July-August - Heart of America Japan

2013
July-August
Vol. 52, No. 4
1 2
President’s Corner
3 4 5 6
This time of year, I start thinking about creating a bumper
sticker that reads, “I ♥ Student Ambassadors!” Of course, I’ll
need another one that reads, “I ♥ the Kurashiki Friendship
Delegation!” July is when we kick off the student exchanges
with our sister city of Kurashiki, Japan. It was the student
ambassador program that brought my husband Mickey Coalwell
and me to JAS in 2007 when our daughter Olivia was selected
to travel to Kurashiki. It took me five years, but last fall I finally
had the opportunity to visit this beautiful city as well. I’ll always
treasure that special trip.
members make our mission a reality. Our membership dues, our
time and our various welcoming activities create these lasting
memories. Read about the dinners and other events planned that
will give us a chance to meet the Kurashiki student delegation
and their leader.
Our society’s mission is to further understanding between the
peoples of Japan and the Greater Kansas City area by promoting
social, cultural and educational exchanges. These visits to
and from Kurashiki are two of the most significant ways our
Next weekend you can join JAS members at our July 27 garden
clean-up and July 28 dine-around at Sushi House. Feel free
to bring family, friends and potential new members! Looking
forward to seeing you.
Don’t Miss These Upcoming Events!
This summer we also have another annual tradition—our food
booth and bazaar at the Ethnic Enrichment Festival in Swope
Park (August 16–18). Don’t miss the chance to volunteer for this
fun event! It’s a great way to learn about the many cultures that
make up our community and to get to know other JAS members.
—Patty Woods, President
Japanese Garden & Cherry Tree Clean-Up
Join us Saturday, July 27 from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. to provide
some important maintenance for our beautiful new sakura trees
and the Japanese garden at Loose Park, 5200 Wornall Rd.,
KCMO. Please bring gardening tools and gloves if you have
them (for weeding, especially) and sunscreen. Student volunteer
hours can be awarded (we’re a non-profit organization).
Questions? Please contact Jim Kanki at [email protected].
Kurashiki Bikan area
Dine-around at Sushi House
Sunday, July 28 join us from 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. at Sushi
House, 5041 W. 117th St., Leawood, KS. JAS members pay for
their own meals, but receive dessert free. Invite your friends
to join us! RSVPs to [email protected]
requested, but not required.
Page 1
Heart of America
Japan-America
Society
P.O. Box 22487
KCMO, 64113
Board of Directors
President
Patty Woods
Nichibei Notes
Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Caroline “Kiki” Longmoor, who passed away April 27 at
the age of 80. Mrs. Longmoor was a founding member of the Heart of America Japan-America Society.
She worked in a number of libraries and library programs in Kansas, Arizona, and Washington, D.C.
Our hearts go out to the family of Warren McAllen, whose mother died peacefully on July 16 after a
long illness. Warren is a JAS member and Heartland JETAA president.
And best wishes for recovery to 2012 JAS student ambassador, Kelsey Hendricks, who recently was
in the hospital for bone marrow failure. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kelsey and her family
during this time of healing. Consulate General of Japan at Chicago Hosts 2013 Midwest Forum
Mickey Coalwell
Each year, the Chicago Consulate hosts a forum of representatives from the Honorary Consuls
General and Japan-America Societies in the Midwest. Three representatives
from the Greater Kansas City area participated on June 27 and June 28:
Francis P. Lemery, Honorary Consul General of Japan at Kansas City;
Carole Owsley, Moderator of the Japan Council of Greater Kansas City;
Patty Woods, President, Heart of America Japan-America Society. In
addition, Erika Norikami, the Japan Outreach Initiative Coordinator based
at KU in Lawrence, Kansas attended. The forum is an excellent place to
hold discussions about available resources, learn from other societies, get
updates on key cultural and business topics, and develop relationships
with the Consulate. The group appreciates the Consulate’s commitment to
bringing the Midwest Japan-America Societies together. We look forward to
hosting Consul General Masaharu Yoshida and other visitors from Chicago
Patty Woods holds PARO
http://www.parorobots.com in the near future.
Directors
May and June Programs!
