TORRANCE — The Japanese Women’s Society of Southern California will have its Shinnenkai and Installation on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 11 a.m. at the Miyako Hybrid Hotel, 21381 S. Western Ave. in Torrance.
The outgoing president, Joyce Chinn, said, “We look forward to working with our new president, Yuriko Shikai, and her board.”
The JWSSC, which began on March 17, 1904, as the Rafu Fujinkai, sent care packages to Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. In 1930, it brought together other women’s organizations and became known as Nanka Fujinkai Renmei (Federation of Southern California Japanese Women) before adopting the present name of Nanka Nikkei Fujinkai (Japanese Women’s Society of Southern California) in 1956.
The organization expanded into many areas of social welfare and introduced and promoted Japanese cultural arts in the community to build goodwill and friendly relations between the U.S. and Japan. It will celebrate its 120th anniversary in October.
JWSSC continues to support the community by, among other things, volunteering in the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California’s annual Oshogatsu Festival on Jan. 1; participating in the annual Memorial Day services at Evergreen Cemetery; working with and donating to assisted living facilities, including Kei-Ai; and co-sponsoring the annual Women of the Year event with the Downtown Los Angeles Chapter JACL.
Cost: $80. Those interested in attending may contact Kitty Sankey (English) at (kitty_sankey@hotmail.com) or Marie Tanaka (Japanese) at (323) 363-5527.