SENIOR citizens enjoyed traditional Korean dance performances and learned how to make kimchi in an event sponsored by P&A Corporation at the Office on Aging on Tuesday, July 2.
According to P&A general manager Doyi Kim, the presentation was part of a workshop for the Korean Cultural Center, an organization of Koreans who call Tinian home.
“Our company, P&A Corporation, which operates Winners Restaurant, is always eager to participate in such special cultural activities,” she said. “We reached out to the manamko’ center to collaborate on this event, and they kindly agreed. This collaboration allowed us to enjoy the workshop together and strengthen community bonds and engagement.”
She said the performers and instructors were from Shikdo in Jeollanam-Do, Korea, which is an area known for fishing. Salted anchovies from Shikdo were used in making kimchi with a regional flavor.
The manamko’ learned how to prepare raw cabbage into two kimchi varieties — one for long-term storage and one for “fresh” consumption, meaning it could be eaten within 30 minutes of preparation.
Kim said P&A Corporation felt privileged to share Korean culture with the manamko’.
“P&A Corporation, together with its executives and officers, feels deeply honored and gratified to contribute to the manamko’, our respected elders in the community,” she said. “Supporting them in our own simple way is our way of expressing gratitude and respect for their lifetime of contributions and wisdom. We believe that by engaging in activities like this workshop, we not only help preserve and share cultural traditions but also foster a stronger, more interconnected community.”
For his part, Office on Aging Director Walter Manglona said it’s important to connect the elderly to the community.
“The older you get, you start to become more of an introvert,” he said, adding that it can be a “challenge” for the manamko’ to connect with the youth. “Our program tries to combat [isolation] by encouraging [the manamko’] to come to the center so they can meet their peers and give them something to look forward to. Learning [new things] is definitely the best way to be able to continue to have that drive to be able to move forward,” Manglona said.
He said because he wants to keep the elderly “happy and excited for life” he encourages community performances and workshops.
‘We’re always open to partner up with community members and there’s a variety of different programs out there and different companies and different organizations that want to come over here and pay homage to the seniors,” he said.
The manamko’ get a close look at the kimchi making process on Tuesday, July 2 at the Office on Aging.
Visitors from Shikdo, Korea teach the manamko’ how to process a cabbage and turn it into kimchi.
A presenter shows how to rub seasoning into the cabbage to make kimchi.
The manamko’ were treated to a special Korean dance performance as well.
P&A Corporation, which owns Winners Restaurant, sponsored the Korean cultural presentation at the Office on Aging.
