Go For Broke National Education Center (GFBNEC) celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Go For Broke Monument with a special hour-long ceremony to be held on Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m. at the Little Tokyo site at Central Avenue between Alameda and Temple streets in downtown Los Angeles. The annual ceremony is free and open to the public.
This year’s program features keynote speaker Scott Takahashi, a Vietnam War veteran whose father Masao served in the 100th Infantry Battalion. Inspired by his father’s dedicated service while the Takahashi family was incarcerated at Manzanar, Scott Takahashi has spoken of his service to his country 24 years later in part out of respect for his father.
The program will also feature the North Torrance Youth Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Glen Kamida and Leonard Narumi. This outstanding musical orchestra consisting of middle and high school students from the South Bay area was recently awarded a gold rating in San Francisco’s Heritage Musical Festival.
This year’s dedication ceremony pays tribute to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 100th Infantry Battalion, 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, 232nd Combat Engineer Company, 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion, and Military Intelligence Service by offering floral tributes with individual names of veterans to be placed around the monument. The public is encouraged to purchase a potted plant for $15, with proceeds going toward the general maintenance of the monument.
The program will also feature an opportunity drawing to raise funds for GFBNEC’s educational programs, with the grand prize being a seven-night stay at St. James’s Club and Villa on the southeastern coast of Antigua in the Caribbean, plus two round-trip airline tickets. Second prize is an ocean-view room for four nights at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort and Spa on Maui, plus round-trip airfare for two. Other prizes include a two-night stay at the luxurious five-star Hotel Le Bristol, located in the heart of the fashion and art districts of Paris; golf foursome at the Pacific Palms Resort Industry Hills Golf Club; and golf for two at the Rustic Canyon Golf Club.
Individual tickets are available for $5 or ticket packets for $50. Ticket and payment must be received at Go For Broke National Education Center’s Torrance office by June 6, no later than 5 p.m. Winners need not be present at the drawing. Tickets will also be available for sale the morning of the anniversary tribute. All proceeds from the drawing will be used toward preserving the legacy of the Congressional Gold Medal World War II veterans.
For more information on the event or to purchase drawing tickets or floral tributes, contact Peggy Renke at peggy@goforbroke.org or (310) 222-5709.