On Alameda and Hazel, you'll find a small, white building.
Twice a month, dozens of Cantonese elders take the bus to get there. For two hours of 社區, community.
They practice Tai Chi and for many, it's a little piece from home.
Onki Angel Cheng, volunteered for the Asian Pacific Development Center for years. She noticed a lot of the older immigrants were falling into depression because they were used to an active life-style in their home countries and here, "they feel lonely," explained Cheng.
Now that she runs the Cantonese Elder Wellness Group for APDC, she's been able to create a space for them.
"Some of them have been working so much," she said. Seven days a week, 10-12 hours a shift. They just needed a break.
Tong Wayne Wong was one of those people who worked non-stop in his restaurant.
"You can call me a professional chef," she said with a smile. Now, we could call him a Tai Chi master.
"A lot of the elderly people I met here, they don't speak much English," he said.
That, doesn't matter here.
"They have to have some support group," he said, "to support them so they won't feel lonely in a huge country."
If you know of someone who maybe once felt like an outsider, reach out to them. Welcome them into your community, it might just make all the difference.
APDC offers Behavioral Health (individual, family, couples and group therapy), adult education classes, victim assistance, youth programs, health advocacy, and interpretation and translations services.
They have resources for nine different Asian communities, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and others.
If you'd like more information on the Tai Chi classes, reach out to Kaitlyn Lyle (303) 923-6865.
It's important that this information reaches the Cantonese community in their native language. Here's a message from Onki Angel Cheng:
亞太協會的廣東話長者身心健康團體目標是創造華僑老年人的活動環境，讓他們從活動中感受到快樂，提高他們的社會交往能力，讓他們學會分享和理解，改善在外地的適應能力和減少語言和文化的𥕞礙，在活動中通過鼓勵和讚美及生活的回顧，使他們重新認識自我，提高自信心。時間：每第一和第三個月的星期五，九點半至十一點半，地點在丹城基督教播道會，275 s. Hazel ct. Denver co 80219.老人們透過在活動過程中提倡互助，發展他們的互助網絡，鼓勵老人開放自己，積極與他人接觸，以積極心態渡過晚年生活．團體活動範圍包括太極班，健康講座，美術工藝，季節性郊遊等活動．除此之外，團體組長和自願者提供同理的瞭解、溫暖、積極關懷、接納和傾聽老人的需要。亞太協會的身心健康團體除了廣東話團體之外，還包括其他亞洲國家，有曰本，韓國，緬甸，尼泊爾，國語，越南，老撾和不丹的身心健康團體，歡迎各位亞洲長者一同參與活動。
We want to hear from YOU.
For all the Cantonese people who welcomed 9NEWS into their community today, 謝謝 (thank you).
We know these kinds of stories are so important. We all come from somewhere and at one point felt like outsiders.
Someone took us in, someone helped us find a community. Let's take this experience outside and ask you to share pictures of the times you felt a part of the Denver community.
Here's Sonia's:
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