PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. (February 17, 2015)---While most Americans celebrated the beginning of 2015 a little more than a month ago, the Picatinny Arsenal Asian-Chinese Society helped employees ring in the Chinese New Year of 4713 during a Feb. 13 luncheon at Noodle Chu in Parsippany.
More than 200 Picatinny employees and service members attended the luncheon, which included opening remarks by Picatinny Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Ingrid Parker and stand-up comedy acts by comedians Stephen Lin and Jocelyn Chia. Guests were also served 10 courses of traditional Chinese dishes.
"We welcome the New Year of the sheep and all that brings," said Parker. "Chinese New Year marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It's a time of family reunions, a time for honoring ancestors and thanking the heavens for its blessings -- it's a time for gratefulness."
Chinese New Year, often referred to as the Spring Festival, is the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar.
The new year of 4713 begins Feb. 19, and it will be the year of the sheep. According to Chinese legend, Buddha asked animals to come to him and 12 arrived. Each of those 12 animals were designated a calendar year, with people presumed to have characteristics of the animal associated with the year that they were born. Persons born during the year of the sheep are considered artistic, charming, sensitive and sweet.
The Picatinny Asian-Chinese Society was established during the 1950s.
"Asian Americans have contributed immensely to Picatinny and have significantly benefited our warfighters and our nation through tremendous output of excellence through the growth of world-renowned leaders across a variety of fields," Parker said.
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