Brian and Jeanee Linden Receive “You Bring Charm to China” Award

Brian and Jeanee Linden

Brian and Jeanee Linden, owners of Linden Gallery in Ellison Bay and the Linden Centre in China, were recipients of a special award given by the United Nations Develop Program, the Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs, and China Tianjin Television on Nov. 8, 2013. The award, titled, “You Bring Charm to China,” is given to foreigners who have made a significant contribution to the country. The Lindens were chosen for their dedication to the preservation of old homes and their impact on the field of sustainable tourism in China.

As part of this recognition, two separate documentaries about the Lindens’ life, and their journey of how the Linden Centre began were featured on the long-running television show China Right Here. Both programs were aired on national Chinese television and broadcast on international stations in the U.S., Hong Kong and Canada.

Every other year, the show selects 10 people in China who exhibit outstanding vision and passion for their work. This year’s show was held at the Water Cube in Beijing and featured entertainment by Taiwan pop star Su Rei.

In addition to the Lindens, the show honored two more Americans with deep ties to China. Bob Bellows, a native of Menominee, Wis., was honored for his years of mentoring a blind girl to perform piano concerts all over the world. The youngest recipient of the night was Dechen Yeshi, the creator of Norla, who has developed a social enterprise in a remote village in northwest China by making garments with yak wool.

The Lindens have operated the Linden Centre in China since 2008 and they were chosen as China’s Top Hotel by Trip Advisor in 2011 among 60,000 other hotels. It’s a cultural and learning retreat for travelers who wish to have an enriching and unique experience in China.

This winter, the Lindens will lead two tours to their Centre, a photography tour with Vision Quest Workshops and a culinary adventure with Ellison Bay’s Savory Spoon Cooking School. For more information, visit linden-centre.com.