Lunar New Year celebration benefits playground
By Cathy Blankenau Bender
Editor-in-chief
Little Flower Childcare Center in Lincoln held a Lunar New Year celebration Feb. 16, and raised funds for improvements to the center’s outdoor playground.
Little Flower is staffed by the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Mercy (CMRM), established in Lincoln in 1999. The Sisters of the order, which originated in Vietnam, joyfully share their heritage with students and their families, as well as the community.
“Celebrating Lunar New Year is one of the special events we share with the parents and children at Little Flower,” said Sister Marta Tran, CMRM, director of the center. “Our goal is to give the children hands-on experiences that deepen what they’ve learned about the holiday and allow them to share that joy, culture, and tradition with their families.”
The celebration Feb. 16 included performances by the children. Clad in colorful costumes, they sang, danced, and recited poetry in English and Vietnamese. Older siblings, many who attended Little Flower when they were young, also dressed in costume to assist with the event.
The center invited guest performers as well. The DMNV Lion Dance Team of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Lincoln performed and visited with the crowd, and the group Kokyo Taiko provided wadaiko, Japanese style drumming.
Father Joseph Nguyen, pastor of St. Andrew Dung Lac and Companions Parish in Lincoln and assistant chaplain to the Sisters, helped distribute li xi, “good luck money.”
In addition to the performances, a meal included main dishes of chicken teriyaki, steamed rice, Vietnamese grilled pork, and cucumber. Each classroom had a stand of items, as well. One class served egg rolls and crab rangoon and one provided beverages and gelato. Another stand included Quýt (tangerines for luck and prosperity), Bánh Bao (steamed buns), Bánh Cam (Vietnamese sesame balls), Bánh Tráng Trộn (rice paper salad), and Chè Chuối (banana with coconut milk and tapioca pearls).
The children and families eagerly participated in the games and meal, which collected funds to replace the center’s turf flooring on the outdoor playground.
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SNR photos | Natalie Bender. Click for more photos
“The playground is one of the most active and essential areas of our center,” Sister Marta said. “The children use it every day for outdoor play, gross-motor development, and social interaction. It’s where they run, climb, ride tricycles, play ball games, and engage in imaginative play with their classmates.”
They also use the space for structured activities such as relay games, group exercises, and seasonal outdoor lessons and events like a May crowning ceremony. Because the children range from toddlers to preschoolers, the turf provides a soft, safe surface that supports their physical development while minimizing the risk of injury. Over the years, it has also become a gathering place for the center’s feast day picnic.
“After 13 years of daily use, the turf has worn down significantly,” Sister Marta said. “The wooden frame around it had become damaged, and bolts had begun to protrude. For safety reasons, we replaced the wood frame last year. However, the turf itself is quite costly, so we planned a three-year fundraising effort. Thanks to the generosity of our parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends of LFCC, we’ve already reached one-quarter of our goal.”
The founding CMRM Sisters had in 1975 escaped the threat of the Vietnamese Civil War and were permitted by the principal house in Vietnam to maintain their constitutions independently. The diocesan congregation was established by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz May 4, 1999. They serve at several locations in Lincoln: the residence of Bishop Bruskewitz, Cathedral of the Risen Christ School, the diocesan chancery and Pope St. John XXIII Center, Kealy Hall, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions Parish, Pius X High School and the childcare center.
Having begun as a home care provider in 1998, the Sisters transitioned to a childcare center in 2006, moving into a closed nursing home near Pius X High School. The center has been in the “Little Flower” building next to St. Michael Parish in Lincoln since 2012. It currently serves between 42 and 48 children and is staffed entirely by the Sisters, who are dedicated to the development of the child.
“It is our goal to bring out greatest love and attention to the needs of each individual child, and to boost their creativity and self-esteem for success in the future,” the center website says.
