KAPS News, Feb 23rd

Welcome to the February 23rd, 2009 edition of the KAPS Newsletter.

In this issue:
*KAPS Ski/Snowboarding Trip – Last Chance!
*Help KAPS Spruce Up San Francisco
*March Kappy Hour
*KABA Pro Bono Legal Clinic
*NAAPSF: Employment Opportunities in China
*KYOPO Project – Save the Date!
*Kaps.org Update: New Online Membership Process

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KAPS SKI/SNOWBOARDING TRIP – LAST CHANCE!

Bummed about being back at work? Need a good excuse to avoid another weekend at home?

Ready for a snow-filled adventure?

Then come out to the 2009 KAPS Ski & Snowboarding Trip!

This year’s trip will be from Friday, February 27th through Sunday, March 1st. We will be staying at a lovely cabin in South Lake Tahoe and spending the day at the beautiful Kirkwood Resort.

Price is $65 which covers food and lodging for the weekend. Paid KAPS members will receive a $10 discount. KAPS will also be providing discount lift tickets ($55 per person).

Space is limited, so reserve your space immediately by contacting KAPS Social Chair Jinuk Shin at jinuk@kaps.org. Please provide the following information:

Name
Whether or not you need a lift ticket
Whether or not you will be bringing your own equipment
Whether or not you can drive to Tahoe (we will be organizing carpools

This promises to be a spectacular trip, so make sure you make it out!

HELP KAPS SPRUCE UP SAN FRANCISCO

We've exchanged business cards and corporate profiles, imbibed and laughed. We've built relationships with one another over food and drink; decantation has certainly been our strong suit, and understandably conducive to getting to know other fellow members. Let's take the relationships a step further by teaming up for our first community service event of the year!

KAPS is partnering up with Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) through Hands On Bay Area to restore a small community by sprucing up gardens. We will spend a few hours on Saturday morning, March 7, 2009 (10 am – 1 pm) getting our hands dirty while networking with KAPS members as well as other professionals in the bay area. As prudent, professional adults, we seldom deviate from city culture—when can we ever justify playing in the mud? If that isn't persuasive enough, a BBQ potluck will follow and more importantly, we can get to know one another in a context outside of our usual lives.

For those interested, please RSVP by emailing Christine@kaps.org no later than March 1. We look forward to seeing you there!

MARCH KAPPY HOUR

Come join us for the March installment of our monthly Kappy Hour!

Where: Lava Lounge (527 Bryant St, between 3rd St and 4th St, and Howard, San Francisco, CA 94107)

When: Thursday, March 5th, 2008, 7:30PM (first Thursday of every month)

There will be an Early Bird Special between 7:30 and 8:00, so make sure to come out early and enjoy some drink discounts.

Each of our Kappy Hours offer a great opportunity to network with fellow Korean-American professionals, meet up with old friends, and learn about what's going on in KAPS. We have some very exciting events planned for 2009, so make sure you don't miss out!

KABA PRO BONO LEGAL CLINIC

KAPS has teamed up with the Korean American Bar Association (KABA) to sponsor its 3rd annual legal clinic where you may take advantage of a FREE (no obligation) 20-minute consultation with a volunteer attorney.

We are also excited to offer, for the first time, seminars on Employment and Immigration law by attorneys who are experts in those fields.

The event will be on Saturday, February 28, 2009 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Location: The Korea Daily, 33288 Central Avenue, Union City, CA 94587.

The sessions are designed to provide basic information and guidance on topics that can reasonably be covered in a single, 20-minute session in the following areas:

Employment
Immigration
Landlord/tenant
General Business
Bankruptcy
Family
Real Estate
Government Benefits

To See an Attorney:
1. Phone/Email:

Email KABANC@gmail.com or call (650) 618-1673 to make an appointment on or before February 27, 2009.

2. Walk-in:

First come, first serve basis.

For more information or to volunteer: email KABANC@gmail.com OR call 650-618-1673.

NAAAP-SF: EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN CHINA

Interested in exploring employment opportunities in China? Want to learn more about the global financial crisis's impact on China's employment market?

On Thursday, February 26 @ 7:00PM, NAAAP-SF is pleased to present Larry Wang, founder and CEO of Wang & Li Asia Resources (China's 2008 Recruitment Firm of the Year), and the author of Know The Game, Play The Game. Larry will be speaking on the global financial crisis's impact on China's employment market, and how to successfully identify and pursue opportunities in the mainland from the U.S.

Key discussion topics will include:

How the global recession is impacting multinationals in China, and in what ways their business plans in the mainland are being altered
In what ways events abroad are accelerating or slowing down the staffing/hiring activities of companies in China, and to what degree
The industries and job functions in China which are feeling the greatest impact
China's employment and hiring outlook in the coming year
How professionals from the U.S. can most effectively pursue opportunities in the mainland

Don't miss this opportunity to hear Larry's insights into this interesting and increasingly relevant topic.

Date: Thursday, February 26, 2009

Time: 7:00PM start, with the presentation/discussion to be followed by networking
Location: Silicon Valley Community Foundation Center

Address: 1700 South El Camino Real, Suite 100, San Mateo, CA 94402

Visit http://www.naaapsf.org/Events.do?id=7103 to find out more details about this event and register.

KYOPO PROJECT – SAVE THE DATE

For those of you who missed it, KAPS is very excited to partner with the KYOPO Project, a visual and textual expression showcasing the complex and random inter-weavings of KYOPOS around the world.

We are holding a very special event to promote the KYOPO Project on Wednesday, May 6th at Vessel (off Union Square). This event promises to be a fun, exciting night with several very special guests, so make sure you save this date now.

For more information about the KYOPO project, visit www.kypoproject.com.

KAPS.ORG UPDATE

New Online Membership Process

We've have just finished updating our Membership section! We are now accepting applications online directly into our website database. Furthermore, we are accepting membership dues online as well via Credit Card and Paypal.

Click here to become a member today: http://www.kaps.org/membership09!

INTERESTED IN GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN KAPS?

KAPS is always on the lookout for people interested in getting the most out of their KAPS experience. We are looking for volunteers to plan social events, coordinate community service events, serve as guest speakers, monitor the website, and improve the overall KAPS member experience. We are also looking for contributors to our newsletters and website, in the form of job postings, professional advice, and relevant news.

If you are interested in becoming an officer, contributing to newsletters, or assisting with an event, please contact andrew@kaps.org.

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The Korean American Professional Society (KAPS) is a nonprofit organization that is devoted to the professional and social development of Korean Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area. We provide a forum for networking, community service, and political involvement.

To learn more about KAPS, our members, and our events, or to join the KAPS community, please visit our website at www.kaps.org