Electeds join community at Eighth Avenue banquet hall to welcome Year of the Horse

Homecrest Community Services recently held a Lunar New Year celebration at an Eighth Avenue banquet hall in Sunset Park, bringing together community partners and multiple elected officials to share warmth and care with older adults and local families. The venue was packed, with more than 300 guests in attendance, including seniors, families, and community members, in an atmosphere that felt both lively and welcoming.

On the day of the event, red decorations filled the room as upbeat holiday music played throughout the banquet hall, creating a strong New Year feeling from the moment guests arrived. Organizers presented a full program of performances in a style familiar to many Chinese New Yorkers. Traditional Chinese dances rotated on stage, and Homecrest members and staff, who had spent months preparing, performed multiple routines and musical pieces. Well-known New Year songs kept the crowd engaged, with seniors singing along loudly and smiling as performers and audience interacted.

Alongside the performances, Homecrest organized multiple raffle rounds featuring practical and festive prizes. Gifts included gold ingot decorations symbolizing prosperity, Year of the Horse dolls, cooking oil, oranges, and other everyday household items. Homecrest leader Chen Weiyi joked that “what matters most in life is still the everyday essentials,” and as prizes were announced one after another, cheers repeatedly rose through the room as winners beamed.

Volunteers also dressed as the God of Wealth, weaving through the crowd to greet seniors and pose for photos. Many attendees happily held up their phones to capture the moment.

Chen said the center typically hosts holiday gatherings in-house, but this year organizers chose a banquet hall so they could bring together more than 300 seniors from three locations: Sheepshead Bay, Bensonhurst, and West 7th Street. They hoped the event would help seniors meet and socialize across centers, deepen connections, and celebrate together during a holiday that carries special meaning in Chinese culture. Chen said seeing seniors’ smiles was deeply rewarding. “We usually have two big reunions each year,” Chen said. “One is Thanksgiving, which is emphasized in Western culture, and the other is Lunar New Year, which is very important for Chinese people.”

Cen Xiuhui, 75, attended with her 82-year-old husband. They have been members of the Sheepshead Bay center for more than 20 years. Cen said they both enjoy a lively atmosphere, especially as they’ve grown older. “Whenever we have a chance, we go out and have fun with friends,” she said, adding that she also loves feeling the Lunar New Year spirit. She said her children are often busy and not around, and that Homecrest has become like a second home. “We get along well with other seniors and volunteers here,” she said. “Today, I can also see old friends I don’t usually get to see. I'm really happy we can all be together.”

Guests included State Senator Steve Chan, State Assemblymember Lester Chang, State Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, City Councilmember Alexa Avilés, Joyce Xie (leader of the State Assembly’s 49th District), and representatives from the offices of U.S. Representatives Nicole Malliotakis and Dan Goldman. In remarks, speakers said they were honored to attend and offered New Year wishes for happiness, health, and good fortune in the Year of the Horse.

“It’s a precious experience to eat here with everyone,” Chan said, adding that he was also born in the Year of the Horse, making this year feel especially meaningful to him. He said that as an elected representative, he would continue to speak up for constituents in the new year. Chang thanked Homecrest for creating a chance for people to gather and presented the organization with a citation recognizing its contributions to the local Chinese community.