This month, we are excited to honor Bowbow Gu as Volunteer of the Month! Bowbow has been volunteering for years with the Issaquah Highlands Chinese Heritage Club, and recently has led the group in planning the community-wide Chinese New Year Celebration, Mooncake Festival, and other events. She is pictured here with her husband and two sons at this year’s Chinese New Year Celebration.
Bowbow has lived in Issaquah Highlands (the West Highlands Park neighborhood) for over five years. She and her husband, Cannon, have two sons – Norris (4 years) and Oscar (7 months). Originally from Shanghai, China, Bowbow wants her children to know about all aspects of their heritage, including Chinese history and culture.
Her passion for her heritage is what got her involved in the Chinese Heritage Club when she was invited to participate by group founders Hailian Liu and Sylvia Chin. She started volunteering right away to keep Chinese culture at the forefront for those kids (and adults) who were born and/or live abroad, away from their extended Chinese family.
In February, Bowbow organized the community Chinese New Year Celebration, which featured live music, dances, a Kungfu show with dragon dance, a variety of food, and fun games and prizes. Attendees had a great time experiencing the traditions of China right here in our neighborhood.
One of the things Bowbow loves about Issaquah Highlands is the range of cultures we get to experience as residents. In addition to teaching her kids about their heritage, she values the opportunity to share her Chinese culture with the rest of the community through events and celebrations. And through attending the variety of events offered in the Highlands, she is able to learn about and expose her kids to a multitude of other cultures. “We are so lucky to have so many different cultures represented in the Highlands,” noted Bowbow.
Thank you, Bowbow, for all you do for our community!
Bowbow Gu is community Volunteer of the Month for March 2019. She is one of the leaders of the Issaquah Highlands Chinese Heritage Club, producers of such events at Chinese New Year celebration at Blakely Hall.
