为爱融社/ARS撰写的推荐信 -胡晓安 撰文

非常荣幸为ARS撰写这封推荐信。ARS是一个非营利组织，由一群富有献身精神的加拿大华裔移民创立，旨在帮助华人社区自疫情以来学会应对复杂的加拿大医疗系统。

我是在2021年认识ARS的。当时，我母亲的健康状况因COVID-19急剧恶化。我感到无助，不知道该去哪里寻求帮助。一位朋友介绍我认识了ARS的负责人Carmen。从那时起，我参加了他们的大部分网络分享会。我的父母，他们已八十多岁了，我的朋友和亲戚，以及我自己，都从中受益匪浅。以下是一些例子。

2022年，我通过ARS认识了李岱医生。他在我母亲的一次牙科急诊中给予了极大的帮助。李医生非常专业、知识渊博、友好且善良。我的母亲多年拒绝看牙医，并且更喜欢一位能讲流利普通话和英语的牙医。经过许多朋友的推荐，李医生成为了首选。我们的就诊经历非常愉快，自那以后，我和家人都改由李医生进行牙科护理。

同样在2022年，我因为关节疼痛而寻找针灸师。通过ARS，我认识了既受过西医培训又是中国针灸师的丁雷医生。他结合针刺和艾灸的方法帮助我缓解了疼痛，排毒，增强了消化系统的力量，并改善了睡眠质量。帮助我顺利度过了加拿大难熬的寒冬。

在2023年，我参加了一次由心理治疗师Petrus主持的网络研讨会，获益良多。他的专业知识和富有同情心的态度对我非常宝贵。

自2022年以来，我还依靠ARS介绍的各种医疗从业者。比如护士玛丽亚在我母亲突然出现健康问题时给予了很大的帮助。洗牙师玛格丽特耐心且友善地回答了我的私人问题。最重要的是，我要感谢Carmen，这位才华横溢、敬业的活动组织者和主持人。她的活力、智慧和热情令人鼓舞。

展望未来，我希望ARS能提供更多关于老年护理、营养、心理健康、脊椎治疗、物理治疗和自然疗法的医疗信息。我们需要懂得中加两国文化且对老年人友好的医疗服务，我相信ARS正处于带领我们的最佳时机和地点。

感谢ARS，感谢你们对我们社区无价的支持和奉献。

Letter to Ai Rong Association by Xiaoan Hu

It is a great pleasure for me to write this testimonial for ARS. ARS is a not-for-profit organization founded by a group of dedicated Canadian Chinese immigrants with the mission of helping the Chinese community navigate the complex Canadian medical system since the pandemic.

I came to know ARS in the year 2021(?). At that time, my mother’s health took a nose dive due to COVID-19. I felt helpless and did not know where to look for help. A friend introduced me to Carmen, the leader at ARS. Since then, I have attended most of their webinars. My parents, who are in their eighties, along with my friends, relatives, and I have benefited greatly from ARS. I would like to share a few examples of how ARS has impacted us.

In 2022, I met Dr. David Li through ARS. He helped my mother tremendously during a dental emergency. Dr. David Li is extremely professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and kind. My mom, who had refused to see a dentist for decades, preferred a dentist who is fully bilingual in Mandarin and English. After consulting many friends, Dr. Li was recommended as the top option. Our appointment with him was an amazing experience, and since then, my family and I have switched to Dr. Li for all our dental care needs.

Also in 2022, I was dealing with joint pain and seeking an acupuncturist. Through ARS, I met Dr. Lei Ding, who is trained both as a Western doctor and a Chinese acupuncturist. His method of using both needles and moxibustion helped me relieve pain, detox, build strength in my digestive system, and improve sleep quality.

In 2023, I attended a webinar by Psychotherapist Petrus, which was highly insightful and empowering. His expertise and compassionate approach have been invaluable to me.

