Nisei Ski Club

by Jeanne Katsuro, Vice President

Join us and celebrate – Nisei Ski Club’s 65th Anniversary.

Date: Saturday, October 28, 2023

Location:       China Stix Restaurant https://www.chinastix.net/

                     2110 El Camino Real

Santa Clara, CA 95050

Time – 5:00pm

Come out and get reacquainted with past presidents and your NSC members.

It’s going to be a fantastic evening!!

For more information, please send updated emails to

Jeanne Katsuro vicepresident@niseiskiclub.org

65th-Anniversary-Dinner-Final-Flyer-Version-3-FinalDownload

Here are some pics from our NSC 60th Anniversary DInner in 2018

by Tina Woo, Membership

Join us for our 2^nd annual Nisei Ski Club Pickleball Event. Our inaugural event (held in October 2022) was met with such enthusiasm and success we decided to organize a second club event. Grab a paddle and join us on Saturday, November 4 from 9-11 am.

Pickleball’s popularity has skyrocketed in the last two years.  What is pickleball?  Pickleball is a mash-up between tennis, ping pong and badminton and is played on a court smaller than a tennis court.  It offers a safe, socially distanced form of exercise, is low impact and is accessible for people of all ages.  Sign up and join us!!  Even if you don’t play, you’re welcome to join us for dim sum lunch afterwards.  All are welcome!

by Jeff Honda, Board Member

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Hey Fellow Bakers,

I’m always in search for recipes made with fresh blueberries.

Fresh blueberries are low in calories and incredibly healthy, potentially regulating blood sugar levels and aiding heart and brain health. Often marketed as a superfood, blueberries are an excellent source of several vitamins, beneficial plant compounds, and antioxidants.  I use a handful for my smoothies. pancakes and especially for blueberry muffins.

I’m really looking for an excuse to have dessert for breakfast. Honestly, Jordan Marsh’s blueberry muffins are light, cakey in a good way and so easy to make. I make them often for the weeklong ski trips. Want one? Come over to our condo at Jackson Hole.

Try them out and let me know how you like them. Enjoy!

Bon Appetite – Julia Child and Karen Soo share the same birthday.

Ingredients

Yield:12 muffins

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups blueberries, washed, drained and picked over
• 3 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

• Cream the butter and 1 1/4v cups sugar until light.

• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.

• Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.

• Crus1/2 cup blueberries with a fork, and mix into the batter. Fold in the remaining whole berries. ( I skipped the crushing)

• Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners, and fill with batter. Sprinkle the 3 teaspoons sugar over the tops of the muffins, and bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.

• Remove muffins from tin and cool at least 30 minutes. Store, uncovered, or the muffins will be too moist the second day, if they last that long.

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

It’s a Small World After All…

I guess you can figure out where Curtis and I spent our vacation in September, Walt Disney World. (WDW). We had sunshine, 80% humidity and the temperature was in the 90’s. Its was HOT but its was still a happy place for us.

Walt Disney World Resort (WDW) is a world – renowned entertainment complex located in Orlando, Florida. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year.

Walt Disney World Resort is a significant economic driver for the state of Florida. It generates substantial revenue and has a significant impact for the local economy in various ways.

Thanks to our charge cards, we spent our share of “Benjamin’s” on park tickets, accommodations, dining, shopping, transportation and other tourism related expenses which benefited the local businesses and the state’s economy.

This is Curtis’s first trip to the Sunshine State. My 8^th time to WDW.

I started planning our trip after the ski season. I subscribed to Ear Shots YouTube videos. Read all the blogs on Facebook and tried to understand what people do to plan for their trips.

We picked a week after Labor Day when all the kiddies were back at school and of course we went during the hurricane season. ( Less crowded) What are the odds of Hurricane Ian 2022 hitting land again? We got lucky, no hurricane in sight. We had the occasional thunder shower downpour.

We used my miles to fly down to Florida. We purchased advance park passes for 4 full days. DING $99.00 a day for the theme parks which includes. Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.  Just like a ski resort, walk up ticket prices were $150.00 a day. OUCH!

