by Armand Gutierrez, President  

Skiing in August? Well, maybe not around here but I will be schussing Valle Nevado, Chile from 1-7 August, and then spending a few days in Santiago touring around. Unfortunately, I’m scheduled to return on 11 August and will miss the Annual Membership Meeting & Luau Picnic.

The Puerta del Sol hotel (the one with the angled roof) sits at 9,924 ft. and the top of Tres Puntas (single-person J-bar lift) is 12,641 ft. Definitely high altitude country. Unlike in the states, South American ski resorts use T-bars and J-bars (similar to pomas) quite a bit.

NSC Annual Membership Meeting/Luau Picnic

The NSC Annual Membership Meeting/Luau Picnic is on Sunday, August 10th, so mark your calendars. As usual the club will be providing beverages and a lunch entrée and you can bring a favorite side dish. Details are in the PICNIC FLYER HERE

Zelle Membership Signups

Zelle is now available for submitting membership fees and the Membership Form has been updated with a checkbox for a Zelle membership payment.

NSC Annual Membership Meeting/Luau Picnic

The NSC Annual Membership Meeting/Luau Picnic is on Sunday, August 10th, 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 are in the Picnic Flyer, and an Evite will be sent out this month.

Zelle Coming to NSC

Jason Ku, our new treasurer, brought a proposal to last month’s board meeting outlining how NSC can implement Zelle for making online payments (i.e. membership, events, etc.). Review his article for all the details and let him know if you have any questions.

One Warm Coat Drive

Don’t forget to go through your closets and if you come across any warm coats that you no longer need then bring them to the picnic as a donation for the One Warm Coat Drive.

2026 NSC Ski Week to Park City

Signups for Park City have been coming in and we’ve got 23 Park City Warriors signed up so far. There are 36 air seats reserved, and room for 44 people. New signups will be put on a Waitlist until a condo can be filled. Park City is on the Epic Pass and you will need to get an Epic Pass for this trip.

Online lift ticket prices are not exactly user-friendly and group rates are not available. August 15 is the due date for the second payment, so get your checkbooks ready.

Use this for Epic passes: https://www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei

Use this for Ikon passes: https://www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei

Questions: contact president@niseiskiclub.org

QotM: Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere – Albert Einstein

by Tina Woo, Board Member

On Sunday, July 13^th, 36 friends and family participated in the inaugural Nisei Ski Club SF Giants vs LA Dodgers baseball game at Oracle Park.  Many of us arrived early and received the free promotional Spirit Jersey. Board member Curtis Otaguro met us prior to the game for lunch and “fav” Crazy Crab sandwich in the View Reserved Section.  Several NSC board members attended, as well: Frank Chang, Joel Hayashida, Jeanne Katsuro, and Roland Lee.

You could not have asked for a better pitching match-up to decide this series.  A pair of “All Stars”: one from each side: Robbie Ray for the Giants and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers. 

The game was scoreless until the 4^th inning, then with hits from Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers were able to score 1 run for the lead.  Miguel Rojas hit a HR in the 5^th for a 2-run lead.  Yamamoto did a sensational job pitching, with 7 shutout innings.  Camilo Doval, the Giants’ closer was brought into the game in the 9^th. Matt Chapman was able to get onto 1^st and Luis Matos homered to tie the game in the bottom of the 9^th inning.

At this point, it was a brand-new ballgame! However, the Dodgers were able to score 3 runs in the top of the 11^th.  Final Score: LA Dodgers 5, SF Giants 3.  Not to mention the late game drama, nail-biting and innumerable grey hairs for the fans!

What is a Ghost Runner?  (courtesy of Sandy Kiyomura).

In MLB regular season games, if the score is tied after 9 innings, extra innings are played to determine a winner.  A key rule change places an automatic runner on second base at the start of each extra inning (10^th and beyond). This runner is the player who batted immediately before the leadoff hitter (or the last guy out). This is known as the “ghost runner” rule.

This rule aims to shorten extra-inning games, reduce pitcher fatigue, and add excitement by increasing scoring opportunities.

Group Comments

“This was such a good game. My family hasn’t gone to a game in years, but my Mom often took my kids to games.”

“Yes!  Die hards to the end!  It was fun!”

“Had a great time.”

Everyone had a great time visiting with each other and enjoyed the classic rivalry between the two teams.  Come join us at the next NSC baseball game between the Giants and Dodgers on Sunday, September 14.  Please contact Tina Woo for game details. OPEN HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

by Armand Gutierrez, President

The Nisei Ski Club has participated in a variety of charitable organizations, and over the past few years we have supported the Asian Pacific Film Fest, Achieve Tahoe, and a one-time donation for the victims of the Lahaina fire in Hawaii in 2023 through cash donations. Now NSC has an opportunity to make an impact on people’s lives by participating in the One Warm Coat Drive. The One Warm Coat organization https://www.onewarmcoat.org/ is a national nonprofit organization that embodies a movement of kindness through the donation of coats to people in need.

This charitable opportunity is now available to the membership and for you to join Jeanne Katsuro and I on this charitable endeavor. Jeanne, with the help of Angela Ren (member), Arlene Mori (member), and Linda Minami, already gave me ~50 coats to start the party. So how can you help? Simple. At the Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic on August 10, all you need to bring is one warm coat (or more if you have them). The coats can be for adult or young kids, and should be clean and wearable (no holes or rips). The coats collected at the picnic will be picked up by Jeanne or myself, and stored until October or November when they can then be taken to one of the One Warm Coat designated drop off locations. From there they will be distributed to people in need during the Thanksgiving or Christmas season.

