Venice Japanese Community Center

Inside the VJCC

Election Day

By John Ikegami

At each Annual Membership Meeting, we elect the Cabinet officers and members the of Board of Directors for the coming year. All the elected positions are for one year terms except for the Board of Directors who serve three year terms. Elections took place at our 2006 Annual Membership Meeting in December and I am pleased to report the results for the 2007 Cabinet officers and Board of Directors. Installation of the elected officers and the Board members will be held at the Shinnen Enkai and Keiro Kai on January 21, 2007. I thank everyone for your support in the election process.

President:	Jack Kurihara
Executive Vice President:	Ross Yasuda
Corporate Secretary:	Kelvin Uyeda
Facilities Vice President:	Jim Akioka
Membership Vice President:	Randy Tamura & Ken Sogabe
Treasurer:	Sharon Aratani
Auditor:	Hitoshi Shimizu
Board of Directors:	Jim Akioka, Dave Hirota, John Ikegami, Randy Tamura & Rich Yang

In addition, the following people were appointed as officers of respective positions:

Co-Recording Secretaries:	Emy Murakawa & Karen Sorensen
Corresponding Secretary:	Gail Sharp
Rental:	Kunihiro Nishiya
Historian:	Bob Shibasaki
Festival Chair:	Kendo Club
Festival Chair, Assistant:	Koshin Taiko
Treasurer, Assistant:	Jun Oyama
Facilities Mgr.- Assistant:	Alan Matsuzaki
Auditor, Assistant:	Melvin Shimizu

My sincere congratulations to all and thank you in advance for your time and commitment to take part in the VJCC leadership team.

Visions for the VJCC

By Gail Sharp

Jennifer “Jenn” Ogasawara works as a graphic designer, loves to travel, coaches a 6th and 7th grade girl's basketball team, plays basketball with her own adult team, “Wes'side,” and still finds the time to create some great looking page layouts for the “VJCC Community News” every month.

According to Jenn, “When the opportunity came up to volunteer my time to layout the VJCC newsletter, I jumped on it because it was something I loved to do already, and because there really isn't pressure at all on me. The fact that I used to be part of the Shodo group probably helped in my decision making as well.”

When Jenn was growing up, she had the opportunity to explore Japanese calligraphy in the Bunka Shodo class along with her mother, Fusako. Which came first, Jenn's interest in shodo or her interest in graphic art? I forgot to ask. But, whatever the case, the interests and the opportunity to nurture them at the VJCC have become the good fortune of the newsletter and all of its readers!