Since 2022, I have also leaned on various healthcare practitioners introduced through ARS. Nurse Practitioner Maria helped me significantly when I encountered sudden health issues with my mother. Dental Hygienist Margaret patiently and kindly answered my private questions. Above all, I would like to thank Carmen, the talented and dedicated event organizer and host. Her energy, wisdom, and enthusiasm are truly inspiring.

Looking forward, I would love to see more healthcare information from ARS in areas such as senior care, nutrition, mental health, chiropractic, physiotherapy, and naturopathy. We need culturally sensitive and senior-friendly healthcare, and I believe ARS is positioned at the right time and place to lead us.

Thank you, ARS, for your invaluable support and dedication to our community.

Letter to Ai Rong Association by Sheng Nan 

I was very happy when I learned that CCAA changed its name to the Ai Rong Association a few months ago. Ai stands for love in Chinese. There is no better word to describe what this organization has been bringing to many people’s  and their families’ lives.

ARS was known as CCAA when I first met Carmen, the co-founder of CCAA about 6 or 7 years ago at one of the events she organized.  It was a fun wine tasting workshop. We gathered on Chinese New Years Eve to taste red and white wine paired with cheese and crackers. Most of the attendees were immigrants. We celebrated our traditional holiday by appreciating western-style food and learning about wine culture. What a perfect combination and timing! My parents attended with me and we really enjoyed this very unique event.

Over the years, I watched Carmen and the organization grow. When the pandemic hit Canada, ARS stepped up and organized many free online seminars and workshops, such as a gardening series, tea seminar, a seminar on LGBTQ+ people and the challenges they face, dogs’ health series, and a monthly mental health series, just to name a few. We learned about other cultures, the world around us, and practical skills to manage our physical and mental health, and as a result, we became better people. These events benefitted my family and I and many other families a lot during a very difficult and uncertain period of time in our lives. They helped to keep us connected and strong.

When Carmen called me a few days ago asking if I’d like to say a few words about ARS and help other people to know about her organization and their mission, I felt honoured and deeply grateful for having this special opportunity. I have been wanting to show my gratitude to Carmen and ARS for years.

In the past two years, ARS has partnered with a group of professionals in the medical field and organized over 27 free information sessions on Ontario’s healthcare system for immigrants and newcomers. These workshops are extremely informative and helpful to people who don’t know how to navigate the system’s complexities or where to find various resources. Through these sessions, my family found Dr. Li, our new dentist, who is patient, professional and caring. We learned about how community emergency clinics can be a much better option than a hospital’s emergency room for many minor illnesses. We also became more aware of how passionate and hard working our medical professionals are.

Thank you to Carmen, ARS and its many volunteers for your passion and dedication in bringing hope to many families. Thank you for offering your precious time and energy in organizing numerous free events that are educational, informative and valuable. I wish ARS continuous growth and I look forward to keeping up with the events that you have been sharing with us!

为爱融社/ARS撰写的推荐信 -胜男 撰文 （翻译自英文）

当几个月以前听说好友Carmen和几个志同道合的朋友成立的加拿大房车露营协会（CCAA）正式更名为爱融社的时候，我感到由衷地高兴。因为没有比这个名字更能表达Carmen和她的协会这么多年来一直致力于的宗旨了。 当年刚认识Carmen就是通过CCAA组织的一场品酒会。我们一众新老移民在大年三十相聚一间会议室，没有爆竹和年夜饭，我们在知识渊博的品酒师和数款不同风味和产地的干红和干白的陪伴下，度过了一个特别的春节。 Carmen是一个把别人的需要放在心上的人。新冠来临的时候，在那些度日如年的岁月里，是Carmen组织了一场又一场的线上讲座，从园艺到茶文化，陪伴着我和家人，让我们可以继续在家里学习新的技能，和外界保持联系。她随后又组织了‘枫下话彩虹’的活动，探讨同性恋等少数人群面对的挑战，让我走进他们，了解他们，支持他们。 Carmen和她的协会从未放慢他们从事公益事业的热情和脚步。他们的爱心让他们涉足的领域也越来越广。这几年的狗狗系列讲座，手牵手系列心里健康讲座和最近的寻医问药锦囊系列，对我和许多家庭都是雪中送炭。这些宝贵的信息资源给我们的生活带来希望，无论是家里有需要护理的年迈的父母，或是正在度过青春期的孩子，甚至害怕社交的宠物，都能在爱融社主办的活动里收益。 衷心地感谢Carmen和爱融社，还有你们的志愿团队！是你们的爱心和无私奉献让我和我的家人在加拿大生活得更快乐。祝愿爱融社越办越好！继续在加拿大这个包容的大家庭里为各族裔的人带来福音！