We spent 14 hours in the park. We did rent a car and drove to the parks – DING $25.00 a day for parking. We walked 26,000 to 28,000 steps a day, that’s 11 to 12 miles. Good sneakers are advised.

OUT is the traditional Fast Pass. IN is the Genie + – A reservation system for select rides. The plus side of Genie + is the lines were shorter and the wait was quick. I think Genie + was worth it. DING $15.00 – $20.00 a day per person, depending on the park.

Curtis was a champ in reserving the rides. Believe me, we did not miss a thing. We rode almost all the rides and seen all the shows and attractions.

We stayed at my friend’s time share, Club Wyndham at Bonnet Creek, which was on the Disney property but not a Disney affiliated accommodation. DING $80.00 a night / a bargain. 10–15-minute ride to the parks.

The disadvantage is we cannot go into the park 30 minutes earlier. We did go to the park early for rope drop (7:30am-8:00am)– this means we were there at the front of the line when the parked opened up. Once the rope drop we did our power walk to our first ride.

 The 4 parks offer various shows, parades, character meet and greet. At the end of the night, the fabulous fireworks show took place at 9:00pm – People were already waiting at their spots at 7:00pm.

Epcot has the new Guardian of the Galaxy roller coaster ride plus the international food festival.

Magic Kingdom has the Tron Light cycle ride- A ride on an individual motor cycle. See Video

Hollywood Studio has the Star Wars theme rides.

Animal Kingdom has the Pandora – The world of Avatar. Fly on the back of a mountain Banshee.

(Watch the Avatar Movie and you will understand what a Banshee is.)

We packed sandwiches for lunch and we carried a lot of snacks with us. We each had our own Camel bak so we were hydrated throughout the day. Plus, Florida tap water is nasty.

I had my smoke Turkey Leg on steroids. It was tender and not dried at all.

Epcot had their annual food festival around the park. Different kiosks had different types of food.
Again, Curtis researched and ate and drank his way around Epcot.

We invested in the Disney photo pass package. DING $169.00. Photographers were stationed all over the parks to take your pictures. Standing in line, we got our pictures in front of various place like Cinderella Castle and the Millennium Falcon. We didn’t do take too much pictures with the Disney characters – a long wait and we had no time for that. We did get one picture with Mickey Mouse. There were 275 photos of us from the package, in addition to our own pictures.

We had one day of rest after 2 days in the parks. We just laid by the pool and walked around Disney Springs and had dinner there.

Overall, It was a fun,, well planned trip. You definitely need to plan ahead. We were like 2 kids running around from ride to ride. Did we get dizzy on the rides? Not really, but some of the ride effects were amazing. If anyone wants to take a magical trip to Walt Disney World, send me an email and I’ll share my notes with you.

Here are some pics taken by the Disney photo pass Package.

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

One of the best ways you can help Maui and its affected residents is by simply donating what you can to trusted donation funds. While so many have already donated, the amount of funds that will be necessary to help rebuild what was lost, and assist those who are hurting, is truly staggering. We recommend giving to established funds and organizations, such as the Maui Strong Fund, the Maui Humane Society and Red Cross Hawaiʻi, which are all directly involved in the recovery of Maui.

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

From San Jose Taiko

The 50th Anniversary concert, “50 and Beyond” will feature a medley of San Jose Taiko songs from the past and present – including classics and some new favorites – as well as give attendees a preview of the art/work that’s ahead in our limitless future.  As always, we will tell our story and the story of Japanese/Asian Americans in Silicon Valley through our music. It’s an event 50 years in the making and the culmination of our 50th Anniversary celebration!  Please join us at the California Theatre to help us celebrate this milestone.

TWO SHOWS!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 – 2 PM AND 7:30 PM

California Theatre
345 S. 1st St.
San Jose, CA 95113

For tickets https://taiko.org/50th

Between those two shows, we are having a 50th Anniversary Bash at the nearby Signia by Hilton Hotel (formerly the Fairmont). This fundraiser will include appetizers, cocktails, and more and will take place from 4:30-6:30pm. Tickets are available here. 

