SAN FRANCISCO — “Drive for Five,” the fifth anniversary celebration of the Nichi Bei Foundation and the Nichi Bei Weekly, will be held on Sunday, Oct. 13, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Japanese Culutral and Community Center of Northern California, 1840 Sutter St. in San Francisco Japantown.
“We wanted to have a party to thank all of our donors, volunteers, contributing writers, advertisers, sponsors, staff, board and Advisory Council over the past five years,” said Kenji Taguma, president of the Nichi Bei Foundation and editor-in-chief of Nichi Bei Weekly. “We will also discuss some of our innovative projects and honor those without whose help we could have never resurrected after the death of The Nichi Bei Times.”
The honorees will be the Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation (Nichi Bei Legacy Award); the San Francisco State University Renaissance Journalism Center run by Jon Funabiki (Evolution Award); volunteers Andy Noguchi and Twila Tomita, Amy Hamamoto, Sharron Sue and Ben Kam (Volunteer Spirit Awards); Alice and Mark Taguma and Gene Takagi (Fukkatsu or Resurrection Awards).
The event will also include entertainment from Sakura Ren (awa odori) and NiCE: Nikkei Choral Ensemble of UC Berkeley, an a cappella choral offshoot of the Nikkei Student Union. The celebration will be emceed by Jana Katsuyama of KTVU-Channel 2 News and San Francisco Board of Education Vice President Emily Murase.
There will also be a presentation on “An Inspired Movement and Evolving Vision,” a raffle drawing, a silent auction, and Soy and Tofu Festival games for kids and adults.
“As we observed the fifth birthday of the Nichi Bei Foundation on July 27, as well as the fifth anniversary of the first edition of the Nichi Bei Weekly on Sept. 17, we wanted to take some time to reflect upon our historic and groundbreaking transformation, rising out of the ashes of the historic Nichi Bei legacy going back to 1899 to create the first non-profit ethnic newspaper of its kind in the country. We also wanted to celebrate the attainment of our own 501(c)(3) status this past June.”
The event is free, but RSVPs are requested by Oct. 3 at www.nichibei.org/drive-for-five.