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Mary Graybill, APR, Fellow PRSA,
Graybill Communications
310-441-2899
mary@graybillcom.com

GO FOR BROKE NATIONAL EDUCATION CENTER'S 7TH ANNUAL "EVENING OF ALOHA" GALA DINNER A SUCCESS

Event Raised Funds to Support Organizations Educational and Preservation Programs

For Immediate Release

TORRANCE, Calif. (November 24, 2008) – The Go For Broke National Education Center held its successful 7th Evening of Aloha gala dinner on Saturday, November 15 at the Bonaventure Hotel & Suites. Retired General Eric K. Shinseki, former U.S. Army chief-of-staff, headlined the event, which was sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, Union Bank of California, and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

General Shinseki, who also serves as the National Educational Center's national spokesperson, served as the 34th chief of staff, U.S. Army from 1999-2003. Retiring in 2003, he served for 38 years in a succession of military command and staff assignments worldwide. In his keynote speech to more than 1,100 Evening of Aloha guests, he said of the Nisei veterans of World War II, "theirs is an American story, and it is the stuff of legend."

He shared the importance of the work of the National Education Center to capture and preserve the veterans' stories because, "I want . . . my grandchildren to understand that the boys who went to war with the 100th, 442nd, and MIS, some of them from the very camps where they had been imprisoned, went to remove all doubt about the loyalty and citizenship of their families and friends." General Shinseki continued that the National Education Center must succeed otherwise his grandchildren and their children will never have a place where they "will go see, touch, and understand this important legacy they will have inherited."

General Shinseki, in closing, left the audience to remember, "The legacy of the 100th, 442nd, MIS, and 1399th is not about unknown Americans. They are our fathers, our grandfathers, our uncles, our brothers, our cousins, and our friends. They are ours. The legacy they bequeathed is our legacy to preserve, to honor, and to perpetuate. So join me in helping the Go For Broke National Education Center achieve its important and noble mission that helps us meet our obligation to the men of these legendary units, who changed the way we live our lives. I, for one, would never have had the opportunity to serve as the chief-of-staff of the Army had they not purchased back for me my right to compete by removing all doubts about loyalty or citizenship."

The National Education Center's President and CEO Christine Sato-Yamazaki followed General Shinseki and reinforced his message by sharing the accomplishments of the past year, including the awarding of $450,000 by the Department of Army to conduct a total of 90 oral histories of Nisei who served as linguists during the Japan occupation. This effort will expand the National Education Center's Hanashi Oral History Program goals, "to capture the stories so we are able to weave a tapestry that represents this American story." She added, "The National Education Center is on our way to paving a path to ensure the Nisei veteran story will not be forgotten in this country."

Also announced at the dinner was the National Education Center's new program working with Nikkei veteran groups nationwide to support the current 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry (29th Brigade). This Troop Adoption program will provide "something from home" to 1,500 soldiers currently deployed to Kuwait and Iraq. Corporal Jon Morita, grandnephew of a 442nd veteran and a soldier who was deployed to Iraq from 2003-2004, spoke from his heart when he shared his experiences and how common items from home sent to them in Iraq were truly treasured.

The National Education Center's Board of Director and Evening of Aloha's signature Chef, Roy Yamaguchi (Roy's worldwide) teamed up with Chef Chris Yeo (Straits and Sino restaurants Northern California) to provide a sumptuous three-course meal for guests. Additionally King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant presented the dessert.

Serving as the evening's Mistress and Master of Ceremonies were actress Tamlyn Tomita and KABC-TV news anchor David Ono. Hawaiian musical entertainment was provided by 2008 Na Hoku Hanohano "Group of the Year" Maunalua with award-winning Los Angeles-based hula halau Keali'i O Nalani.

"On behalf of the Go For Broke National Education Center, I would like to thank the sponsors of the 7th Annual Evening of Aloha, especially title sponsors Union Bank of California (UBOC), Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., and Anheuser-Busch," said Sato-Yamazaki. "This annual dinner would not have been possible without all of our sponsors' generous support, our Honorary Dinner Chair Masaaki Tanaka (President & CEO UBOC) and Dinner Chair Marshall Ozawa (Senior Vice President UBOC) along with the dinner committee, National Education Center staff, and all the hundreds of volunteers who gave their time to Evening of Aloha."

2007 Evening of Aloha sponsors included: Title sponsors Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Union Bank of California; Medal of Honor sponsors Always Dream Foundation, Aratani Foundation, The Pacific Bridge Companies, Pacific Global Investment Management Co./Manabi and Sumi Hirasaki, Pacific Guardian Life, Southern California Edison, Dr. Paul and Hisako Terasaki; Airline Sponsor American Airlines; Distinguished Service Cross sponsors American Honda Motor Company, Inc., Bicara, Ltd., Fukui Mortuary, ING Life Design, JACL Health Benefits Administrators, Noritoshi Kanai, King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant, Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Sakioka, Seki, Nishimura & Watase, LLP, The Tadashi Foundation; and Silver Star sponsors AHTKY Insurance Agency, LLC, Tets and Dorothy Asato, Bank of the West, Michi Dohzen and Family, Kenneth Kamiya Insurance, Prudential, and Yankee Pacific Aerospace.

Proceeds of the 7th annual Evening of Aloha will support the National Education Center's preservation and education programs, including the Troop Adoption Program mentioned, Hanashi Oral History Program that maintains the nation's largest collection of WWII Nisei veteran oral histories; American Story Teacher Training Program with workshops and curriculum materials that provides educators with tools to teach the values embodied by the Nisei WWII veterans, and other interactive initiatives and programming.

The Go For Broke National Education Center was established in 1989 and built the Go For Broke Monument near Los Angeles' Civic Center as an eternal tribute to those who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service (MIS), and the many other men and women who served overseas during World War II. For more information, visit www.GoForBroke.org.

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