The East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai will celebrate the New Year with its annual luncheon meeting to be hosted Sunday, Feb. 23, at the Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin Sangha Hall. ADVERTISING The East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai will celebrate the
The East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai will celebrate the New Year with its annual luncheon meeting to be hosted Sunday, Feb. 23, at the Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin Sangha Hall.
The Kenjin Kai will welcome the Year of the Horse. It is thought those born in the year of the horse are successful, have excellent communication skills, enjoy being in the limelight and are cheerful, popular, talented and enjoy entertaining.
A short business meeting conducted by President Delbert Nishimoto will be at 10:30 a.m. before the New Year’s luncheon.
The following will be installed:
• President Eugene Nishimura,
• First Vice President Thomas Goya.
• Second Vice President Jon Arizumi.
• Third Vice President Bea Isemoto.
• Fourth Vice President Helen Shirota Benevides.
• Japanese Secretary Motoe Tada.
• Assistant Japanese Secretary Patsy Iwasaki.
• English Secretary Byron Toma.
• Assistant English Secretary Ed Hara.
• And directors.
Beiju honorees, those members who will accomplish reaching the auspicious age of 88 in 2014, also will be honored:
• Sadako Kodani.
• Kazue Makino.
• Mieko Nagao.
• Haruo Nakamura.
• Yaeko Nakanishi.
• Tomie Shiigi.
• Toshie Taketa.
• Thomas Takeuchi.
• Stanley Tanaka.
• Katsumi Yahiro.
• Yuriko Yahiro.
• Arlene Yamagata.
Family members and friends of the honorees are encouraged to attend the luncheon.
Kelsey Nishimura, daughter of Eugene and Dora Nishimura, and Kyley Nishimura, daughter of Kyle and Cindy Nishimura, also will give a report as the Kenjin Kai’s delegates to the 2013 Hiroshima International Youth Exchange Program last summer.
Sponsored by the Hiroshima Prefectural Government, the sister-city relationship program to Hiroshima includes a visit with the governor, Japanese cultural activities, visit to a high school, interaction with students from Hiroshima and delegates from other countries and a home-stay experience. Information on this program will be available at the luncheon.
Two scholarships were also presented to the children or grandchildren of Kenjin Kai members. The recipients were Kera Akiyama, daughter of Keith and Raenelle Akiyama, and granddaughter of Tsuneo Akiyama, who is attending Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz., pursuing a major in education; and Kellie Iwasaki, daughter of Alan and Patsy Iwasaki, who is attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a double major in Asian studies and biology.
More information on the educational scholarships given to children and grandchildren of East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai members will be available at the luncheon.
Tommy Goya, general chairman of the event, along with his committee members, welcomes and invites all those with ancestral roots in Hiroshima to attend the luncheon and join the organization.
“Join us in celebrating the Year of the Horse on Sunday, Feb. 23! We welcome guests and new members,” Goya said.
“Annual dues are only $7. We also welcome any help for the luncheon.”
The luncheon cost is $10 per person. Tickets were mailed out to members. For tickets or additional tickets, call President Delbert Nishimoto at 935-8719, Eugene Nishimura at 933-2445 or Ed Hara at 961-6651.