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Check out Warren Miller’s new movie ALLTIME

Find out where it is playing in your neighborhood. https://warrenmiller.com/events

by Armand Gutierrez, President

Dang! I can’t believe we’re heading into September and the next thing will be the start of ski season. But then I should have known that ski season is around the corner because my inbox is full of emails from various ski resorts inviting me to come visit, and ski shops that want to convince me that I need new gear (skis, clothing, etc).

Upcoming Events

Get your calendars out and mark these dates down for planned events for the remainder of the year.

September 9 – Car Tour Rally

If you haven’t signed up for this yet you still have time. This tour is being hosted by Carolyn Wong and she has done this for her Porsche Club members. This will be a fun drive through Pescadero, Half Moon Bay, and lunch at Rosotti’s Alpine Inn near Portola Valley. This is the first time NSC has held a Car Tour event (to my knowledge) and if it’s well-received there could be a follow-on event for next year. Take a gander at the flyer for details. Although the flyer says the deadline is Tuesday, September 5, it has been extended to Friday, September 8.

October 28 – 65^th NSC Anniversary Dinner – We had a great time at our 60^th Anniversary Dinner so be sure to sign up for this Anniversary Dinner. There will be great food and the opportunity to see friends and members you probably haven’t seen in quite awhile. Take a look at the flyer and get your checkbook handy.

November 4  – NSC Pickleball Event – Details in the October Newsletter.

November 11 – NSC Bowling Event – Details in the October Newsletter.

Helping Maui

The firestorm in Maui was pretty devastating in terms of property damage, loss of life, and will long be remembered. A number of our members have ties to Hawai’i and several members of the Hawai’i Ski Club are on the Jackson Hole trip. At our August Board meeting a vote was passed to make a financial donation to help the residents of Lāhainā. If you are interested in making a donation go to this website and scroll down to Number 2:

https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/maui-fires-what-you-can-do-to-help/¹²

2024 NSC Jackson Hole – 27 January to 3 February

The Jackson Hole trip is fully booked with 5 2-bedroom units and 3 3-bedroom units. However, there are additional 2- and 3- bedroom units available. New applications will be accepted but put on a Waitlist until a condo can be filled.  So if you’re interested in going then now is the time to step up to the plate and send in your application and check (full balance). And speaking of payments, a number of applicants forgot about the 2^nd payment due in August and now full payments are due by September 15. If you’re a late-comer and want to be on this trip then go to the NSC website and download the Jackson Hole Flyer, fill it out, and send it in so you can be added to the Waitlist. If enough people sign up to fill a condo you’ll be notified to send in your payment..

QotM: Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

One of the best ways you can help Maui and its affected residents is by simply donating what you can to trusted donation funds. While so many have already donated, the amount of funds that will be necessary to help rebuild what was lost, and assist those who are hurting, is truly staggering. We recommend giving to established funds and organizations, such as the Maui Strong Fund, the Maui Humane Society and Red Cross Hawaiʻi, which are all directly involved in the recovery of Maui.

by Carolyn Wong, Nisei Ski Club Member

What could be better than a drive along the backroads in San Mateo County?

Doing it with a group of your best ski buddies.

This driving tour will start at the Steven’s Creek County Park and travel the backroads through Pescadero, along the coast through Half Moon Bay, and end at the Rossotti’s Alpine Inn for lunch.

The Driving Tour is being led by an experienced tour leader. We will travel as a group (caravan) while enjoying the roads and the scenery. Any car is welcome.

Date Saturday, September 9, 2023

Meet at the Stevens Creek County Park main parking lot (drive past the small parking lot on the right and turn left to go up the hill, we will meet in the parking lot on the left near the bathrooms) at 9:30 AM. We will depart at 10:00 AM.

There will be a rest break at the Arcangeli Grocery, known for their artichoke bread, in Pescadero for a rest stop before we head north up the coast.

SIGN UP FORM HERE

https://www.alpineinnpv.com/

by Jeanne Katsuro, Vice President

Join us and celebrate – Nisei Ski Club’s 65th Anniversary.