Kyle Rogler
John Schollenberger
Jun Shrout
Steve Woodsmall
MAY – Heart of America Japan-America Society Delegation
Reports on 2012 Trip to Kurashiki
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Kansas City, Missouri’s sister city relationship with Kurashiki,
Okayama, a delegation from HAJAS travelled to Japan last fall. Delegation members shared their
memories with JAS members at the May general meeting. Sumo-sized thanks go out to Fran Lemery,
who planned an amazing itinerary for the group that included the visit to Kurashiki and trips to Osaka,
Hiroshima, Miyajima (photo below), Kyoto and Tokyo. Thanks also to Jim Kanki and Jamie Kanki
for creating the presentation, and to Ryan Grass and Jamie Kanki for putting together a DVD of the
group’s photos (only $12!). Lastly, thank you to delegation members who funded their own trips to
represent the Heart of America Japan-America Society for this special anniversary.
1st Vice President
Ryan Grass
2nd Vice President
Natsuko Nishimune
Secretary
Tracey Whitman
Treasurer
The mission of the
Heart of America
Japan-America
Society is to further
understanding
between the peoples
of Japan and the
Greater Kansas City
area by promoting
social, cultural
and educational
exchanges.
The Heart of America
Japan-America Society
is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization.
Front Row (l-r)–Nancy Osborne, Jane Drury, Charlene Lemery, Donna Maskill
(Lolly’s daughter), Lolly Buxton, Ryan Grass
Back Row (l-r)–Patty Woods, Russ Amos, Jim Kanki, Lorna Blasche,
Fran Lemery, Jun Shrout, Lydia Kanki, John Schollenberger
Other members (not pictured)–Jamie Kanki, Natsuko Nishimune, Carole Owsley,
Aya Uchida, Steve Woodsmall, Tami Woodsmall
Aya Uchida & Jo Yamanaka
perform at anniversary banquet
–continued on page 3
Page 2
JUNE – Summer Fun with Erika Norikami
There is nothing like having your own uchiwa and a delicious
kakigoori on a hot summer day! Thank you to Japan Outreach
Initiative Coordinator and JAS friend Erika Norikami and
program chairperson Natsuko Nishimune for bringing such
a fun program about shodo (calligraphy), uchiwa (Japanese
fans) and kakigoori (Japanese shaved ice—even in green tea
flavor!). Thanks to Mickey Coalwell, Lydia and Jim Kanki,
Pat Knott, Eunice and Masami Willis, and the rest of the
hospitality committee for bringing treats and keeping that
shaved ice coming!
Adney Stean and granddaughter
Natsuko Nishimune and
Erika Norikami
Mindy Looney and
Dianne Daugherty
Eunice and Masami Willis and grandchildren Lilly and Jonathan
Amber Logan and Willow
Chris Logan and Fox
Nancy Osborne and nieces Zoey and Delaney
Student Ambassadors Leave for Kurashiki
Tiffany Rutschman, Jensyn Ford, Bianca Pacis, Katie Conard
Page 3
Kurashiki Youth Friendship Delegation Arrives in July!
Join us for our annual get-togethers with the delegation from
Kurashiki and their host families. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet
the group’s leader and the seven students, six girls and one boy.
Family Exchange Dinner
Thursday, August 1, 6:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Join us at the Sylvester Powell Community Center at 6200
Martway St., Mission, KS as our students move from their first
host families to their next ones. $7/person
Farewell Dinner
Wednesday, August 7, 6:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
We’re thankful to Fran and Charlene Lemery for hosting JAS,
students and guests as we say good-bye to our newest friends
from Kurashiki. 8931 Cedar Drive, Prairie Village, KS 66207
$7/person
Momoka Yamaguchi, 16 yrs old
Interests: comics, music
Momoka Nakano, 16 yrs old
Interests: drawing, running
Misaki Taya, 16 yrs old
Interests: piano, singing
Shiho Tamura, 17 yrs old
Interests: piano, handball
RSVP needed for both events by July 27 to Jun Shrout,
[email protected] or 816-590-3747.
Also, want to go to a Royals game or Worlds of Fun? Let Jun
Shrout know if you’d like to join the group.
A HUGE shout-out to Jun Shrout and her committee, our home
stay families, Fran & Charlene, and our JAS members for
everything they’re doing to welcome our Kurashiki delegation
this summer!
Reito Adachi
leader
Interests:
sports, musicals
Katsuyoshi Fujii, 15 yrs old
Interests: tuba, movies
Mao Miyake, 16 yrs old
Interests: ballet, belly dancing
Risa Kitada, 16 yrs old
Interests: badminton, music
Page 4
Ethnic Enrichment Festival
Asian and Pacific Heritage
Don’t miss this year’s Ethnic Enrichment Festival.
