From Kumamoto Kenjin Kai
The Kumamon is the most popular mascot in Japan and the official mascot for Kumamoto Prefecture, which is the site of the two devastating earthquakes that took place late last week. The Seattle Kumamoto Kenjin Kai (Prefectural Club) is calling to mobilize all fans of the Kumamon and friends of Kumamoto to wear their Kumamon gear and participate in a fund raising effort to support the earthquake relief and recovery effort.
The Seattle Kumamoto Kenjin Kai is partnering with Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington (JCCCW), Peace Winds America and the Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival to raise funds to support the earthquake relief and recovery efforts in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The fund raising effort will take place at the Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival that will be this weekend at the Seattle Center. Donation boxes will be placed throughout the festival grounds manned by volunteers from JCCCW, Peace Winds of America, Seattle Kumamoto Kenjin Kai and many of the other Seattle-based Japanese and Japanese American organizations.
All donations will be processed through Peace Winds America, whose Tokyo-based sister organization, Peace Winds Japan, is conducting search-and-rescue operations and is operating evacuation shelters in Kumamoto. 100% of donations will go to immediate relief activities. Donations can be made at: http://peacewindsamerica.org/support/
“This is a critical time in the relief effor t and it is our hope to send a message to our family members and friends that we are thinking about you and hope that our efforts will alleviate some of the pain and anguish from this terrifying experience,” says Calvin Terada, president of Seattle Kumamoto Kenjin Kai.
The organization’s mission is to teach about the past, serve the present, and assist future generations about Kumamoto and our unique relationship with Japan. The organization will mark the 110th year in 2017, and more information about the Seattle Kumamoto Kenjin Kai can be found at www. kumamotokenjinkai.org
More information about the fund raising event can also be found through Karen Yoshitomi at kareny@jcccw.org or (206) 568-7114 or https://jcccw.org.
