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Contact: Diane Tanaka
310-222-5709 office

THE GO FOR BROKE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION CALLS OUT TO VOLUNTEERS

Orientation Session To Be Held October 25 and October 29

Torrance, Calif. (October 3, 2003) – On Saturday, October 25 and Wednesday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Go For Broke Educational Foundation will host its volunteer training and orientation at its office in Torrance. The Educational Foundation is calling out for volunteers to assist in a variety of departments such as the Hanashi Oral History Program, Evening of Aloha gala, Web design, as well as general office and mailings. This is a great opportunity for people seeking volunteer opportunities to get involved with an organization that values its volunteers and provides an enriching environment to give back to the community.

For those interested in volunteering but have time limitations, the Educational Foundation’s second annual gala dinner, “Evening of Aloha,” will be held November 8 at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach. Two award-winning chefs from Hawaii will be in town, Roy Yamaguchi of Roy’s restaurants and Hiroshi Fukui of L’Uraku in Honolulu, to create a special dinner for an anticipated 650 attendees. Many volunteers will be needed to ensure a successful event.

Additionally, the Educational Foundation’s Hanashi Oral History Program continually seeks volunteers for its interview crews. No experience is necessary as volunteers train with experienced crew members to learn hands-on operations of professional-quality camera and lighting, interview techniques and more, while hearing amazing stories of Japanese American veterans of World War II.

To meet the needs of the office, the Educational Foundation also seeks volunteers to provide fundamental office assistance and trains those who wish to gain office skills and a sense of gratification by helping the community. For the last decade the Educational Foundation has taken pride in its dedicated volunteers, attributing the success of running such a complex organization to the countless hours of volunteer service.

Volunteers will find themselves in a comfortable yet unique atmosphere as they work along side Japanese American WWII veterans of the 100th/442nd /MIS. In addition, they can develop new friendships and become a key component in the preservation of the Japanese American WWII story.

“Being a young boy during WWII, I never understood the significance 100th/442nd /MIS and the impact they had on the lives of all Japanese Americans,” said Ken Nakagawa, volunteer since 2002 “As I grew older, I realized the debt of gratitude I owe to them. That is why I volunteer. I have met some wonderful people here and I really enjoy interacting with the vets, staff and other volunteers.”

Reservations for the orientation are required by Wednesday, October 22. Please contact Dori Ishiara, volunteer coordinator, 310-222-5704 or dori@goforbroke.org.

The Go For Broke Educational Foundation institutes educational programs focused on the heroism and history of the Japanese American soldiers of World War II, as well as the forced evacuation and incarceration of Japanese American and civil liberties issues raised by those events. Currently the Educational Foundation’s programs include an American Story Teacher Training Program, Hanashi Oral History Program, www.GoForBroke.org Web site and select media projects, including “A Tradition of Honor” documentary.

In 1989 Japanese American World War II veterans established the 100th/442nd/MIS WWII Memorial Foundation to build the Go For Broke Monument as an eternal tribute to the heroics of the segregated Japanese American units: 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, MIS (Military Intelligence Service) and the many other men and women who served overseas during World War II. The Monument is located in downtown Los Angeles at Temple Alameda streets. For more information, go to www.GoForBroke.org.

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