One of the amazing items being offered in our silent auction is an exclusive woodblock print by the renowned Japanese Canadian artist, Taiga Chiba:

'Squid Heaven' by Taiga Chiba

Chiba Taiga the artist.

To see other silent auction items, please click on this link.

Shihori making her presentation in Steveston.

The presentation was given by Shihori, Community Service worker at Tonari Gumi, and included handouts and a helpful set of real-life examples that elicited many questions from the group as they related the examples to their own lives.  Tonari Gumi expresses its appreciation for the support and assistance given by Kelvin Higo to make this event a success.  Tonari Gumi will be working with the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre to hold other seminars of interest to the community in Steveston in the near future.  Individuals interested in participating in these seminars in both English and Japanese are asked to contact Kelvin Higo or the Tonari Gumi office at 604-687-2172.

Joy Kogawa

On Saturday, June 8, starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Pink Pearl Chinese Restaurant, Joy Kogawa will be the keynote speaker at Tonari Gumi’s 40th and the Greater Vancouver JCCA’s 60th Anniversary dinner.  Please join us in celebrating 100 years of service to the Japanese Canadian community and contribute to Tonari Gumi’s new seniors’ drop-in and community outreach centre being created at 42 West 8th Avenue in Vancouver.

Joy Kogawa is the keynote speaker at this gala event because she has prominently represented the community and it’s history to all Canadians and to all the world.  Joy Kogawa’s best known work is a semi-autobiographical novel, Obasan.  Obasan has been named as one of the most important books in Canadian history by the Literary Review of Canada and was also listed by The Toronto Star in a “Best of Canada” feature.  Obasan was later adapted into a 45-minute opera that toured elementary schools throughout British Columbia.  In 1986, Kogawa was made a Member of the Order of Canada and in 2006 she was made a Member of the Order of British Columbia.  In 2010, the Japanese government honored Kogawa with the Order of the Rising Sun for her contribution to the understanding and preservation of Japanese Canadian history.

If you would like to attend this important milestone event while contributing to Tonari Gumi’s continuing services for seniors in the Japanese Canadian community, please click here to purchase tickets online.  To purchase tickets directly or for more information contact: Tonari Gumi, (604) 687-2172 or e-mail at info@tonarigumi.ca.

Registration can be phoned into the following:  Shag Ando (604-922-9226), Ed Teranishi (604-276-2192), Michael Yamamoto (604-720-3915), Derek Iwanaka (604-928-2797), Katsuko Shioiri (604-649-5880), Ken Nishi (604-521-4055), Perry Nishihata (604-812-1850), the Tonari Gumi office (604-687-2172) or obtain your own registration forms by clicking onto the following link:  Golf Tournament.