How the Giving Tree community service event inspired him to become more involved with TAP-SF
The holidays are approaching and we’re all in the spirit of giving back to our community and loved ones! With that in mind, we interviewed someone who embodies service and generosity, TAP-SF’s Internal Vice President, Alex Wu. He has been a dedicated member of TAP-SF for 3 years and was formerly Health & Wellness Chair where he organized several camping trips and hikes. He currently manages Community Service events at TAP-SF. We chat with him about our annual Family Giving Tree event and why he has attended for the last 3 years!
Can you tell us a little about the Family Giving Tree community service event?
It’s very straightforward -- we’re helping kids in need celebrate the holidays by buying them gifts on their wish list. It’s a very small amount of money that we ask participants to donate but we make it fun turning it into a scavenger hunt. We form teams and compete to see who can buy the gifts on 3 wish lists while taking photos to check off items on the scavenger hunt the fastest. It’s fun running around and shopping with friends. It’s a really chill and convenient way to give back on a Sunday morning.
Interested in helping put on more events like this? Apply to be Community Service Chair!
So, I heard that the Giving Tree was your first event at TAP-SF, can you tell me about that?
3 years ago, I was looking for something to do on the weekend and saw this TAP-SF event that was really close to my home in Foster City. I signed up and met a bunch of people on the board that I thought was really cool. At that point, I made up my mind that I wanted to attend more events and become a regular members.
Was there anyone in particular that you met that stands out?
I met Alice Chang, she was last year’s TAP-SF Treasurer. She was really friendly and approached me to talk to me. I also met Sandy Hiraki, former TAP-SF External Vice President, and Steven Chen, former TAP-SF Internal Vice President, who despite being very busy organizing the event, also were very friendly.
Is there a memorable gift that your team bought?
My team was assigned to get an Elsa doll for a kid but we couldn’t find it in the store. We ended up getting an doll of Olaf, the snowman, instead but we felt SO GUILTY! We found a Frozen candle to add to the gift to make up for it.
What message do you have for members who are on the fence about attending service events at TAP-SF?
It’s a combination of all the fun stuff - spend a little time making some new friends and at the same time giving back to the community.
What do people have to look forward to from TAP-SF in 2018?
We have really diverse events - ski trip, happy hours, Lunar New Year Banquet. Lunar New Year Banquet is a highlight event where everyone on the board pitches in to organize it. We host 150-200 people and it’s a great opportunity to meet people in the community, the board, and make some great friends!