Date: Saturday, October 28, 2023

Location:       China Stix Restaurant https://www.chinastix.net/

                     2110 El Camino Real

Santa Clara, CA 95050

Time – 5:00pm

Come out and get reacquainted with past presidents and your NSC members.

It’s going to be a fantastic evening!!

For more information, please send updated emails to

Jeanne Katsuro vicepresident@niseiskiclub.org

NSC 65th Anniversary Sign Up Form

65th-Anniversary-Dinner-Final-Flyer-Version-3-FinalDownload

Here are some pics from our NSC 60th Anniversary DInner in 2018

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Hey Fellow Chefs,

Julia Child and I had a splendid birthday celebration. I don’t know what she’s up to, but I’m still celebrating this month. I’m taking a trip to the happiest place on earth. I hope to post the trip article next month.

By popular demand, here is the guava cake recipe that was the dessert highlight of the Nisei Ski Club picnic that took place on July 22, 2023. Thank you to Linda Honda, wife of board member Jeff Honda.

If you happen to tried out the recipe, send me a picture so I can post it here.

Enjoy!!

Bon Appetite – Julia Child and Karen Soo share the same birthday.

Bottom Cake:

• 1 box strawberry cake mix – use baking instructions on box.
  • 9 x 13 Inch Glass Pyrex
• 1 + 1/3c. Guava nectar or guava juice
• 3 eggs
• 1/3c. coconut oil (liquid) room temperature

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 8oz. Cream cheese softened
• 1/3 c. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 8 oz. Cool whip thawed

*Add ‘Hawaiian Sun’ guava jelly, 1/4 c. mix  Set aside, put in refrigerator until ready to use

Guava Gel Topping

• 2c. Guava nectar or guava juice
• 1/2c. Sugar
• 1/4c. Cornstarch
• 3T. Water

Instructions

• In a mixing bowl, mix together cake mix, guava juice, eggs, and coconut oil until well combined. Bake in a 9×13 glass baking dish according to cake mix package directions. 

• In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with hand mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla and mix well. Slowly fold in the Cool Whip and refrigerate until ready to use. 

• In a medium saucepan, bring the 2 cups guava juice and sugar to a boil. Make a slurry out of the cornstarch and a small amount of water.  Remove guava juice from heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and bring back to a boil and boil for one minute. Cool in refrigerator.

• When cake has cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cake. When cake has cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cake. Glaze the top of the cake with guava gel. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Glaze the top of the cake with guava gel. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Add strawberries, blueberries, mint sprigs to your preference. Enjoy

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

From San Jose Taiko

The 50th Anniversary concert, “50 and Beyond” will feature a medley of San Jose Taiko songs from the past and present – including classics and some new favorites – as well as give attendees a preview of the art/work that’s ahead in our limitless future.  As always, we will tell our story and the story of Japanese/Asian Americans in Silicon Valley through our music. It’s an event 50 years in the making and the culmination of our 50th Anniversary celebration!  Please join us at the California Theatre to help us celebrate this milestone.

TWO SHOWS!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 – 2 PM AND 7:30 PM

California Theatre
345 S. 1st St.
San Jose, CA 95113

For tickets https://taiko.org/50th

Between those two shows, we are having a 50th Anniversary Bash at the nearby Signia by Hilton Hotel (formerly the Fairmont). This fundraiser will include appetizers, cocktails, and more and will take place from 4:30-6:30pm. Tickets are available here. 

by Tina Woo, Membership

World premiere by Brenda Wong Aoki and First Voice

Saturday , September 30 – October 1st, 2023

Soul of The City follows a storyteller who has no more stories to tell. Her husband is sick, her boy has moved away, and no one is listening to her stories. Pursued by demons and haunted by ghosts, the storyteller embarks on a journey to find the soul of San Francisco. This multimedia music drama is a ritual performance. Rooted in traditional Japanese theater and music and infused with contemporary spoken word and Asian American Jazz, the Soul of The City reveals the divine in us all.

