prayer for the California Wildfires and First Responders in both English and Chinese. Participants lit lanterns and made wishes for peace, as Venerable Hui Dong encouraged everyone to transcend cultural and religious differences and move forward together with hope and light.

Mr. David Medrano won the grand prize in the raffle—a golden plaque featuring Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s 2025 New Year calligraphy inscription, "Keep Going, the Future is Bright!" Mr. Medrano expressed his delight at the unexpected honor, describing it as a source of immense positive energy and hope.

Ms. Lucy Pedregon, a temple volunteer of over 30 years, praised Hsi Lai Temple for providing a space where people from diverse backgrounds can connect and foster mutual understanding. She enthusiastically recommends that friends and family visit the temple.

As the event concluded, a light rain began to fall. Some attendees remarked, "What a blessing! This long-awaited rain is a gift—may it help extinguish the wildfires and stop it from causing further harm."