Amache Society Seeks Donations for Towns Devastated by Tornado
Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007

Min Tonai, president of Amache Historical Society, an organization formed by those who were confined in the former Amache Relocation Center during World War II and dedicated to preserving the history and remains of that camp in Southeastern Colorado, announced that it has been collecting relief funds for the victims of a terrible tornado which recently struck the towns of Lamar and Holly (60 percent destroyed), which are near Amache. Luckily, it did not set down in the town of Granada, which is next door to the Amache site. However, there were some tragic conse­quences to some students and employees at Granada School, who commute from Lamar and Holly. Granada School is a K to 12 magnet school, where students from many nearby communities prefer to attend.

One of the student members of Granada School’s Amache Preservation Society, an after-school high school club dedicated to the study and preservation of Amache, suffered a total loss of his home. Miraculously, he and his family were not hurt, even though they were in their home when it was destroyed. They are now living in a trailer, hoping to re-build their home. There were many other victims, with their homes, structures and equipment destroyed or damaged.

Unfortunately, the insurance compa­nies will not cover the current rebuilding costs from this disaster. This area is on the western border of “Tornado Alley,” where tornados regularly occur. Tonai said,

“When we lived in Amache, we were so very fortunate that no tornado ever sat down in our camp. With our flimsily-built barrack homes, it would have been an absolute catastrophe.“

Tonai further stated that the people in Granada and the surrounding area have given tremendous support to the Amache Preservation Society, who has studied the wartime injustices and the suffering that the Japanese Americans, in particular the Amacheans, had en­dured. For many years, these high school student members have been making presentations throughout Colorado and Western Kansas, both to schools and civic organizations. With great support from “Denver Central Optimist Club“ and its successor “Friends of Amache,“ they also have been maintaining the Amache site and are working on a plan to re-build some of it. Since the former Amacheans all live so far away, it would have been impossible for them to do what these students and the Granada people have been doing for Amache. It is only a small farming town (550 popula­tion) and life is not easy there, but they have been very supportive of us. We did have some very rocky relationships dur­ing and after camp days, but today, the Granadans and its surrounding towns, are among our best supporters. With this disaster to the people in this area, the Board of Directors of Amache Historical Society felt that this was our opportunity to show how much we appreciate what they have been doing for us.

Amache Historical Society has al­ready sent notices by email and letter to all whom it has had addresses, so with this press release, it is now try­ing to reach those they were not able to contact. To these people, Amache Historical Society is requesting dona­tions to the “2007 Tornado Relief Fund From Amache.” It is passing these funds to John Hopper at the Granada School. John Hopper, a Granada School teacher, the founder and advisor to the Amache Preservation Society, has agreed to al­locate the funds where they are needed most. The campaign has collected over $23,000 so far, but the needs of the vic­tims are great. Please let your friends know about this endeavor and ask them to donate, too.

Any amount will be treasured, but do only what you can afford. Please do not send cash. Amache Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, so your contributions are tax-deduct­ible. Please make out checks or money order to: “Amache Historical Society,” then place  “2007 Tornado Relief Fund” in the memo space and mail it to:
Amache Historical Society
c/o Irene Furuya, Treasurer
1830 Pepper Drive
Altadena, CA 91001

Please enclose a note with your name (also note the name you used in Amache), your spouse’s name, address, phone number, fax, email address, Amache address (if you remember), the year of your high school gradua­tion in or after camp and the amount of your donation. If your spouse was in Amache, please note his or Œher information as appropriate. Your help is greatly appreciated.