Passings |
By Gail Sharp
The Venice Japanese Community Center is a place of tradition -- Japanese and Japanese American traditions as well as traditions that are specific to the long history of the Center. The VJCC is also a place of growth and change. As our senior members age and as younger members join us, the VJCC is constantly making efforts to meet everyone’s needs.
The Center is a place of both tradition and change thanks to the hard work of individuals who do what needs to be done with little want of fanfare. In 2004, the VJCC Community News ran a series of articles to introduce just such a group of men -- the sitting VJCC Komon, or senior advisors -- at that moment in time. In the years since the articles, we have lost four of those six komon, in addition to a number of others who also worked selflessly to create this place of tradition and change.
In August, we lost Shigeto Gamachi. Besides serving as a komon, Shig was VJCC President from 1975 to 1976, a long-time VJCC Manager until 1976, Marina Gardeners Association President in 1962 and a strong backer of the Venice Pioneer Project since its beginning. Shig was a progressive thinker who encouraged and supported change for the betterment of the Center.
Before Shig, we lost Jin Asakura, Toru Ino and Tokuji Matsuda from 2004’s group of komon, plus all of the honored VJCC Komon who preceded them. There are so many volunteers through our over 85 year history to whom we should be thankful for the VJCC that we are all able to enjoy today. They work hard, prefer little fanfare and tend to quietly leave us. To them we owe so much. Domo arigato gozaimashita.
The end of Summer 2009 is looking to be a record breaking fire season. The following is timely information from SignOnSanDiego.com to help with decisions on what to take if you find yourself and your home in harms way.
Emergency evacuations: What to take
By Marsha Seff
Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071022-1051-wahttotake.html
If you've been asked to evacuate, officials are pleading, evacuate immediately. Don't wait to be asked a second time. Your life is worth more than all your possessions.
But if the fires have not hit your area, you might want to do a little planning and packing now.
First - and only if you have the luxury of time - take photos or videos of each of your rooms. This way, if the worse happens, you will have something to show to your insurance company. And you will have a keepsake.
Here's what to pack: