The History of Udon and Sushi at the VJCC Festival |
By Elenor Suzuki
 Original Talk Story photo |
One of the first Talk Story photos elicited this wonderful slice of VJCC history which was part of the front page article in the May 2006 VJCC Community News. Did you know that years prior to 1990, the Mother’s Club of the Venice Gakuen prepared and sold the sushi and the udon? It was their fundraiser, and they did very well financially. They cooked and prepared everything for the maki sushi and the udon. For the udon dashi, they boiled the leftover chicken bones |
and necks donated by the Fishing Club. The Fishing Club sold chicken wings for the Festival.
As the students graduated from the Gakuen, the parents left, too, until there were just a few mothers left to prepare for the two day Festival. So in 1990, they asked the Center to take over. I remember in the beginning, Mrs. Hatsuko Akioka and Mrs. Suzie Haraga came to help make the udon dashi. They worked hard, and we were so grateful to have had their help for a few years. Then George Asawa, prior to his presidency in 1995 to 1996 came to help with the udon.
He brought the recipe for the present dashi, and he taught Joe Belli and Jun Oyama how to make it, and they have been doing it ever since. Joe and Jun’s committee does a fantastic job of making the dashi each year. You should hear the humor and fun they have while working together, measuring precisely each ingredient for the “best dashi” ever, as evidenced by the successful udon sale.
On Friday night, the day before the Festival, we have a terrific group of ladies, who come to help slice more than 100 kamaboko, chop 60 bunches of green onions, clean a case of parsley for the sushi, and have over 35 dozen eggs ready for frying on Saturday and Sunday morning. It’s quite a job but we, too, have fun working together.
By Gail Sharp
In 2009, the VJCC udon is as tasty as ever and continues to be one of the best buys of the Festival at $4 per bowl. With the kamaboko, green onion and fried egg garnish on top of thick noodles in udon dashi, you’ve got a perfectly balanced meal… and the perfect meal to balance on your lap when you’re trying to eat and do booth duty at the same time!
In 2009, the VJCC udon is as tasty as ever and continues to be one of the best buys of the Festival at $4 per bowl. With the kamaboko, green onion and fried egg garnish on top of thick noodles in udon dashi, you’ve got a perfectly balanced meal… and the perfect meal to balance on your lap when you’re trying to eat and do booth duty at the same time! Just as in 1990 when, due to declining membership, the preparation and selling of udon passed from the Gakuen parents to other community volunteers, inevitable changes among the individuals and groups that that stepped up in the years |
 Udon pick-up window, 2006 |
since make the process one of constant evolution. Individuals involved in the preparation of the udon – the cutting and slicing and cooking – have apprenticed, moved up to journeyman and master level, and sometimes retired. Fortunately, new volunteers flow into these jobs thanks to individuals and clubs in spreading the word that help is needed.
The bulk of the udon sales – selling tickets, serving the udon and clearing tables – has been handled for many years by the Line Dance Class on Saturday and the Ballroom Dance Class on Sunday. Approximately 60 volunteers are required for each day of the Festival to cover all of the jobs over all of the shifts.
The Line Dance Class is looking for the help of a few good men on Saturday to help with the jobs that involve lifting. Ballroom Dance needs significantly more help. The size of their group has gotten much smaller in recent years, so much so that if udon sales stopped after each of the ballroom dancers completed one work shift, then you better have purchased your udon dinner in the afternoon.
 Udon ticket sales desk, 2006 |
The Festival Planning Committee is considering ways to secure full coverage for udon sales. The Ballroom Dance Class will continue to give their complete support to udon, but they need help. A request for help might come through a friend or it might be communicated through one of the clubs or organizations of which you are a member. Just know that what is at stake is our delicious udon. If there is no one to sell udon, how are we going to get to eat it? |
Senior Moments - Advance Directives: Who Will Decide for Me?
(Source: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization/National Healthcare Decisions Day)
By Aileen Hongo
When discussing end-of-life issues, how often have you heard comments like “Please don’t let me suffer!” High tech machines and super drugs are utilized to prolong the inevitable outcome, sometimes against the wishes of the patient. However, these extremely difficult decisions can be pre-authorized by patients with advance directives. Advance directives are legal documents which allow you ahead of time to convey your decisions about the end-of-life care. The two forms of advance directives are the living will and the |
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durable power of attorney. In simple context, a living will guides the health care team about the medical treatment you choose to receive (or not to receive) if you become unable to communicate your wishes. One can accept or refuse medical care such as the use of breathing machines, tube feeding, defibrillator, etc.
The durable power of attorney designates a trusted person to make decisions about your medical care if you are unable to communicate and make decisions on your own. This document is sometimes called a “health care proxy” and can become effective when your physician declares that you are unable to make your own medical decisions.
There are numerous seminars on advance directives and the durable power of attorney (see the websites below). It might be a good idea to have a discussion with family members and/or close friends to assure that all parties are comfortable with life altering decisions. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, public health departments, state bar associations, state aging organizations and local hospitals can provide state specific forms. You may need to get your forms notarized by a notary public.
For more information, here are some helpful websites:
Advance Directives and Do Not Resuscitate Orders (American Academy of Family Physicians)- http://www.familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/pat-adocacy/endoflife/003.prihnterview.html
Aging with Dignity: Five Wishes - http://agingwithdignity.org
American Bar Association - www.abanet.org/publiced/practical/resources_advanceplanning.pdf
The information provided on this column is intended to provide helpful health and wellness information to the general public. The information is not rendered as a medical, health, psychological or other professional diagnosis, treatment or cure and should not be used in place of a call or visit to a medical professional, who should be consulted before adopting any suggestions in this column or drawing inferences from it.
Answer for April Sudoku. Puzzle by websudoku.com