关于爱融社的点滴事

为了让更多的华人了解房车，2015年，爱融社的前身，美洲汽车房车露营协会（CCAA），成立了！作为创始人的Carmen负责外联，随之而来的一系列主题讲座和精彩户外活动体验，让更多的人开始了解CCAA、跟随CCAA，出发加东，顺着劳伦斯河而下，探寻加拿大的历史；开始感受独木舟畅划在美丽湖泊上的那份惬意；开始感受露营的夜晚，大家围坐篝火边，举杯高歌的激情；开始感受驾驶船屋，行驶在像海一样的湖上的那份独特体验；开始感受如何用画笔将斑斓多彩的秋天留下来；开始感受冰天雪地，蜷缩在小木屋里，搓着手，哈着气，全神贯注，睁大眼睛，生怕错过一条鱼的冰钓；开始体验在冰雪国度的雪地上，踩着雪橇纵横驰骋的冻感。这么多年因为CCAA一个又一个令人难忘的活动，陪伴很多人走过了春夏秋冬。随着协会的发展和影响力越来越大，除了关注大家外在的活动，CCAA还举办了大大小小的讲座上百次。从读书活动、心理健康到医疗保健，多方面提供资讯和信息，力求从外向内，以及由内而外的整合，许多华人朋友参与其中，获益良多。作为最早的VIP成员，回望这几年，我参加了很多CCAA的活动，很多的第一次体验都献给了CCAA，真的很感激CCAA，每一次活动的参与，都有极大的收获，并化作美好留在记忆的深处。

作为房车协会，除了普及房车知识，关注华人的心理健康也成为越来越多人的需要。这几年，CCAA一直持续不断的做着这方面的事情。而我亦是收益者。这些年各种主题的心理学讲座一直持续进行着，从青春期孩子的行为、到亲子关系、到夫妻关系再到个人成长，让我们更清楚去了解和发现自我、他人和环境的关系。记得那年参加完协会组织的心理学讲座，我们十来个CCAA会员更一起参加讲座老师一个为期一个月的沟通训练，在这个课程里透过沟通模式，更深的去发现自己的内在，也开始学会觉察、觉知每一个沟通背后的真正意图，开始学会向内学习和探索，每个人都有很大的收获。

近几年，随着CCAA对社区需求更广泛的关注，从原来关注的户外活动拓展到关注包括维护少数族裔/少数群体权益、青少年教育、心理健康、医疗保健和社区养老等方面的活动，它承载的责任和使命也在变化，因而在今年改名为爱融社，正如其名，更好地体现了社会责任感、包容性和感恩合作的精神。而这九年的发展和壮大，绝对离不开创始人Carmen的热情和坚持，她让我看到了一种坚韧和力量。做一年、两年公益活动容易，而持续不断坚持做九年，并不是常人能做到，在其中我也感受到了她强大的利他之心。庄子说“天下皆知取之为取，而莫知与之为取”，真正的获取在于给予。利他不仅是一种道德准则，更是一种生活态度，我想这也是Carmen付出的价值吧，最后衷心希望爱融社越来越好，越来越多的人从中获益。