Imagine a Chinese banquet hall in the heart of Chinatown. Imagine the high ceilings, the traditional Chinese murals, lots of gold trimming and an expanse of round tables filled with over one hundred 826 Valencia volunteers who all have the bragging rights of contributing at least one hundred hours of service (and some much more) in the last year. Imagine the mass clicking of chopsticks, playful grapples over fortune cookies, and laughter— lots of laughter. Who knew these dedicated volunteers were also such a witty bunch? Now, over this din, imagine an eclectic soundtrack of hits which spanned over two decades (collective "yays" to Public Enemy! Collective "nays" to the theme song from "Dawson's Creek"!) and you have an idea of why the annual 100 Club Dinner is one of our favorite events.

This boisterous gathering is an offering of heartfelt thanks to the hard work of some of the most devoted and dedicated volunteers. We also expressed gratitude through the words of our client base, as 826 staff stood and read quotes from various appreciators of the volunteers' diligent work; a few words of praise came from teachers who have received in-schools tutors, parents whose children regularly attend after-school tutoring, and satisfied writing workshop attendees, ecstatic about their work being published.

So as this annual banquet grows with each year, all of us folks at 826 eagerly anticipate the year to come.