The audience will arrive dressed in their personal regalia and will gather in the garden to put prayers, photographs or talisman on the Soul of The City sacred tree. A Shinto priest will bless us with a purification ceremony and willing participants will be given temple bells to call the ancestors. We will then go inside the theater. The audience will witness a ritual performance of jazz, storytelling, and poetry that is accompanied by photographs and images of Brenda’s family in San Francisco since the 1800’s. At the conclusion of the performance we will return to the garden for refreshments, renewed, recharged and inspired to carry on.

Written by Brenda Wong Aoki. Directed by David Furumoto with musical direction by Masaru Koga. Original music by Mark Izu, Masaru Koga, and Derek Nakamoto. Multimedia by Andi Wong and Olivia Ting. Costumes by Lydia Tanji. Performers include Brenda Wong Aoki, Caroline Cabading, Masaru Koga, devorah major, Jimi Nakagawa, Derek Nakamoto, and Kenneth Nash.

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

by Armand Gutierrez, President

July is over, and so is the hot weather towards the end of the month and we all survived 90+ temps. If I could accurately predict the weather, I would be a wealthy man. But, alas, my mortal powers are limited to just keeping fit for the upcoming ski season, so I have no predictions for August. But keep in mind, there is talk about another El Niño year.

NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic

The NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic were held on Saturday, July 22nd, and the weather was great, a great crowd of 55+ people, and a number of new faces. Everyone dined on a variety of cuisine, the new board was introduced, and a short discussion on family memberships was presented. If you missed this event now you will have to wait until next year.

2024 NSC Jackson Hole – 27 January to 3 February

Applications are coming in so if you haven’t sent yours in then what are you waiting for? Jackson Hole is always a big favorite and lodging spaces are getting taken up. For those of you that have made a deposit then August 15^th is the due date for the second payment. Go to the NSC website and download the Jackson Hole Flyer, fill it out, and send it in (don’t forget your check). As an added incentive, you can go down (literally) as an NSC Legend just by taking this simple fall line run (AKA Corbet’s Couloirs):

Here is the sign up form for Jackson Hole weeklong trip.

2024 JACKSON HOLE FLYER

QotM: Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

by Carolyn Wong, Nisei Ski Club Member

What could be better than a drive along the backroads in San Mateo County?

Doing it with a group of your best ski buddies.

This driving tour will start at the Steven’s Creek County Park and travel the backroads through Pescadero, along the coast through Half Moon Bay, and end at the Rossotti’s Alpine Inn for lunch.

The Driving Tour is being led by an experienced tour leader. We will travel as a group (caravan) while enjoying the roads and the scenery. Any car is welcome.

Date Saturday, September 9, 2023

Meet at the Stevens Creek County Park main parking lot (drive past the small parking lot on the right and turn left to go up the hill, we will meet in the parking lot on the left near the bathrooms) at 9:30 AM. We will depart at 10:00 AM.

There will be a rest break at the Arcangeli Grocery, known for their artichoke bread, in Pescadero for a rest stop before we head north up the coast.

SIGN UP FORM HERE

https://www.alpineinnpv.com/

by Jeanne Katsuro, Vice President

Join us and celebrate – Nisei Ski Club’s 65th Anniversary. NEW DATE

A banquet is planned for the following date –

Date: Saturday, October 28,2023

Location:       China Stix Restaurant https://www.chinastix.net/

                     2110 El Camino Real,

Santa Clara, CA 95050

Time – 5:00pm

Come out and get reacquainted with past presidents and your NSC members.

It’s going to be a fantastic evening!!

For more information, please send updated emails to

Jeanne Katsuro vicepresident@niseiskiclub.org

Here are some pics from our NSC 60th Anniversary DInner in 2018

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Hey Fellow Chefs,

Since Julia Child and I share the same birthday, we’re taking this month off to celebrate.

Yes, its a month long celebration.

See you next month with new recipe posting. If you have a family recipe that you would like to share with us, send me an email at newsletter@niseiskiclub.org

In the meantime, have a great summer and enjoy this..

Bon Appetite – Julia Child and Karen Soo share the same birthday.

