The smell of salmon cooking over real wood coals always says “Powell Street Festival” to me. Thank you to everyone who dropped by the JCCA Salmon BBQ/Spam Sushi booth at this year’s Powell Street Festival. Both dishes proved to be popular once again, with sales going towards supporting the goals and programs of the JCCA and The Bulletin.
I am pleased to report that an agreement has been reached between the JCCA and the Greater Toronto Chapter of the National Association of Japanese Canadians (GTCNAJC) regarding publication of The Bulletin. The GTCNAJC will make a donation to the JCCA to be used solely towards publication of The Bulletin. In return, the JCCA will ensure that the GTCNAJC will be given up to eight pages for articles, notices and advertisements in each month The Bulletin is published. The Eastern Canada/Ontario articles will be compiled by a Toronto based editor in a format acceptable to our hardworking Managing Editor John Endo Greenway. Many new readers in Ontario of our expanded Bulletin will see for themselves what an excellent publication it is. We, in turn, should have much to gain by having closer ties with the GTCNAJC.
On the subject of closer ties, I expect that many readers are aware of JCCA’s evolving closer ties with Tonari Gumi. Ties between the two organizations began many years ago. A contractual relationship began in 2000 when Tonari Gumi moved to its current location at 511 East Broadway. As owner of the building, JCCA became Tonari Gumi’s landlord. Thanks to an extremely generous donation from Tom Kusumoto to Tonari Gumi on February 28, 2012, the wheels were set in motion for the JCCA and Tonari Gumi to work jointly in the relocation of Tonari Gumi to 42 West 8th Avenue in Vancouver. Our contribution to the joint project includes the use of sale proceeds from sale of the 511 East Broadway property. Although the West 8th property has been purchased, much renovation work needs to be done before relocation can occur. Planning is vital to the process and a Tonari Gumi/JCCA Joint Building Committee has been formed so that the two organizations can work together to achieve the goal of a “Home Away From Home” at the new facility. The JCCA representatives on the Committee are Jack Matsushita, Morgan Elander, Shag Ando and me.
In conjunction with the purchase of the new building, a campaign has begun to raise the estimated $650,000 required to complete the renovations. Please consider contributing to the “Home Away From Home” campaign so that we can create the centre that our seniors deserve.
The National Association of Japanese Canadians 2012 Annual General Meeting will be held in Kamloops, B.C. on September 15 -16. JCCA Board members planning on attending are Mieko Amano, April Shimizu, May Hamanishi, Morgan Elander and me. I have attended two previous NAJC Annual General Meetings. They were valuable and fun-filled experiences. I am sure I will feel the same about this year’s AGM. Kamloops here we come!
Gary Matson
President, GVJCCA
