The evening of March 5, 2016 found the second floor of the 7 Flavors, San Juan jam-packed with Celadon members both old and new. Everyone present that night from 6:00-10:00 p.m. gathered for Celadon’s annual alumni gathering with this year’s theme, “Wait for me to come home,” inspired by Ed Sheeran’s song, Photograph.
After a short opening message by project head Benson Tan explaining this year’s theme, the event formally kicked off with Celadon alumni and members, scattered at different tables, coloring the Celadon logo as an icebreaker. The buffet dinner followed afterwards. Joshe Tiu performed a variety of songs with his saxophone while everyone ate and swapped stories.
After dinner, old and new Celadon members once again had to cooperate for a trivia game featuring past and present facts questions about Celadon. There was also an entertaining game of pair drawing, wherein two-man teams must draw a picture with one person seeing the model figure and relaying instructions while the partner draws the figure guided only by the former’s advices.
The first president of Celadon, Wilson Lee-Flores, gave a speech about his take on the past and present status of the organization he once led. This was followed by a general picture taking and Jazel Khu’s singing performance.
The event closed out with President EG Dizon delivering a statement about Celadon as a home for culture and family, on how the current pool of 815 members and public regard play crucial roles, along with the importance of the sustainability factor.
Asked about his take on this year’s event, Benson Tan remarked, “Identifying what Alumni Gathering is for, which is to remind people, the alumni, what Celadon meant for them. Ito ang tambayan nila pag wala silang ginagawa, or yung place na nakikita nila si crush, or kung saan where they can hang out with people they go bowling or went to Taiwan with, etc. And ultimately, it is to remind them about the organization that somehow we find ourselves going back to.”
For the rest of the alumni that came, the event was a nostalgic catch-up with the people and the memories they made in this organization.
Written by Ervin Llobrera
Edited by Dann Dy
Photography by Sean Lee
