The VJCC After World War II |
By Tiffany Yoshikawa
World War II started at the end of 1941. In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the mass removal and detention of the Japanese Americans on the West Coast. This meant that the Japanese Americans would be sent to relocation camps. When they were let out of camp, many people had lost everything. Understandably, individuals had a difficult time finding a place to live and starting over.
Waiting for the bus to Manzanar - 1941
The VJCC served as a storage facility for many individuals during the war. After, over a three year period, it served as a hostel for over one hundred families. Some families saw their stay at the Center as a “stepping stone” until they were able to find a place of their own. Families that lived at the Center included the Doi family, the Kawabata family, the Mano family, the Nakagiri family, the Nakayu family, the Nishiyama family, the Ohno family, and the Shimozo family. Individuals who stayed at the hostel included Heiji Kita, Eizo Maruyama, Tomohei Mikawa, Shinichi Moriguchi, Kazuo Nishi, Sachio Okamoto, Izumi Utsuki, and Owen Yoshikawa.
When the Center was used as a hostel, people lived in trailers, tents, in the judo dojo and in the classrooms. On the Center’s gravel-covered property were two or three trailers. There were two or three army tents, each holding about four people. People also stayed in the judo dojo, which was partitioned. In the hall, there were folding doors that divided the area into four classrooms. Each classroom was partitioned into quarters. When a family moved out, the other families in the room got a little more space. One of the classrooms was used as a bachelor room, accommodating six bachelors who slept on cots. Living quarters also included a wooden house with two bedrooms shared by two families—Reverend Kashitani and his in-laws, and the Doi family. Everyone utilized the office which had the only telephone, and all shared the one shower, a kitchen area, and a dining area.
During this time, Reverend Clyde Burnett was sent by the government to work through the Center to assist families living in the hostel. Reverend Burnett was from the Venice Santa Monica Free Methodist Church. He and his wife, Lillian, helped run the dining hall. He would say a prayer before the meals, and everyone would sit together and eat. Every Sunday, Reverend Burnett would hold religious services in the dining hall.
During the last half of the 1940’s, people slowly started to move out of the Center and were able to find places of their own. In June of 1948, the Venice Japanese Community Association was reactivated as a non-profit organization called the Venice Japanese Community Center, Inc. Then, in 1949, the Venice Judo Club resumed classes. A year later, in March of 1950, the Venice Gakuen started classes. Gradually, more people in the community became active at the Center.
Note: This is 2 of 4 articles on the History of the Venice Japanese Community Center. Keep an eye out for future articles by our 2007 intern, Tiffany Yoshikawa
By Gail Sharp and Kelvin Uyeda
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The joint effort that became the VJCC began in 1921 with thirty-five families. During the years immediately following the end of WWII, the property purchased in1939 to house the hopes and dreams of the VJCC became a temporary home to over one hundred families. The foresight of our pioneers saved and cemented a spot for us to grow to 1,845 active members in 2007. We are gratefully bursting out of our seams! Like our membership, year by year the VJCC Legacy Tree continues to grow and strengthen. Since last year’s update, the Legacy Tree wall has sprouted more |
leaves and acorns and acquired more stones to represent a total of over $300,000 in donations and pledges toward the future growth of the VJCC.
There are many ways to contribute to the VJCC, including gifts of stocks and bonds, used car donations, and direct monetary gifts. A memorable way of making a contribution is through the Legacy Tree where you can purchase a Leaf, Acorn or Stone which can be dedicated with an engraved inscription that will endure and flourish for generations to come.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Center. Your gift will add to the legacy of the VJCC!
Senior Moments - Fall Prevention
By Aileen Hongo
Source information: http://www.stopfalls.org
A few months ago, we discussed assistive devices to make the activities of daily living easier for the older adult. This month we will further explore making a home a safer and more conducive environment for healthy aging. As we age, our mobility and sense of balance become increasingly limited. This can lead to falls, causing fractures and other serious injury. Most falls involving seniors occur at home where older adults spend most of their time. Each year, falls occur in over a third of persons older than 65 and in over half of those older than 75. Another serious issue with falls is that more than 40% of people hospitalized from hip fractures do not return home and will probably not regain their independence |
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However, there are measures to prevent falls and even better, new designs in home modification that can make the home a safer place. How can we prevent falls? Research has proven that most effective fall prevention programs are multi-faceted. Initially, an assessment should be made to understand why a person would be at risk of falling. This may include loss of muscle/balance control, medications, and chronic illness. Exercise/physical activity may help increase a person’s balance and mobility skills.
Another effective fall prevention tool is home modification – changes in the person’s home environment to reduce fall hazards. The first step would be to consult with your physician for a risk assessment for falls and follow the doctor’s advice on a fall prevention plan, including exercise or physical therapy. Discuss what home modifications would be recommended based on your needs.
There may be hidden hazards within the home now that can be addressed such as:
There are numerous resources on-line for licensed architects and contractors who can assist you in designing your home (or the home of a loved one) and/or installing fixtures to turn your home into a safer environment. It would be a good idea to shop around and get a few estimates. There are also a wide variety of government funding resources and financing options available. Here are a few websites that have a tremendous amount of information and contacts:
http://www.homemods.org
http://www.stopfalls.org
I also have a check list on fall prevention for the home that I can email or snail mail to you – just send me an email at webmaster@vjcc.com!
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.