The Taiwanese American Senior Society (TASS)
大華府台美人長樂會
The Taiwanese American Senior Society (TASS) of Greater Washington DC areas was officially found on April 28, 2007. The society is established for the Taiwanese Americans who are 55 of age or over. TASS offers many activities to serve its members: providing useful and practical daily living information, promoting healthy and happy life style, encouraging learning and exploring hobbies, maintaining good social and interpersonal relationships, and hopefully preventing or delaying the onset of dementia in the later life. The membership has grown fast initially and steadily, and reaches 214 members at the present time.
Since June 4, 2007 TASS has been offering its programs on every Monday or Tuesday from 10:30 AM to 2:30PM, at different locations: the Taiwan Culture Center (TCC) in Rockville, Maryland, Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, Maryland, and Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Derwood, Maryland. Starting September 2007, TASS has conducted one Saturday program for each month to accommodate those members who are not yet retired. In December 2008, Entertainment for life enrichment as well as games or exercises was added on the third Thursday of each month.
The programs cover four major categories: learning, health and fitness, leisure and travel, and lectures/seminars on information regarding medicine, technology or life. The morning program is mainly lecture/seminar on one of the focused topics and the afternoon program is more relaxed and fun, such as Taiwanese songs singing, line dance, movies, games, and life experience sharing etc.
TASS Founding President 2007-2009
Jia-huey Yu, D.D.S., Ph.D.林佳惠
To read the 大華府台美人會刊創刊號, tass_journal_5_29_07_1.
介紹一個成功的社團
游宏仁
大華府台美人長樂會（Taiwanese American Senior Society-TASS)
四，五十年前台灣的青年人受到政治，經濟和學術環境的壓力，大批人不顧一切湧入這美麗的國度，為的是一個美好的願景。大部份的人都流過大量的汗水， 經常熬夜，費盡心思，勞其筋骨而創造了一番亮麗的生涯。這些人事業已達顛峰，兒孫也已成群，開始考慮下一程的人生旅途。很多人都有同感，退休以後能做什 麼？ 在這個科枝日新月異的時代，不繼續跟進，就會落伍，社交場合就不知所云。靠子孫解決生活起居，巳不是現代人的思想。那麼怎樣才能過着儘量不為老人症候所困 的快樂且滿足的生活？
在華府地區，他們考慮當地環境，人才資源，成立了一個新的社團，針對台美人55歲以上希望過著積極，健康，快樂，有趣的生活以及結交新友，保持社會 人際闗係而設立的。二零零七年四月廾八曰創會時有72人參加，選出十三位理事，產生了一位會長。理事們分工合作，努力編製節目，本著創會宗旨 “學習新知，健身，養心和永續青春＂的信念。TASS 開始提供每週一次的活動，其項目包羅萬象，有科技，學術，醫學演講，生活經驗的傳授，手藝學習，經濟理財，法律常識，休閒與健身以及參觀旅遊等等。
每週一早上十時到下午二時，在一個暫時租借的場所舉辦活動。節目大部份是活化大腦的學習新知，以及比較輕鬆，養心，健身方面的活動，不但讓會員獲得 有用的資訊，也享受到健康快樂的生活，提供會員一個建立友誼，互相闗心的机會，使大家能密切保持聯繫，維持身心平衡，達到永續青春的效果。顧慮到還沒有退 休的會員，増辦了每月一次週六專題演講，邀請專家學者，貢獻精闢的節目。TASS 也舉辦了多次的旅遊，大受會員們的歡迎及喜愛。現在毎月又添加了一次週四娛樂休閒的活動，包括橋牌，麻將，圍棋，照相技術和電腦知識的傳授，電影欣賞以及 （Life Enrichment），增進生活情懷，討論的是人生哲學。會員口啤相傳，他們覺得參加TASS很感溫馨，會員及演講者常融合在一起，會員時常提出有 趣及實用的問題，會堂充滿笑聲。不到一年的時間，會員人數增倍，以後數年更是直線上升，現在已達200多人。有一段時期因爲租地停車的限制無法增收新會 員，也為了保持現有會員的融恰和慕，新會員需要二名會員的推薦，審查通過才成會員，為了運作方便，只在年會前後兩個月才接受申請，理事會的組成除了會長， 副會 長外，有袐書，財務，會籍，節目主持，公關及出版。每年改選一半，經驗可以留傳，新理事也有時間見習，會長主持會議，計劃，協調，對外代表TASS的工 作。理事會成員不容許用TASS的名義作私人的交易，TASS的活動都須經過理事會決定運作的。
TASS的經費除了會費，全靠捐助，其方式有義賣自創的藝術品，自種的疏菜以及將聚餐，旅遊剩餘的款項捐出，集少成多，理事及演講者 都是奉獻性質的，TASS最多只給一些紀念性的禮物，所以經費並不拮据 。
二年以後會員對TASS的感想，簡略轉述如下：一位會員說“加入此會，有聴，有看，有吃，有玩，有說，有唱還有笑，大家開心的出去，快快樂樂的回 家，其樂無比—–＂。還有一位叙述參加的經過＂聼説長樂會的成立，不知何組織，也沒想要問清楚，以後朋友邀請我們去參訪，去了一次，我們就被迷住 了，最大的誘因是豐畗的節目與開放自由的氣氛。
一位沒有退休的會員寫道 “每次參加專題講座，都覺得很幸福，很感恩，在短短的時間內就可以獲得演講者窮其一生研究所得的學問精華，世間那有比這更快樂的事呢？每次參加活動，都讓我以作會員為傲。更難能可貴的是大家都慷慨的把珍貴的人生經驗與大家分享。”
還有一位陳述“我們以為長樂會就是一大堆老人經常在一起，討論一些生老病死，解解寂寞的人，實在沒感興趣，每次我都笑著拒絕了，有一次我去旁聽一位 醫師對歐洲藝術史的介紹，還有一次是疾病衛生常識的說明，另外一次是講解日本武士道的精神，節目精闢，會員都很快樂，親切也友善，使我對此會的看法大為改 觀，交了三次旁聽費後，我們決定加入為正式會員，在華府四十多年，我覺得這是一個最值得參加的社團“。
在美國多年有時寫英文比較容易，一位會員感謝理事們 “Our hardworking, committed and dedicated president and board members have made TASS a very special, warm, friendly and interesting place for us. We would like to say a heartfelt, Thank you “ . 另一位寫道 “I want to congratulate the excellent activities and programs organized by the Society’s leadership. 還有一位如此説“After 30 years of teaching career at the university, I finally retired. When TASS started I joined but did not expect much. As time went by, I found and still do that TASS is the most interesting, most intellectual and most informative organization I have ever belonged to. I am totally attracted to TASS. I attended every activity whenever I could。 上述感言非等閒之士寫的，而是老師，教授，統計師以及五位博士的話。 筆者有刪簡之處，絕無添油加醋的工夫。
展望未來，相信會員會越來越多，活動也會越頻繁，需要有一個固定的場所聚會。總有一天身體不能隨心所欲，神智也開始失靈，需要照顧。考慮設，Day Care Center for the Seniors，供應午餐及交通車。經費來源可申請政府補助，鼓勵子女捐款，給他們有回饋父母的機會，當然善心人士捐獻也是歡迎的。希望以後各大都市都有 TASS的組織， 那麼我們走到那裡都能聼到那熟悉的鄉音，講我們的故事，談我們的心聲，讓我們的金華歲月過得更充實，也更有意義。
The year 2015-holiday season is fast approaching. As in the past years, TASS will be organizing a Holiday Luncheon to commemorate the special occasion, and for the members to have the opportunity to exchange warm regards to each other during the holiday. TASS BODs have decided to hold this year’s luncheon at Far East Restaurant located in Rockville, which most of our members are familiar with. The details for the luncheon are as follows. We trust that the menu provided would be appealing to you, and would motivate you to go ahead and register for the luncheon at your earliest convenience.
Date: December 8, 2015 (Tuesday)
Time: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Place: Far East (遠東) restaurant —
5055 Nicholson Ln, Rockville, MD 20852 (301-881-5552)
Cost: $25 (check made payable to TASS) per person
