Some might wonder why Vancouver’s newest arts and culture website is called Pancouver.
You may think it’s because much of the content is Pan-Asian. It’s true that we’re embracing creativity in Vancouver with origins from Japan and Taiwan all the way to the Anatolian Peninsula in Turkey.
But the reality is that Pancouver is also named after Leigh and Carol Pan, a Taiwanese-born couple in Vancouver who have been generous patrons of arts and health charities.
The Pans met in National Taiwan University and immigrated to North America as young adults. For several years, Leigh worked as a federal and provincial civil servant. Eventually, Leigh and Carol launched a wholesale company in Victoria that sold gorgeous B.C. jade and rhodonite jewellery and sculptures.
Their business was a huge success, providing the foundation for their philanthropic efforts. Because they prospered in Canada, they’ve always wanted to give back to the country they’ve called home.
The B.C. Cancer Agency publicly thanked Leigh and Carol in 2019 for their generous financial contributions toward equipment and research, enabling the organization to purchase a PET/CT scanner to reduce waiting times for patients.
In addition, the Pans have been huge supporters of cultural events in Vancouver that offer a platform for artists on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
They’ve devoted their lives to doing good work without any desire for public recognition. We think it’s time to change that.
So, the next time you type the word “Pancouver” into your browser, please spare a thought on what you can do to share with others and make your own gifts to improve the community.
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或許有人會好奇為什麼溫哥華最新的藝文媒體要叫 “Pan”couver「泛」哥華。
你或許認為是因為大部分的內容都與泛亞州有關。的確，我們專注報導溫哥華日益茁壯的文化多樣性與創造力，它們來自日本、台灣，甚至是土耳其的安納托利亞半島地區。
但事實上「泛」哥華(Pancouver) 是以 Leigh Pan 和 Carol Pan 這對生於台灣的夫婦而命名的。兩人在溫哥華是各大藝術組織和健康慈善機構慷慨的贊助者。
潘氏夫婦在台大相識，並於年輕時移民北美。Leigh 曾擔任聯邦和省級公務員職位多年。最終，Leigh 和 Carol 在維多利亞成立了一家批發公司，銷售由華麗的 B.C.玉石、玫瑰石製作成的珠寶及雕塑。
兩人在商業上取得了巨大成就，為他們的慈善事業奠下基礎。在加拿大獲得成功的機會，讓兩人一直想回饋這個自己稱作是家的地方。
卑詩癌症基金會於 2019 年公開感謝 Leigh 和 Carol 在醫療設備與研究上的慷慨捐贈，基金會運用他們的善款購買了 PET/CT 掃描儀來降低患者等待的時間。
另外，潘氏夫婦也是溫哥華許多藝文活動的大力支持者，這些活動為太平洋兩岸的藝術家提供了一個展演與發聲的平台。
他們畢生致力於造福社會、默默行善，並且無心獲得公眾的注目。我們認為是時候改變這一點了。
當你下次在網頁裡輸入‘Pancouver’這個字時，不妨思考一下有什麼是你可以與他人分享，或是為社區帶來一些改變的。
