【华e生活讯】2025年1月28日，教堂山西摩老年中心在隆重举办了农历新年庆祝活动，吸引了超过150位社区居民参与。
活动在北卡佛光山的妙舟法师的莅临祝福下拉开帷幕。法师作为深受敬重的社区领袖，为在场嘉宾送上了新年祝福，现场洋溢着喜庆祥和之气。
活动以庄严的仪式开始。妙舟法师亲临现场，为大家送上了诚挚的新年祝福，并以“向前有路，光明在望”勉励大家勇于面对未来。法师的祝福不仅带来了温暖和希望，更传递了中华文化中积极乐观的精神。更特别的是，法师为每位长者精心准备了红包，这不仅是传统习俗的延续，更是一种创新的表达方式。红包里装载的不仅是祝福，更是对长者的关爱与尊重，为这个传统节日增添了无比温馨的气氛。
随后，优美的扇子舞《梅花颂》优雅登场，为庆祝活动增添了一份宁静之美。接下来，精彩纷呈的文艺表演轮番上演，展现了多元文化交融的魅力。由来自中国大陆、台湾、香港和马来西亚的多代歌手组成的“鸿雁合唱团”倾情献唱，展现了音乐无国界的魅力。91岁高龄的余先生已经连续11年与合唱团同台献艺，而85岁的徐女士不畏严寒，步行半小时前往排练，令人敬佩。
本地居民也登台展示中文学习成果，赢得热烈掌声。这一传统活动不仅展现了中华文化的博大精深，也吸引了越来越多的美国人学习中文。此外，“查理社交俱乐部”的成员们用流利的英语发表了感言，展现了他们对终身学习和社区融合的热情。“查理社交俱乐部”是一个专门为中国老年人开设的英语班，由一位来自山东青岛的华人创办，已有十多年的历史。
随后，《花妖》等古典舞表演以其诗意和婉转动人的旋律，带领观众领略中国古典舞的独特魅力。西蒙舞蹈团带来了精彩纷呈的独舞和旗袍舞表演。该舞蹈团成立于两年前，成员年龄在57岁至73岁之间。在老师们的精心指导下，舞者们翩翩起舞，展现了优美的舞姿和中国传统服饰的魅力。压轴节目由北卡罗来纳夕阳红器乐歌舞团呈现，包括独唱、二重唱、群舞、独舞和器乐演奏，进一步丰富了当天的艺术盛宴。他们的精湛表演增添了节日气氛，受到观众的一致好评。热闹的抽奖活动将庆祝活动推向了高潮。
此次农历新年庆祝活动不仅为社区居民带来了欢乐，也促进了不同文化之间的交流与理解，彰显了社区多元包容的精神。熊老师表示：“我们由衷地感谢橙郡政府，感谢西摩中心工作人员和志愿者们的付出，让我们生活在美国的华人能和美国朋友一起欢度美好的农历新年。”
最令人感动的是，活动中洋溢着浓浓的跨代合作氛围。北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校的学生志愿者们，用他们的青春和活力为活动注入了新的能量。从牛叔叔一大早加入布置会场，到熊老师积极参与撰写新闻稿，再到其他志愿者们协助拍摄活动纪录片，志愿者们与社区长者们共同创造了美好的回忆。87岁的张奶奶在表演后激动地说：“今天太开心了，感觉自己又年轻了好多！”来自北卡罗来纳大学的同学表示：“能为社区做贡献，我感到非常荣幸。”这种跨代合作不仅丰富了活动的内容，也拉近了不同年龄段的人之间的距离。
橙县老龄化部门主任詹尼斯·泰勒（Janice Tyler）表示：“我们非常感谢志愿者、表演者和赞助商们，使这次活动取得了巨大的成功。他们的支持对我们服务老年社区和促进文化理解的使命至关重要。”
西摩老年中心的农历新年庆祝活动成为了展示社区活力和老年居民持久精神的有力见证。
组织者强调了将所有年龄段和背景的人们聚集在一起分享文化庆典的欢乐的重要性。活动突显了中心致力于促进包容性和营造欢迎环境的承诺。
相关报道：
北卡佛光山除夕送暖長者 傳遞新春祝福
【人間社 心譽 美國北卡報導】2025-01-31
北卡佛光山監寺妙舟法師帶領知三法師、國際佛光會北卡協會會長陳美鳳及副會長謝月娥，於1月28日除夕前往北卡橙郡教堂山的希摩爾中心（Seymour Center），為樂齡長者送上星雲大師的春節墨寶與紅包，並提供摸彩獎品，傳遞新春祝福。
希摩爾中心隸屬橙郡老年部門（Department on Aging）已服務當地長者逾30年，致力於建立完整的支持系統，提供多元化的教育、文化及健康服務。當日，中心特別舉辦春節慶祝活動，安排各類文化舞蹈表演，由長者們親自演出。現場除了亞裔長者，亦有少數美裔及非裔長者共同參與。
妙舟法師在致詞時向長者們介紹星雲大師蛇年春節墨寶的意義，並說明紅包內除了佛光山的平安糖，還附有星雲大師的法語「人生108事」，為大家指引新年的方向，帶來智慧與祝福。隨後，法師們親自為長者們發送紅包，並祝福新年快樂。北卡協會會長陳美鳳亦贈送親手製作的棗糕，與長者們結緣，分享年節的甜美祝福。
希摩爾中心雙語普通話項目統籌負責人陳宇洁於月初來訪北卡佛光山，特別邀請道場前往慰問長者。陳宇洁表示，她本身在大學教授護理學，在希摩爾中心的工作屬於義務服務。由於曾親自照顧兩位公公及婆婆，深刻體會長者在晚年的需求，因此義無反顧投入長者關懷工作。她期望未來能與道場攜手合作，共同為長輩提供心靈關懷服務，讓關愛與溫暖持續傳遞。
活動結束後，義工們帶領法師及協會會長一行人參觀希摩爾中心，介紹其設施與服務內容，進一步促進未來合作的可能性。
橙郡（Orange County）官网上的英文报道：
Chapel Hill Celebrates Lunar New Year with Vibrant Cultural Extravaganza
CHAPEL HILL, NC – January 28, 2025 – The Seymour Senior Center in Chapel Hill buzzed with excitement on January 28th as it hosted a vibrant Lunar New Year celebration, bringing together over 150 community members. The event commenced with the arrival of Venerable Master MiaoJou of Fo Guang Shan in North Carolina, a respected community leader, who graced the occasion with his blessings and set a warm and festive tone.
