DECEMBER 2006

Message from the President
December General Meeting
Community Service Committee Report
Scholarship Committee Report
Social Networking Committee Report
Upcoming Events
2006 Executive Board
yKANer's Classifieds

UPCOMING yKAN EVENTS

Tuesday, December 12, 2006 - December Holiday Party Meeting @ Korean American Association of Greater NY

Dear yKAN,

• With over 135 attendees, the Valentine's Day Fundraiser generated twice as many funds than over previous years
• Our first APIA Leadership Forum with prominent Guest Speakers Stephen Pae, HaeYoung Kim, and Kyung B. Yoon and corporate co-sponsorship by PriceWatershouseCoopers
• Successful press release with eight different media contacts providing coverage of our Scholarship Program
• Our first yKAN Alumni Picnic, a morning to dusk picnic, reconvened a host of alumni who served on prior yKAN eboards. These efforts led us to reconnect with former First and Third Presidents, Michael Han and Paul Kim.
• Supportive collaborative outreach efforts and co-sponsorships on Community Service and Advancement events with organizations such as Korean Community Services (KCS), American Cancer Society (ACS), Korean American Bar Association (KABA), and our perennial supporters The Korea Society
• Membership-engaging and original interactive themes for yKAN events, including Valentine's Day, White Day, Black Day, the World Cup Social Event, and the Hallyu Young Professionals Forum (YPF)
• Our inaugural Scholarship Program Initiative where we've used our energies and funds towards promoting leadership in the next generation of college-bound Korean American leaders; Committee outreach was formally conducted to 14 Public High Schools in NJ and NY; Panel of Judges, Dr. Grace Lyu-Volckhausen, Dr. Hyunjoo Kwon, and Charles Khym, Esq. selected 4 Grand and Finalist award winners from a pool of 40 applicants to receive $2500.
• Event Sponsorships provided by Anheuser Busch, KoreAm Journal, Pan-Asian Repertory Theatre, HERE Arts Center, the Public Theatre, Palm Pictures, Hanahreum, Players Sports Lounge

As we had agreed to set out to do so at this time last year in December, these highlights have benefited the young Korean American Network organization in the following ways:

• increasing average GM attendance,
• increasing the level of quality in our event programming,
• strengthening our relationship with alumni/ BOD
• operational goal: running events at a profit/break-even by pursuing sponsorships

We've witnessed results in concrete terms:

• Attendance
• All this amounted to numerous 60-80 person events including but not limited to January GM Miss Info Guest Speaker, Valentine's Social Fundraiser, White Day Happy Hour at Maru, APIA Leadership Forum, August GM Michael Kang Guest Speaker, World Cup Social Event, and the YPF Hallyu
• Funding
• The culmination of sponsorships and attendance as well as generous donations from James Chung and Paul Kim and operational cost-efficient savviness of Julie Cho have led to a rosy and healthy budget for 2007, an amount that's twice the size of the beginning 2006 budget.

With much gratitude and pride, I can reflect back on the host of successes that we were able to accomplish to increase the visibility, fabric, and strength of yKAN, and deeply commend our yKAN Eboard team, alumni, members, and supporters for all their efforts. Again, I have to emphasize that none of this would have been possible without the dedicated involvement, original programming, and conscientious decision-making exemplified by the 2006 Eboard. Together, the group has been able to deliver on so much as a team, where our word was consistently backed up with serious and competent follow-through.

On countless occasions, I was approached by others in the Korean American community who recognized and praised the quality of yKAN's work in the community. Such has been the profound nature of community work. Let's look together towards the bright future for the continuation of yKAN in 2007 and on.

Thank you for a sterling and unforgettable year.

Yours truly,
Jaz Park
yKAN President
jaz@ykan.org

December Holiday Party Meeting

Please join the Young Korean American Network (yKAN) for our final General Meeting of 2006.

• [6:30PM - 7:00PM] Holiday Reception
• Refreshments will be served
• [7:00PM - 7:30PM] Awards Ceremonies
• [7:30PM - 8:00PM] Presidential Election
• [8:00PM - 9:00PM] Holiday party/networking

yKAN Community Service will be holding its annual Christmas Gift Drive for the Flushing Milal House. For those not familiar with this organization, the Milal House is an international organization that provides a home for the physically and mentally challenged.

Below is the residents' wish list. If you would like to fulfill a wish, please email Meeting at KAAGNY (149 West 24th St). If you cannot make it to the event and would still like to donate a gift, please email us at community@ykan.org so that we may arrange a drop off/pick up.

It would make Christmas at the Milal House special this year if yKAN and its members could match every resident with a sponsor and gift this year. Your support in helping the Milal House is greatly appreciated!

