Press Release By Friends of Minidoka, Inc.
Friends of Minidoka, Inc. announces a Fall Friendraiser to be held October 17th from 6:30-8:30pm at the Magic Valley Arts Council, 195 River Vista Pl., in Twin Falls. Friends of Minidoka invites the business community, educators, and neighbors in southern Idaho to join them for a poignant evening program to learn about the history of Minidoka National Historic Site and hear exciting updates about the park.
Friends of Minidoka was established in 2003 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit partner of Minidoka National Historic Site. As the philanthropic partner of the National Park Service at this site, they engage in and support education, research, and historic preservation related to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII, especially as it relates to Minidoka National Historic Site.
From October 1942 to August 1945, Minidoka housed over 13,000 incarcerees of Japanese descent, originally from Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and California. Officially designated the Minidoka War Relocation Center, Minidoka was locally known as Hunt Camp. Located 15 miles north of Twin Falls in Jerome County, Minidoka National Historic Site has become a significant contributor to the Magic Valley’s tourist economy. Attracting several hundred people to the area each year, attendance is expected to continue its steady rise with the development of a permanent visitor center in spring of 2019.
Along with an introduction to the incarceration experience at Minidoka, there will be a screening of short videos by incarcerees and their descendants on how this experience has impacted their lives; updates from Friends of Minidoka and the National Park Service; and information regarding the impact of the park’s operations on the economy of Southern Idaho. The evening will include a no-host bar and catered social hour with Friends of Minidoka board members, NPS staff, and presenters.
This program will provide the community with the opportunity to better understand the significance of the incarceration experience and the sustained impact that the development of Minidoka National Historic Site will continue to have in southern Idaho.
For more information or to sponsor this event, please contact Mia Russell at mia@minidoka.org or (208) 863-0076.
Friends of Minidoka’s Facebook Page is Here.