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Please join us on Sunday, August 10th at Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale for our annual Nisei Ski Club Luau Picnic.

Time – 12:00pm – 5:00pm

You will receive your Evite invitation sent out from Armand G.

Please RSVP no later than August 6, so we can order the right amount of food for the picnic.

by Judy Hom , NSC Member

If you’re looking for somebody to play mahjong with, want more practice, or just learn how to play, then sign up for the NSC Mahjong event and potluck! Our coaches can teach newbies the basics and give tips to people who already know how to play.

We focus on the Cantonese style where we play with 13 tiles and flowers. We will explain how to score, both HK and Classical Chinese scoring. If Mahjong is on your bucket list, then sign-up! We know that all NSC members like to eat so this is also a potluck event. 

Where:         Judy and Winston’s backyard, 18995 Carlton Avenue, Castro Valley

Cost: $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Bring a potluck dish to feed 4 or more.

Beverages will be provided. 

Space is limited to 16 sign-ups

For more information Email Judy at mahjong@niseiskiclub.org

Tina Woo NSC Member

Saturday, September 6, 2025 from 9:30am – 2:30 pm

Advanced Beginner & Lower Intermediate lessons from 10 -11:30 am – 8 people

Arrive at 9:30am to meet instructor Gary Wong and drop off potluck dishes

Potluck Lunch 11:30 am to 1 pm. Everyone Welcome!

Everyone Else Come at 11:00 am to set up all your dishes & prepare to eat!

Please bring Main Dish or Appetizers

Informal “new” beginner lesson at 11:30 am – 1pm – 8 people

Upper Intermediate lesson 1 to 2:30 pm – 8 people

1.5 hrs of Instruction, 8 people & 2 courts with Gary Wong, an experienced “Pro Instructor”

Nisei Ski Member: $70.00

Non-Member: $75.00

**New Beginners ($20 member/$25 non-member) taught by Intermediate Players**

Location: Mark Tsukuda’s parents

15146 Karl Ave

Monte Serrano, CA

Bring your own CHAIRS, water, electrolytes & protein bars.

Email Tina Woo for information Tina Woo pickleball@niseiskiclub.org

by Tina Woo, , Board Member

BEAT LA!   BEAT LA!   BEAT LA!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2025

SF Giants vs. LA Dodgers – Game starts at 1:05pm

Oracle Park View Reserved Section 314. Only 30 tickets available.

Special Price from a Season Ticket Holder

Nisei Ski Club Member $60

Non Nisei Ski Club Member $68

We would like at least one Nisei Member per every 4 tickets.

Meet for Lunch @ 11:30am near the Crazy Crab’z Section 314 inside Giant’s Stadium

Please email Tina Woo for if you are interested baseball@niseiskiclub.org

Please complete the below information PER PERSON

Name: First ____________________________________ Last ___________________________________________

­­­Phone Number: _______________________________ Email _________________________________________ 

Write Check Payable to Nisei Ski Club

Send Check to Nisei Ski Club c/o Tina Woo, 21577 Villa Maria Court, Cupertino, CA 95014

by Curtis Otaguro, Board Member

Interested in getting some fresh air and exercise?  Join NSC for a leisurely, scenic bike ride at Alameda Creek in Fremont.  Our ride will start at the Coyote Hills Regional Park in the East Bay just north of the Dumbarton Bridge.  The trail is mostly flat, with minimal elevation gain.  Some portions of the trail may be bumpy.  There is a diverse range of scenery, including the creek, lakes, wetlands, coastal habitats, and grassy meadows. Users can also enjoy views of the Bay and nearby hills.  Riders can choose to ride the full out and back to Niles Canyon (~22 miles) or turn around earlier at Quarry Lakes (Sequoia Bridge (~15 miles)).  Afterwards, we will have a nice lunch at Coyote Hills Park.  Bring some snacks to share if you wish.

If you don’t want to ride, but want to meet our group, meet us at the Coyote Hills Regional Park around 12 PM (or come early, explore the park and meet us later).  Bring your own lunch.

Where to meet:  Coyote Hills Regional Park, Visitor Center Parking Lot   

Parking:  Coyote Hills parking lots ($5 / entry to park); street parking on Commerce Dr. (ride bike into park)
When:    Sunday, September, 20, 2025                               

Meeting Time:     9:00AM, rolling out at 9:30AM                                                   

Cost:    Members:  $12

   Guests:     $15

Drinks, snacks, and bánh mì (Vietnamese baguette sandwich) lunch will be provided.  Please select one sandwich type for lunch below https://www.yelp.com/biz/huong-sandwiches-union-city-2

What to bring:  All riders MUST wear a helmet and should carry a pump.  Bikes should be in good condition.  Bring a water bottle, spare inner tube, patch kit, tire levers, sunscreen, and snacks to share (optional).  Due to unpredictable weather, a light jacket is suggested for cool weather conditions. Directions and information will be sent in a separate email.

Help needed:  Group leaders and flat-fixers needed in case we split up into multiple groups.

No SAG Support but we will be equipped for flats and minor repairs.

SIGN-UP DEADLINE: Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Contact:      Curtis Otaguro       alamedacreekbike@niseiskiclub.org

Send in your deposit to hold your space.

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

Hand Maid Sighting on the MTA