On May 22, 2013 The National Records Center—US Citizenship
and Immigration Services hosted an event in celebration of
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The NRC
is part of Homeland Security. Eight people demonstrated various
clothing, crafts, skills and food from: Korea, China, Philippines,
Japan, Hawaii and India. Carole Owsley demonstrated the use of
chopsticks. She also displayed some of her Japanese children’s
books, showing the differences in hiragana, katakana, and Kanji.
A month prior to the presentation Carole took a large container
of Japanese items to be displayed in the employees’ showcase in
their main hallway.
Friday, August 16, 6:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 17, 12:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
Sunday, August 18, 12:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Swope Park, Meyer Boulevard & Swope Parkway
in Kansas City, MO
•Fantastic Free Kids’ World
•Free Parking
•Live Entertainment
•$3.00 for adults (children 12-and-under free with adult)
•Sorry—no pets allowed
•For information, call 816-513-7553 or
go to http://eeckc.org/
For 34 years the residents of the metropolitan area and visitors
to the Midwest celebrate our annual “Taste the World” Festival.
This event is one of the largest festivals of its kind in the country
and features more than 66 different cultures selling their native
foods, crafts and performing ethnic music and dances.
Greater Kansas City Japan Festival
Saturday, October 5,
Save the date! This year’s Japan Festival will be held at JCCC
in Overland Park, KS. As always, there will be excellent
entertainment and programs and plenty of fun things to do for
the whole family! Find more information at kcjapanfestival.org
Volunteering or Donating Helps JAS
Volunteering helps both the festivals and JAS. Thanks to the
screen repair work done to the Ethnic Enrichment Festival booths
by Masami Willis, Jim Kanki, Lydia Kanki, Sachie Stroder, Pat
Knott and Mickey Coalwell, JAS will be receiving a donation of
almost $900!
We will have more opportunities to earn money for JAS before,
during, and after the Ethnic Enrichment Festival. This work
might include building more screens, booth repair, cleaning,
unpacking, sales in the bazaar, passport stamping, and working
in our “kitchen” selling treats.
Volunteers at the Greater Kansas City Japan Festival get in
FREE, and have an opportunity to enjoy the Festival while doing
something to support the Festival and JAS.
Volunteering is fun and a great way to meet other JAS members.
If you haven’t already signed up at a meeting and can volunteer
for one or both of the festivals, please write
[email protected].
Hiroko Bray and her team are planning for the Ethnic
Enrichment Festival and Greater Kansas City Japan Festival
bazaars. While JAS can order products to sell, we benefit greatly
from donations of new or gently used items. If you can make a
donation, please contact Hiroko directly at hirokorinb@gmail.
com or 816-806-5744. All donations are tax-deductible.
Carole Owsley demonstrates chopstick use
Recipe
Ingen No Gomaae (Beans with Sesame Paste)
Ingredients:
9 oz string beans
a dash of soy sauce
3 tablespoons black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon mirin
Directions:
1. Trim the string beans: remove the strings and tops. Boil
them and squeeze out excess water, then add a few drops of
soy sauce.
2. Put the sesame seeds into a pan over low heat.
Toast until puffy.
3. Grind the toasted sesame seeds. Add the sugar, mirin, and
1 tbsp soy sauce, and then grind well.
4. Add the sesame seed sauce to the green beans and mix well.
5. Serve in a bowl. Enjoy!
Page 5
Heart of America
Japan-America Society
P.O. Box 22487
Kansas City, MO 64113
Label Here
Events: July–October 2013
In This Issue
Japanese Garden & Cherry Tree Clean-Up
• President’s Corner
Saturday, July 27, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Loose Park Garden Center (Japanese garden at lower level)
• Midwest Forum
Dine-around at Sushi House
• May & June Programs
• Kurashiki Youth Delegation
• Ethnic Enrichment Festival
• Greater KC Japan Festival
If you have ideas or would like
to write an article for the Nichibei
News, email us at
[email protected].
Sunday, July 28, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
5041 W. 117th St., Leawood, KS
Student Delegation Family Exchange Dinner
Thursday, August 1, 6:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Sylvester Powell Community Center
Student Delegation Farewell Dinner
Wednesday, August 7, 6:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Home of Fran and Charlene Lemery
Ethnic Enrichment Festival at Swope Park
Websites:
Friday, August 16, 6:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.; Saturday, August 17, 12:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.;
Sunday, August 18, 12:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
kcjas.org
kcjapanfestival.org
japancouncil.org
Tuesday, September 24, 7:00 p.m.
Loose Park Garden Center
Find us on Facebook to get
updates and see more photos!
Student Ambassador Presentations
Greater Kansas City Japan Festival
Saturday, October 5
Johnson County Community College
Page 6