April 21 Meeting Notes

Some JW news, notes, calendar update, and more....first, the presentation from last week's meeting can be found on our blog here: http://juniorwings.blogspot.com/p/junior-wings-documents-links.html.

An update regarding our calendar.  At the beginning of our program year we were scheduled to participate in the Japanese-American Heritage Days Festival at Fisherman's Wharf the weekend of May 2-3; however, that event did not get organized this year.  So please cross it off of your calendar.

I received names and photos of all of the Nanao Junior Wingers.  The Nanao side is now working on pairing up everyone.  Guys, that is Saad, Dev, Nathaniel, and Andy...we need two volunteers to pair up with a girl (they have only two boys).  Please let me know by Friday if you are willing and able to host a girl, otherwise "volunteers" will be chosen.

Musicians...please let me know ASAP if you will be participating in the band trip to Great America on Saturday, May 9th.  I must alert the Nanao side so they know which partners are to be lined up last in our Skype call.

I haven't yet heard from anyone regarding sweatshirts/hoodies.  I will be placing our t-shirt/sweatshirt order on May 15, so please let me know one way or the others.

Please note that the first installment of the activities fee (the first $250 of the total of $500) will be due at our Tuesday, may 12 meeting.  If paying by check, please make it out to EFMPUSD with "Junior Wings" on the Memo line.  EFMPUSD stands for Education Foundation for MPUSD; it is a nonprofit organization that handles the finance side of Junior Wings at no cost to the program.  Their tax ID number is 55-0819644.

Boys' Day is May 5th and it is typically celebrated by flying Koinobori (carp) windsocks from tall flagpoles.  Here is  a short video of a folksong about koinobori: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhk5YMcobhA

[Photo from Dezi Pettas]

Since we folded origami kabuto (samurai helmets) for Boys' Day, attached are origami instructions for folding Hina Dolls in honor of Girls' Day, which was on March 3.  Here is a 28-min video from Begin Japanology on Hina Dolls and Girls' Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV0QTTJf8Hw

Last, since our next meeting will be a soba noodle party, here is another video describing soba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwI7BHDFQk4

See you all at our house on Saturday, May 9 from 6:00pm (901 Alameda Street in Monterey) for soba and meeting your partner!