Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Springfest is this weekend

The Japanese American Friendship Society will be having their ninth annual Spring Festival in Peachtree City May 23. The location has changed from the soccer field to the Shakerag Knoll (191 McIntosh Trail - across the street from Huddleston Elementary).

On May 23rd, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the society will offer free admission to dress-up in Japanese Yukata, Shop at bazaar, calligraphy, safety clowns, Freddy the Fire Engine and face painting, And for your entertainment: martial Arts and karate demonstration, DJ and music; jazz band, a performance by Pia Ugarte, and Japanese toys This will be a chance to experience international cuisine and enjoy free Hoshizaki snow cones. There is a charge for the food, as well as chances to win prizes. Panasonic has been known to donate stereos and DVD players.

Rinnai America has donated before their cook out stove, and the other companies donate money to have dinner certificates. The festival last year offered over 68 prizes with a grand prize of two tickets two plane tickets to Japan.

The society has requested help from the area Boy Scouts to help out during the festival.

"It is always nice to see a young man in uniform, they stand out better," according to Verna Funk, Cub Scout/Boy Scouts Leader from Newnan, and a member of the Society's Board of Directors. Funk has recommended to area Boy Scouts "one of the Eagle requirements is to complete the Citizenship of the World Merit Badge. The boys can meet some of the merit badge requirements of attending an international event, and speak with someone from a foreign land about their experiences, as well as how their country compares to each other, while the boys are waiting to climb the Festival's newest attraction, the 'Rock Wall'. For Cub Scouts, there is a Language Belt Loop and two of the tree requirements can also be satisfied at the same time of having a lot of FUN!"

The core membership of the Japanese-American Friendship Society Inc., (formerly The International Society, Inc.) are the employees and families of Japanese companies such as: Hoshizaki America, NACOM, Nippon Express, Panasonic, Furukawa America, Shinsei Corporation, TDK, Nippon Express, Yamato Transport, Toppan, Rinnai, Yamaha and Yokogawa. However, there are a number of non-affiliated corporations and individual people who are also members.

Since the 1980s, many Japanese companies have found Fayette County and Coweta County attractive communities to build facilities and open manufacturing plants. Today, numerous Japanese companies have established a presence in this locale, hiring many local employees and relocating Japanese staff and their families from Japan to this area.

The society was formed in 1986 and its principal goals are social and educational. Since many Japanese were being relocated from Japan to this area, there was a perceived need to assist new people with the cultural transition and ease their adjustment into the community. The society developed into an excellent forum for both Japanese and Americans to socialize and learn each other's culture and customs.

The society was formed to foster and engender a spirit of goodwill toward the people of Japan and America, and to promote a better understanding of the customs, culture, history, arts, literature, etc., between the two nations.

If anyone is interested if finding more information about the Japanese American Friendship Society, the website is: www.jafa.us.