The hub council is pleased to have a new member onboard. Let us welcome Halley Tang. His biography is below.
My name is Halley Tang. I was born in Vietnam, and went to Japan and graduated as an Engineer. I then immigrated to Canada in 1979. I am fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Vietnamese and English languages.
In 2011, I decided to retire early and began enjoying the next part of my life. I went to Renfrew Community Centre, and became involved with a myriad of volunteering activities: I began volunteering as a DJ for the Senior’s Social Ballroom Dancing Program and assisted in the kitchen for various galas and events. Other activities that I have grown to enjoy over the years in my capacity as a volunteer include: teaching line dancing, organizing karaoke nights, MCing at group parties and weddings, being the primary chef for community events, acting as a interpreter, running a virtual physical exercise program for seniors, and being a council member for the Vietnamese Senior Group.
During my volunteer engagements, I noticed that many of my fellow seniors asked for help with their electronic-related products such as computers, smart phones and tablets. Many of my friends told me that they actually felt isolated from their families and friends because of the new technology. Ironically, these products were made with the aim to help broaden and facilitate social networks, yet my friends felt that they were not able to get any help from their networks in order to learn how to use the new technology.
Many of my friends even stated that learning the new technology was difficult because of their age. These conversations were what eventually led me to my goal to help my friends both develop their self-confidence and to enable them to connect with their loved ones using high-tech products. I was able to get this idea off the ground by starting my own iPad & iPhone classes within local neighbourhood houses and community centres. I’m very happy to report that these have been a huge success. In fact, I have been able to widen my outreach to different communities and offer iPhone classes at Renfrew and Mount Pleasant Community Centres, and at Kiwassa, Thunderbird and most recently at South Vancouver Neighborhood House.
My biggest achievement in my retired life has come from the feedback I have received from the students in my technology classes. In the end, as long as my senior friends feel happy, I am happy. This is my greatest achievement in my retired life.
