July 15 Meeting and Homework for July 22 Meeting

Attendance at the meeting was low as expected because most of you are off traveling somewhere (have fun!).  The highlights of the meeting are listed below.  For the presentation itself, please see the Documents & Links page.  Scroll to the bottom of this post to see the homework for next Tuesday's meeting.  Please try to keep up with the homework as best you can, even if you are not able to come to the meetings, and, most importantly, keep corresponding with your partner!

• Salinas Obon Festival is scheduled for Sunday, July 27 at the Buddhist Temple of Salinas (fairly near the Salinas Sports Complex).  Among other things, you can see taiko drumming by San Jose Taiko, and you can learn/participate in obon dancing.  For more information about the Obon Festival, schedule of events, and location, see http://btsalinas.org/obon-festival-2014/.
• Welcome Party Banner Party at MHS: Tentatively Thursday, July 31, time to be determined.  Mr. Tibbitts has offered his classroom for us to make a big Welcome banner to be used at the airport and welcome party.  The actual date/time of this event will be determined in the coming days.
• Tea Ceremony at Pebble Beach Tea House: Friday, August 1.  Meet at the Russells home at 12:45PM to car-pool.  Tea ceremony starts at 1:30 and lasts roughly an hour.  Will return to Russells' home by 2:45 or so.  Dress nicely (khakis, collared shirt (short-sleeves OK), below-knee skirts OK, but not above, no jewelry (floppy necklaces, rings, bracelets, etc.).  Clean, hole-free, white socks please!
• We would like to schedule a date for a fieldtrip to San Jose Japantown.  While a weekday would make driving/parking/shopping easier, a weekend date may enable more of you to participate.  A date of Saturday, August 2 has been proposed.  Please let me know if you cannot make it on this date.
• Money stuff: 
• Airplane tickets for our trip in October are currently around $1,500 from Monterey.  This price will most likely change going forward, hopefully in the downward direction.
• The balance of the Activity Fee is due.  To the next meeting you can attend, please bring cash or a check made out to EFMPUSD with "Junior Wings" in the memo line.
• More money stuff
• Dagmar Keehan, Orion's mom, applied for a grant on JW's behalf from the Elks Club.  It was accepted and they are to be awarding us $300.  Thank you very much to both Dagmar and to the Elks Club!!  Also, two anonymous members have offered to treat the Nanao group to lunch at Ichi Riki in Seaside while they are here.  We will need to schedule a time and date for this.
• Welcome Party: Saturday, August 9, 11:00AM-1:00PM.  I received confirmation this morning from Jeff Uchida, president of the Japanese-American Citizen's League, that we can use the JACL Hall for the party.  He will meet us at the hall earlier that morning to let us in to put up a few decorations (balloon bunches, streamers, etc.).  The Nanao Group's flight from LA arrives at 10:11AM, so figure 8:45 to 9:30 to decorate, meet the flight, then come back by 11:00 for a lunch party.  Please plan to bring something for a potluck lunch (cold items preferred to keep things simple for the JACL.  We will decide these details later, though.  Jeff says he will open the museum in the basement for us all to see.
• Nanao itinerary.  See Nanao Group in Monterey - Daily Itinerary on Documents & Links page.
• Reviewed Japanese words and phrases
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  Next meeting: Tuesday, July 22, 6:30-8:00PM at the Monterey Youth Center.  See you then!