Tad Tanaka Honored at AAJC Dinner
By: Megan Nakano, Chicago Chapter President

On January 23, 2010, Tad Tanaka will receive the Japanese American Community Service Award at the Asian American Coalition of Chicago Lunar New Year Celebration.

Tadashi “Tad” Tanaka was born on January 23rd 1935 in San Francisco, California.  His mother was born in San Francisco and his father was from Fukuoka, Japan, making Tad Nisei-han (or “Nisei-and-a-half”).  When his parents were interned in Manzanar during World War II, Tad and his brother and sister moved to Japan where they stayed with their grandfather.  After the war they returned to America, settling in Chicago where Tad enrolled in and graduated from Lane Technical High School and went on to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Introduced by friends, Tad met his wife Takako in Japan and they were married in Chicago in 1972.  They have a daughter, Joyce, and a son, Stanley.  Tad’s work as an engineer with a security alarm company took them to several states over the course of 35 years, eventually landing them back in Chicago where he was assigned as branch manager of the Chicago and Elmhurst offices.
Tad joined the Board of Directors of the Chicago Chapter Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) in 2001 and has served with distinction ever since. He serves as the chairman of the Building Committee of the Chapter’s property located at 5415 North Clark Street which makes him its de facto manager, landlord and contractor, jobs which he fulfills with professional proficiency and dogged conscientiousness. He is also active with the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce.

A genuinely concerned citizen, Tad is always eager to assist anyone in need, financially or with sweat equity.  He has served as the JACL’s representative to the Chicago Japanese American Council, a coalition of Japanese American churches, temples, social service and special interest organizations and on the Day of Remembrance Committee which produces annual events to commemorate the 1942 signing of Executive Order 9066, which led to the forced incarceration of some 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II.  Tad is active with the Fukuoka Kenjinkai Club, a Japanese Prefectural Association which plays an important role for new immigrants in assimilating into the larger society and introducing Japanese culture and traditions to the broader American community.   

We are proud to pay tribute to Tad Tanaka for his selfless, humble, unwavering service.  He truly embodies the values of our community, honors our past and sets an example for the future.  

Congratulations, Tad!

Project: Community! Coming to Chicago
By: Christine Munteanu, Ford Fellow 2009-2010

Project: Community! is a national JACL leadership development program for high-school students.  Originally started in Los Angeles as part of the local movement to preserve “Little Tokyo,” the program has since expanded to San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, and will be starting in Chicago in February 2010. 

Chicago’s Project: Community! will have two components: a leadership development program aimed at high-school students, and a short children’s summer camp for 7- and 8-year olds.  The goal of both programs is to empower young people as Japanese Americans.  Interactive sessions and workshops will explore participants’ individual identity as Japanese Americans and connect them to the larger Chicago Japanese American community and to the Asian Pacific American community as a whole.  Ultimately, Project: Community! aims to identify and develop future leaders who will devote their time and talent to the Japanese American community. 

High School Program

The high-school program aims to recruit 15-20 local youth who are active in or interested in learning about the local Japanese American community.  Its goal is to develop and enhance the leadership skills of Japanese American high school youth, and promote their awareness of and engagement with their local Japanese American community.

The program will comprise of seven separate sessions, held on weekday nights and Saturdays, over a three month period.  The program will start with a focus on participants’ personal identity, before broadening to an examination of the identity of the Chicago Japanese American community and the broader Asian American community.

Sessions have been planned to discuss the following topics:

• Identity: Participants will explore different aspects of their personal identity.  Discussion will focus on factors that define identity, external forces that can challenge a sense of identity, and the importance of context.
• Community:  Participants will explore some of the organizations that serve the Japanese American community in Chicago: the JACL, the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society, the Japanese American Service Committee, and the Buddhist Temple of Chicago.  They will also learn about the history of Japanese American resettlement in Chicago.
• Japanese American History and Internment:  Participants will learn about the history of the Japanese American internment and meet former internees who will share their personal stories.
• Current Issues and Activism:  Participants will be introduced to some of the major issues affecting the Asian American community.  They will meet local leaders working to advocate for the community, and learn methods for grassroots organizing and student activism.
• Leadership:  Led by an expert in leadership training, participants will explore their own leadership styles, as well as the challenges faced by Asian Americans in becoming or being perceived as leaders.

If you are interested in learning more about the program, please join us at the Chicago JACL office on Saturday, November 21 at 11:30 to meet new people and discuss your participation in this exciting new program.  Lunch will be provided!  Please call (773) 728-7171 or email jacl.fellow@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming.

2009 JACL Golf Tournament
By: Roy Iwata, Chicago Chapter member

Unlike last year’s tournament, which was suspended due to inclement weather, the golfers in the 2009 JACL Golf Tournament competed in beautiful weather.  There was a little wind, but wasn’t hot and very comfortable.

The tournament was scored using the usual Peoria system, with some very interesting results. The Peoria handicap system is based on 3 holes for each nine (pars 3, 4, 5), selected by the pro shop and given to the scorer after everyone tees off. The handicap holes were 4, 5, 6 front nine and 12, 13, 16 back nine.  Kaz Ideno will now understand how he scored such a low net score.  His 7 on #6 proved to be the big number which helped beat the entire field by 11 strokes.

This year’s big winner was Gail Shintaku, who won a total of three prizes. The major prizes awarded are listed below.  In the case of a tie, the golfer with the lower handicap was declared the winner.

Nearest to pin #8                                                           
Women:Gail Shintaku
Men: Jim Yee

Nearest to pin #13
Women: none
Men: Dennis Uchimoto

Longest drive #10
Women: Gail Shintaku
Men: Bill Suzuki

Other basic prizes awarded –
Lowest net score: Kaz Ideno (55)
Low  gross, women: Karen Yamada (100)
2nd Peoria: Ed Kuhr (66)                  
Low gross, men: Bill Suzuki (80)
3rd Peoria: Gail Shintaku (67)
2nd low gross, men: Glenn Inouye (87)
2nd low gross, women: Judy Tracy (103)

The remaining prizes were awarded to the golfers 8th to 31st based upon their net scores. Thus everyone received some kind of prize which they picked from the table.

We wish to thank Bill Suzuki for his donation of 4 dozen golf balls for the prize list, as well as Carol Yoshino, Joyce Yoshino and Carol Miyake for taking care of the details at #1 tee and the scoring table.  Mr. Myong of the Pro Line Golf Shop on Chicago Avenue gave us discounts for the prizes which we purchased at his shop.  The behind-the-scenes work by Bill and Ron Yoshino helped make the event successful.

As the organizer of the event, we would like to apologize for the misunderstanding with the restaurant manager regarding the food service.  The plan was the same as in the past, with golfers getting served the food they chose upon completion of their round as part of their fee for the day.  However, some golfers ended up not getting their choice.  We will be certain it will not be handled this way next year.

We hope you will join us at next year’s tournament, which is set for Thursday, July 22, 2010 at Pinecrest Golf and Country Club.