Help Students, Families and Schools Recover

Randolph Macon College (R-MC) and Ishinomaki Senshu University ( ISU) Exchange Program

Plans are well underway for the first year of a two-year exchange program between Ishinomaki Senshu University (ISU) and Randolph-Macon College (R-MC). R-MC’s Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Lauren Cohen Bell and Assistant Director of International Education Mayumi Nakamura and staff members from ISU’s international office meet on July 10, 2018 on the campus of Ishinomaki Senshu University to initiate this year’s exchange, building upon the strong relationship already formed between the two institutions. That relationship was deepened and enhanced by the first TOMODACHI Fund/Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund-supported research exchanges that took place between the two colleges in 2015 and 2016.

As part of the renewed exchange visits, students at each institution are developing academic and/or cultural research questions to be explored on each other’s campuses and in each other’s home countries. Special attention will be given to the themes of disaster and recovery, in recognition not only of the 3.11.11 disasters in Tohoku, but also of the continuing challenges posed more recently by natural disasters in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The 2018-2019 program formally begins in early September, 2018, when five ISU students and two ISU faculty will visit R-MC over a two-week period. The ISU delegation’s visit will include time in Washington D.C., Richmond and Ashland, Virginia, as well as several other important historical sites in Virginia. In 2019, a group of students and faculty from Randolph-Macon College will visit Japan and ISU.

We are excited to once again have TOMODACHI’s (usjapantomodachi.org) support with this exchange and to see the partnership between these two schools continue to expand.

Summer High School Exchange - Sixth Year!

Once again high School students from Richmond, VA will visit Japan August 3^rd to August 11^th with time in Tokyo and Ishinomaki. In Tokyo they will be hosted by one of Taylor’s students who is now a fifth year full scholarship pharmacy student at Meijo University in Nagoya and a full scholarship Graduate Engineering student at Keio U. from Minami-Sanriku. Both were affected deeply by the disaster with one of them losing his single parent. They are an inspiration to us and an added motivation to continue our mission!

The students will visit Ishinomaki where they will stay in a temple (where they will learn zen practices), make clay pottery with students, visit a Taylor Reading Corner (Bunko) at Watanoha E.S., make Ishinomkimono cards at Watahoi Volunteer Center with the Endo’s, learn about the disaster at Ishinomaki Memorial Center and Ishinomaki Newsee, visit Okawa E.S. where 74 students out of 108 perished, see the recovery of Onagawa, and of course, shopping and homestays! The students return to Tokyo on the first day of Obon vacation, one of the busiest days of the year, before returning to the U.S.

Other Happenings

Inai Elementary's PTA gave TAMF an award to show their gratitude for the Taylor Anderson Reading Corner recently donated to their school. One of Taylor's former colleagues works there. One of Taylor's students from this school now teaches English at a high school in Ishinomaki

The IshinomaKimono project donated money to TAMF! out of their profit! Thank you! If wish to purchase card please email Ishinomakimono@gmail.com. The US Embassy in Tokyo is purchasing 200 card for the Christmas season!

Ms. Shreya Nambiar from GlobalGiving visited Ishinomaki to see the Taylor Bunko reading corner at Watanoha Elementary school and our support for Kodopany play park. We are grateful to GlobalGiving for their support!

Bonus Day July 18^th!

TAMF has achieved the top ranking of GlobalGiving as a SuperStar and therefore will receive 50% match on donations from 9:00 AM to 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, July 18^th while record matching funds of $120,000 last! Just click on our project link at the top of the page to have your donation matched!

Recurring Match: New recurring donations up to $200 per donor per project on Bonus Day will get an additional 100% match on the initial donation as long as it remains active for a minimum of four total payments.

Thank you for your support which helps us continue programs like these to help Ishinomaki families, schools and students affected by the disaster to continue to recover, learn and expand their horizons! Please follow us on Facebook/Tamfjp

Links:

• TAMF Facebook Page
• TAMF Web Site
• IshinimaKimono Facebook Page

We started our Japan trip with the Shoku no Kakehashi fundraising lunch with over 200 people in Tokyo on February 27^th . The luncheon featured a speech on Sustainable Development Goals by board member and TV reporter Hiroko Kuniya. Over 200 Ishinomakimono cards were sold plus a generous donation was made to TAMF. Thank you so much!

