President Chen Shui-bian participated in the presidential office's 2006 Family Day activities on August 17 and had a happy time with his staff and their families.
The 2006 Family Day first began with a tea party at 10 a.m. In unveiling the party, Secretary-General Mark Chen welcomed all visitors to the Family Day activities, which, according to him, help them know more about their parents' or children's work environments.
President Chen showed up during the party and made short remarks, in which he pointed out "family value" and "parent-child relations" as the two significances where the Family Day lays its stress. Emphasizing that parent-child relations are irreplaceable, he regretted his frequent absence from his two children at the time when he started his political career.
In addition, to share the spirit of "Volunteer Taiwan" with the children who participated in the Family Day activities, he gave each of them a coin bank molded into the shape of a shoulder pole that signifies the spirit of responsibility, unison, and cooperation. With these coin banks, he and his little friends promised each other to save fortune and love in their "shoulder poles," which will be opened on December 5, the International Volunteer Day, and donated to the needy.