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Another successful NSC picnic that took place on Saturday, July 22. Las Palmas Park.
According to the Evite, 55 current NSC members and potential new members came out. The weather cooperated and we got the best picnic spot #2 with tree covered shading.

The picnic tables were filled with delicious pot luck dishes and scrumptious desserts.  At the end of the day, I’m sure there were plenty of left overs.

A big thank you to Curtis O for starting the BBQ and making the hot dogs, hot links and ribs. I hoped you had the chance to taste some of the slow cooked ribs that fell off the bone.

While the BBQ was heating up, Nelson O grilled his Sous Vide Tri-Tip, that disappeared really quickly.

What was there to eat?

King Egg Rolls, Thai Fruit Dessert, Tuna Sashimi, homemade Focaccia, Chili, sushi rice, chicken wings, pasta salads, appetizers and plenty of different salads and desserts.

I heard one of the hits of the dessert tray was the home-made Guava cake with strawberry topping– Who ever made that, can I get the recipe?

Armand conducted his annual membership meeting. He introduced the new board and talked about the upcoming Jackson Hole trip and the possibility of including minors to our future weeklong ski trips.

A big thank you for Armand for getting the ice beer.

A big thank you to Frank for getting the iced soda and water.  I heard we ran out of soda and water – I OOPS.. My apologies, that won’t happen again next year.

A big thank you to Morgan for getting the permit for the Las Palmas Picnic spot #2 and getting NSC supplies from our shed.
A big thank you again to Curtis for BBQing and bringing all the picnic supplies.

A big thank you to Bill and Celeste for taking pictures of the picnic.

And a big THANK YOU TO YOU!! Thank you for getting off your seats to take the NSC group photo and bringing your entrées and desserts to share. Without your participation, the club will not exist.

I missed the picnic this year and you boys and girls. I hope to see you at the NSC 65^th Anniversary Dinner on Saturday, October 28, 2023. Sign Up.

Have a great summer.

by Tina Woo, Membership

World premiere by Brenda Wong Aoki and First Voice

Saturday , September 30 – October 1st, 2023

Soul of The City follows a storyteller who has no more stories to tell. Her husband is sick, her boy has moved away, and no one is listening to her stories. Pursued by demons and haunted by ghosts, the storyteller embarks on a journey to find the soul of San Francisco. This multimedia music drama is a ritual performance. Rooted in traditional Japanese theater and music and infused with contemporary spoken word and Asian American Jazz, the Soul of The City reveals the divine in us all.

The audience will arrive dressed in their personal regalia and will gather in the garden to put prayers, photographs or talisman on the Soul of The City sacred tree. A Shinto priest will bless us with a purification ceremony and willing participants will be given temple bells to call the ancestors. We will then go inside the theater. The audience will witness a ritual performance of jazz, storytelling, and poetry that is accompanied by photographs and images of Brenda’s family in San Francisco since the 1800’s. At the conclusion of the performance we will return to the garden for refreshments, renewed, recharged and inspired to carry on.

Written by Brenda Wong Aoki. Directed by David Furumoto with musical direction by Masaru Koga. Original music by Mark Izu, Masaru Koga, and Derek Nakamoto. Multimedia by Andi Wong and Olivia Ting. Costumes by Lydia Tanji. Performers include Brenda Wong Aoki, Caroline Cabading, Masaru Koga, devorah major, Jimi Nakagawa, Derek Nakamoto, and Kenneth Nash.

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

From San Jose Taiko

The 50th Anniversary concert, “50 and Beyond” will feature a medley of San Jose Taiko songs from the past and present – including classics and some new favorites – as well as give attendees a preview of the art/work that’s ahead in our limitless future.  As always, we will tell our story and the story of Japanese/Asian Americans in Silicon Valley through our music. It’s an event 50 years in the making and the culmination of our 50th Anniversary celebration!  Please join us at the California Theatre to help us celebrate this milestone.