We had a great visit to Ishinomaki February 28^th – March 2nd to meet with many of the people we work together with to help ongoing recovery. 

We visited the Kokoro Smile Grief Care Center which helps students who have dropped out of school to recover and return to school. We played ping-pong with one of Taylor's former students and a student who just started to attend Kokoro Smile. Taylor’s former student had stopped going to school from PTSD, came to this center, and recovered. She now enjoys studying English at a college in Sendai and helps Ms. Shimura as a part-time volunteer. She said she chose to study English because of Taylor.

The IshinomaKimono card project is in the news...including showing sales at the Washington, DC National Gallery of Art! Please see the new story at this link: https://www.facebook.com/mihoko.terada/videos/2031928880158549/UzpfSTY4MzA5NzIzMTc1MDg4NToxNzc1MTgwNTE1ODc1ODc5/

We visited the Mayor of Ishinomaki City to learn how the status of reconstruction and to talk about future Taylor Bunko programs.

We read to the 5^th graders at Watanoha Elementary School and enjoyed watching their Yosakoi dance. So lively and genki! Please see the Ishinomaki school newsletter about our visit at this link: http://www.city.ishinomaki.lg.jp/school/20301700/d0010/d0070/d0076/20180302140639.html

We were pleased to visit the 12th Taylor Bunko at Inai Elementary School.  Endo-san heard from the school that they wanted six portable bookshelves that can move from classroom to classroom so you find these bookshelves placed around the school depending on who is using them at the time.

We visited the newly built Ogatsu Elementary School for the 13th Taylor Bunko dedication ceremony. Taylor's friend, Maiko-sensei gave a speech to the students about Taylor before our arrival. Four elementary schools were integrated and moved to this new school last August, but the number of students is less than half of what it was because many families had to move out after the disaster because of a lack of housing and jobs. The area has a mountainous coast so areas above the coast have been developed over many years, but the jobs left while there was no place to live.

We visited with the Ishinomaki Senshu University (ISU) President to discuss the upcoming Randolph Macon College (RMC) and ISU student exchange which will begin this September with ISU students visiting RMC. We are excited to once again have TOMODACHI’s support with this exchange and to see the partnership between these two schools continue to expand. RMC currently has ISU Professor Yasushi Maruoaka as a visiting Fulbright professor.

TAMF and Team Watahoi work together on a number of projects including the Ishinomakimono program headed by Ryoko Endo and the building of the Taylor Bunko’s by Shinichi Endo. We planted two cherry trees at Watahoi station, the Endo's former house site. One from the Endos to the Andersons, while the other from the Andersons to the Endos in honor of Taylor, Hana, Kanta and Kana. A Sendai TV station had a story about the seven year-old friendship between Mr.and Mrs. Anderson and Mr. and Mrs. Endo. From the 1st Taylor Bunko dedication in September, 2011 to the 13^th just installed. https://www.facebook.com/mihoko.terada/videos/2102644139753689/UzpfSTY4MzA5NzIzMTc1MDg4NToxODMwNzkwNzM2OTgxNTIz/

We had our board meeting on March 4^th at the American Japan Society to decide on programs for the upcoming year. We are thankful to have a dedicated board who continues to work on recovery for the area.

“Little by Little Matching Campaign” through Friday, April 13^th!

This week is GlobalGiving’s Little by Little Matching Campaign and it's all about small donations adding up to BIG change. 

Starting now, $50,000 in matching funds are up for grabs. GlobalGiving will match eligible donations up to $50 at 50% while funds remain, or until the campaign ends at 11:59pm ET on Friday, April 13th. 

All week long there will be a 100% match on new recurring donations. And, at the end of the week, we'll know who the lucky five projects are who'll win the $3,000 in bonus prizes ($1,000, $800, $600, $400, $200) for most funds raised. 

Thank you for your support which helps us continue programs like these to help Ishinomaki families, schools and students affected by the disaster to continue to recover, learn and expand their horizons! Please follow us on Facebook/Tamfjp

Links:

• NHK World Story - Building Bridges
• NHK Story - Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund
• Ishinomaki English Speech Competition Winner