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Mary Graybill, APR, Fellow PRSA,
Graybill Communications
310-441-2899
mary@graybillcom.com
Go For Broke National Education Center Honors Veterans, Celebrates Future
World War II Japanese American soldiers serve the U.S. today in learning tools
Go For Broke National Education Center (GFBNEC) offered a special tribute to Nisei or second-generation Japanese American veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service (MIS) and all other units that served during World War II, in addition to honoring all United States soldiers of all wars, at its annual Evening of Aloha gala dinner on Nov. 14, 2009.
(Note: Man in middle of Nisei & Abercrombie image is United States Representative Neil Abercrombie, (D-HI))
Photo credit: Shane Sato, Little Tokyo
TORRANCE, CA (Nov. 15, 2009) – Go For Broke National Education Center (GFBNEC) offered a special tribute to Nisei or second-generation Japanese American veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service (MIS) and all other units that served during World War II, in addition to honoring all United States soldiers of all wars, at its annual Evening of Aloha gala dinner on Nov. 14, 2009. The nonprofit organization also outlined plans for its future and highlighted nationally focused programs it has created to keep the Nisei soldiers' legacy alive and make their story known.
Over the course of the evening, guests were treated to a series of theatrical vignettes telling the story of the memories brought to life by a Nisei veteran's Hanashi Oral History interview experience. Created and directed by Sachilko and Dom Magwili, the heartwarming production gave guests a window into GFBNEC's Hanashi program. Hanashi, which means story or to talk in Japanese, is the largest oral history archive of its kind and includes 1,050 interviews. Using these video oral histories as real-life examples for students, GFBNEC has developed a curriculum for history and social studies classes and provides teacher training to a growing constituency nationwide, including California, Hawaii, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. Hanashi Oral Histories will also be the centerpiece in the exhibition pavilion of the Go For Broke National Education Center that will be built in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo community.
100/442/MIS vets saluting colors
At Go For Broke National Education Center’s Evening of Aloha, Nisei veterans salute as a color guard of soldiers from today’s 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry of the U.S. Army Reserves, Hawaii posts the American flag. L-R, Hiro Nishikubo (442nd), Hitoshi Sameshima (MIS), Don Seki (442nd), Victor Abe (MIS) and Ken Akune (MIS).
Photo credit: Shane Sato, Little Tokyo
"The building we're designing to tell the American story of the 100th, 442nd, MIS and more will give schoolchildren, teachers and countless other visitors an accessible education center where they can come to learn about our remarkable Nisei soldiers," said Christine Sato-Yamazaki, President and CEO, GFBNEC. "The sacrifice and values of the Nisei soldiers are the building blocks of our organization. Their legacy is at the heart of our programs and it's as meaningful today as it was 64 years ago. It will be just as meaningful 64 years into the future."
Though more than 30,000 Nisei soldiers served in the 100th, 442nd, MIS and other World War II military units, they're now reaching their 80s and 90s and opportunities to capture their Hanashi Oral Histories are fading. The vignettes and an Evening of Aloha program feature, Rallying the Troops, called attention to the urgency of the Hanashi interviews.
In his keynote address, California Superior Court Judge and Vietnam veteran Vincent Okamoto acknowledged all soldiers of all wars for their sacrifices and critical role in protecting freedoms all Americans enjoy. He singled out the Nisei soldiers for their values and their fight in both World War II battlefields and at home in the United States for the civil liberties of all Americans.
Procession of Nisei veterans, escorts at GFBNEC Evening of Aloha
Go For Broke National Education Center (GFBNEC) offered a special tribute to Nisei veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service (MIS) and all other units that served during World War II at its annual Evening of Aloha gala dinner on Nov. 14, 2009.
L-R, Toke Yoshihashi (100th), Ken Miya (100th), Bones Fujimoto (442nd), Victor Abe (MIS), Ken Akune (MIS), Don Seki (442nd) and Hitoshi Sameshima (MIS).
Photo credit: Shane Sato, Little Tokyo
In the tradition of GFBNEC's Evening of Aloha, the event was not just another rubber-chicken dinner. Evening of Aloha has gained a following for its food. Guests dined on a dinner planned by celebrated chefs Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's Restaurants Worldwide and Charles Phan of San Francisco's Slanted Door then finished the dining experience with dessert from King's Hawaiian Bakery.
Grammy-award winners Daniel Ho and Tia Carrere entertained and Gordon Tokumatsu, an Emmy-award winning reporter for Channel 4 News on NBC4 in Los Angeles, was master of ceremonies. Evening of Aloha also included a popular silent auction before dinner with approximately 200 items, a fast-moving live auction for a Dream Vacation for two via American Airlines and Small Luxury Hotels of the World and an opportunity drawing for a brand-new 2010 Lexus HS 250h, the first luxury hybrid sedan.
Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. and Union Bank were title sponsors. Marshall Ozawa, Vice President, Union Bank was event chairman. It was the 8th annual Evening of Aloha and a 20th Anniversary Celebration for the organization. More than 950 guests attended the event.
In addition to Hanashi Oral Histories and teacher training, GFBNEC's work includes a Resource Center, interactive educational initiatives and the Go For Broke Monument located in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. Resources including oral histories, lesson plans, historical content and membership, are available by clicking on the GFBNEC website at www.goforbroke.org.
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