TWO SHOWS!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 – 2 PM AND 7:30 PM

California Theatre
345 S. 1st St.
San Jose, CA 95113

For tickets https://taiko.org/50th

by Armand Gutierrez, President

Once again July is coming in warm-to-hot temperatures, but nothing quite as bad as what’s transpiring on the East coast. Last year’s celebration of our country’s founding was quite a spectacle and I suspect this year’s celebrations will be even greater. So do your part over the 4^th of July weekend by raising Old Glory high above and into the field of blue.

NSC Objectives for this Season

This past season there have been two initiatives that I presented to the board for discussion: family memberships and the FWSA Website Award. The first is controversial, while the second is not.

Family Memberships. The concept of family memberships was born as a result of another way to increase our membership, something that has remained steady over the past few years but took a nosedive during the COVID pandemic. However, preliminary research indicates that, while technically feasible, there are a number of considerations: Constitution/By-Laws changes, insurance, family membership fees, annual ski week, age limits, parental responsibilities, and most important – membership approval. Frank Chang, our treasurer, suggested a series of forums to bring this discussion to the membership and, based on feedback, have a required membership vote. Since we don’t have regularly scheduled meetings I would like to hold these forums at the following events: NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic, the planned 65^th Reunion Dinner, and at the Farewell Dinner on our Jackson Hole ski week.

FWSA Website Award. As part of the FWSA International Travel team I’ve been exposed to the many programs that FWSA sponsors or supports. When I learned about the Historical Club Award I realized that the Nisei Ski Club met all the requirements and, with a little bit of work from the board, we submitted the requisite historical material and subsequently NSC was designated as an FWSA Historical Club. Well, with some changes to our website I think we can win the Website award (novice category) as well. Karen Soo has already been making changes and additional changes will be forthcoming.

Mt. View Obon Festival

The festival will be held July 15-16 so mark your calendars for this annual event. In the past, organizers of the festival have asked NSC for volunteers to work the various booths. Well, this year they have reached out to Karen Soo to see if NSC would be able to provide volunteer support for this year. Check out details this month to sign up.

NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic

The NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic is scheduled for July 22^nd/ Saturday so mark your calendars. As usual the club will be providing beverages and a lunch entree and you can bring a favorite side dish. Details will be on the Picnic Flyer.

FWSA 90^th Annual Convention

The FWSA 90^th Annual Convention was held from 15-18 June, in Boise, ID. This was my first time attending (16-18 June) in two capacities: 1) to assist Debbie Stewart (VP International Travel) with the Silent Auction and her Snow Sports Leadership Academy presentation, and 2) to provide NSC representation.

At the luncheon, Keynote Speaker Genia Fuller-Crews, a World Freestyle Champion and Honored Member of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame (https://skihall.com/hall-of-famers/genia-fuller-crews/), shared her story of competing in and winning World Freestyle Championships (70s) and her work with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame for equality of recognition. And at her table during the Banquet were four of her buddies that also competed, and won, in freestyle (ballet, moguls, aerials) competitions and are also in the Hall of Fame

As a delegate representing NSC I attended various seminars, entitled to make nominations for the various open positions (I didn’t) and to vote during the elections (I did). Debbie Stewart also invited me to sit in as her guest at their board meeting. The board meeting was quite similar to our board meetings, but with a little more parliamentarian rules. Next year’s FWSA Convention is being held in Reno and hosted by our very own Bay Area Sports Council (BAC) and Sierra League & Council.

Here is the sign up form for Jackson Hole weeklong trip.

2024 JACKSON HOLE FLYER

QotM:  Your greatness is not what you have, but what you give.

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Come on out and volunteer your time to help out the local community.

Mountain View Buddhist Temple is having their annual Obon Festival.

Dates – Saturday, July 15^th and Sunday, July 16^th.

The Obon Committee has developed a link for our members to volunteer

though their new volunteer webpage https://sangha.mvbuddhisttemple.org/obon/

For more information about the Obon (parking, hours, etc.), please go to the Obon website https://obon.mvbuddhisttemple.org/

If you have questions, please contact the Obon chairpersons

Sandy and Yuki    mvbt.zone13@gmail.com.

Thank you for stepping up to the plate to VOLUNTEER!