Master MiaoJou delivered a heartfelt message of hope and encouragement, inspiring everyone with the words, ” Keep going, the future is bright. ” His compassionate words, coupled with the presentation of red envelopes to each senior as a symbol of good fortune and respect, created a truly heartwarming atmosphere. This thoughtful gesture went beyond tradition, showcasing the Master’s deep care and consideration for the elderly members of the community.
The celebration unfolded with a captivating array of performances. A graceful fan dance, “Ode to the Plum Blossom,” set the stage, followed by a heartwarming performance by the community senior choir, their voices echoing with unity and harmony.
The stage then welcomed a diverse range of talent, showcasing the vibrant cultural tapestry of the community. Local residents proudly displayed their Chinese language skills, captivating the audience with their fluency. The “Charlie Social Club,” an English language class specifically designed for Chinese seniors, presented moving speeches, highlighting the importance of lifelong learning and community integration. Founded over a decade ago by a local resident from Qingdao, Shandong, the club has become a testament to the power of cross-cultural exchange.
The afternoon continued with mesmerizing performances of classical Chinese dance, including the enchanting “Flower Demon” and captivating solo and group dances by the Simon Dance Troupe. The North Carolina Sunset Red Arts Troupe further enriched the celebration with a diverse program of solo and duet performances, group dances, and instrumental music.
The vibrant energy reached its peak with a lively raffle drawing, adding to the festive atmosphere. This Lunar New Year celebration was more than just entertainment; it was a testament to the community’s spirit, showcasing the vitality of its senior citizens and celebrating the richness of Chinese culture. The event beautifully demonstrated the power of cultural exchange and the importance of fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.
The participation of students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill added a youthful and energetic dimension to the event. From Mr. Niu’s early morning assistance with event setup to Ms. Xiong’s dedicated contribution to the event’s written documentation, and the active involvement of other students in creating a video record of the celebration, the students’ enthusiasm and dedication significantly enhanced the event’s success.
Ms. Janice Tyler, Director of the Orange County Department of Aging, expressed her gratitude, stating, “We are deeply grateful to the volunteers, performers, and sponsors for their invaluable contributions to the success of this event. Their support is crucial to our mission of serving the senior community and fostering cultural understanding.”
The Lunar New Year celebration at the Seymour Senior Center served as a powerful reminder of the strength of community, the beauty of cultural exchange, and the enduring spirit of its senior residents.