Wish List for Milal Gift Drive 2006

The Wish List is available at the following link: http://www.ykan.org/community/MilalGift2006.doc

Monetary donations are also welcome and can be made through our paypal account at: www.ykan.org/membership/donation.html

Alternatively, a check or money order can be sent to:

Korean American Network
PO Box 6777
Yorksville Station, New York, NY 10128

Thank you,
Julie Cho
Vice President/Acting Community Service Committee Chair
community@ykan.org

The yKAN Scholarship Committee is proud to announce the winners of the first inaugural yKAN Scholarship Award. The yKAN Scholarship Award was established to promote cultural and social awareness among college-bound high school seniors of Korean heritage, as well as to help provide future leaders of the Korean-American community with an opportunity to pursue their goals and make a positive impact on the Korean-American community.

The $1,000 yKAN Scholarship will be awarded to Elizabeth S. Jeong. Three $500 yKAN Scholarships will be awarded to Yoonhee G. Park, Michael G. Kim, and Ha Kyun Jung. Additionally, yKAN is proud to have honorable mentions, Lucas Chwe, Diana Sull, Albert Pak and Jae Suh. Winning essay selections were made by a panel of prominent Judges: Dr. Grace Lyu-Volckhausen, Dr. Hyunjoo Kwon, and Charles Khym, Esq.

Formal outreach to solicit applicants at Public High Schools in New York and New Jersey was conducted targeting the following schools, and outreach efforts were also greatly supported by the Korean Teachers Association (KTA) and the YMCA. Significant press coverage also helped in increasing student awareness at other schools about the availability of this opportunity.

List of Outreach Schools:

Benjamin Cardozo High School
Bayside High School
Francis Lewis High School
Stuyvesant High School
Bronx Science High School
Brooklyn Tech High School
Townsharris High School
Flushing High School
Newtown High School
Bryant High School
John Bowne High School
Fort Lee High School
Palisades Park High School
Leonia High School

On Tuesday, December 12, 2006, there will be an award ceremony for these yKAN Scholarship winners. To RSVP for attendance at this FREE event, please contact membership@ykan.org.

Thank you for your support,
yKAN Scholarship Committee
scholarship@ykan.org

Thanks to everyone that attended the 2007 Scholarship Kickoff Happy Hour at Players Bar & Lounge on November 17, 2006. With the special yKAN discount menu and drink coupons that Players generously offered us, 30 yKANers enjoyed a fun Friday night out. Members who attended received a complimentary copy of KoreAm magazine, along with a special yKAN discount subscription offer (free magazines and offer will also be distributed at the December meeting).

Thank you again to all the attendees and special thanks to the Players for their kind contribution of drink tickets to our donors. Remember, those tickes are good until December 17^th!

Special thanks to our members who made contributions towards next year's yKAN Scholarship program! We are already looking forward to next year!

As far as this year's yKAN Scholarship program goes, please come to our last General Meeting of the year on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at KAAGNY and congratulate our winners (and possible future yKANers)!

If you want to see yKAN host a particular type of social activity, please feel free to share your ideas by contacting social@ykan.org

Thank you,
Audrey Lee and Jin Lim
yKAN Social Committee
social@ykan.org

Here is the list of exciting upcoming events for next month.
You can keep up-to-date with the latest happenings at yKAN and other organizations on our calendar.

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WHAT:	[yKAN] December General Meeting
WHEN:	Tuesday, December 12, 2006 7PM
WHERE:	KAAGNY Main Hall Korean American Association of Greater NY 149 West 24th St. 6th Floor (bet. 6th & 7th Ave)
RSVP:	Email membership@ykan.org

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yKAN Classifieds

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Information on education fund for the children of Staff Sgt. Kyu Hyuk Chay

On October 28th Army Staff Sgt. Kyu Hyuk Chay, age 34, was killed by an improvised bomb in Oruzgan Province of Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Chay grew up in Westchester where his parents Sam and Soon Chay own and operate New Castle Cleaners on King Street in Chappaqua near the train station. The oldest son, Kyu Hyuk had hopes to become a judge advocate general (JAG) in the Army and was three credits shy of attaining a law degree from Brooklyn Law School.

He leaves behind his wife, Cathy Chay, a son, Jason, 5, and a daughter, Kelly, 11 months, and his parents and younger brother, 32. He lived with his wife and children in Fayetteville, N.C., and was assigned to 1st
Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) based in Fort Bragg, N.C.

yKAN would like to publicize the information for an education fund that has been established for his two young children. Checks made out to the Sgt. Kyu H. Chay Memorial Fund may be sent in care of his brother, Kyu T. Chay, to 350 W. 42nd St., Apt. 18-B, New York, NY 10036.

Courtesy of Philip Lee, KACF

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