Celebration Concert for the Opening of Fukushima Kids Hawaii House, a Shelter for Children and Mothers from Fukushima

Aloha, Kona community. You are invited to participate the potluck and classic concert for Rio, 3 year old girl from Fukushima, who has been staying at Fukushima Kids Hawaii House in Kona, a shelter for pre-school children and mothers from Fukushima.

Bring your favorite dish to share.   No set admission fee but donations are tax deductible through ALOHA KEIKI (a 501(c)(3) organization) and very much appreciated.

RSVP so that we can prepare the seats for you.
756-8946 (Yumi) or e-mail: moritagen@gmail.com

Hawaii Montessori Schools Has Become Official Partner of Fukushima Kids Hawaii

I am happy to announce that Hawaii Montessori School in Kona accepted Rio (3 year old) to attend Montessori Kailua Kona school.  She is the 2nd child after Karin, who was here from September to November 2013 and the 1st child accepted, given the scholarship by the school.

It is so important for a young child to have a good education. I want Fukushima Kids to be a bridge between Japan and Hawaii, and this early education opportunity at Hawaii Montessori will touch and influence their life forever, I think.

This is also a great support for the mothers who otherwise do not have their own time to relax, as most of the mothers have been alone taking care of the child(ten) after the disaster.

Miyuk, the mother,i is very happy Rio is starting to attend the school from tomorrow. The challenge is how to send the child to and from school as Miyuki does not drive nor have car.  Gen, my husband, and other mothers, are trying to support when they can,  but it is everyday and not so easy to do.

I am still trying to arrange something from the community. I will talk to my neighbors if anyone can take them to and from the school.

My deep gratitude for Hawaii Montessori Schools for providing such an opportunity for Fukushima children.  Hawaii Montessori Schools are also non-profit and their humanitarian action should be highly recognized and evaluated.

Mahalo mahalo!  Fukushima Kids Hawaii is so blessed.

Another development is that Aloha Keiki, a non-profit based in Honolulu, accepted Fukushima Kids Hawaii as their official project.  So all the donation is now tax deductible.  Your personal check (donation) can be made out to "Aloha Keiki" and sent to: 75-286 Hoene Street, Kailua Kona, HI96740.   Their tax ID (EIN): 203556922

Bank Account: Aloha Keiki

First Hawaiian Bank Checking A/C #01-142569

ZUMBA Special Lesson (Jason Japan Tour) for Fukushima Kids

Aloha from Kona.  Fukushima Kids Hawaii presents ZUMBA --Jason Special Lesson to support children in Fukushima.

Fukushima Kids Hawaii has been inviting children from Fukushima to Hawaii (big island) for a healthy respite from radiation exposure. So far 18 people (15 children of age 2 to 17) came and spend a great and healing time in Hawaii.

Here is a link in Japanese:

ZUMBA全国ツアーでふくしまキッズのファンドレイジング（資金集め）

http://fukushimakids.blogspot.com/2014/01/zumba.html

Yumi Kikuchi wrote about it last year October in her blog (in Japanese):

http://kikuchiyumi.blogspot.com/2013/10/blog-post_29.html
She said, "I will do something totally new, something I have never done before to raise fund and awareness about Fukushima kids".

And this is it!

This March, starting March 10 to 19, Jason, a ZUMBA instructor@Pacific Island Fitness in Kona, will visit Japan for the first time, to instruct us how to dance fun steps of ZUMBA in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Shonan and Chiba.

Jason was born and raised in Kona and has been supportive of Fukushima Kids Hawaii together with another Japanese instructor Naomi, who taught Yumi ZUMBA.

The situation of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is quite critical and no one really knows how and when it is going to be concluded. It still emits radiation into environment daily but not much news about it.  The radiation already in our environment will  be there while we are alive to say the least, so we mean to continue Fukushima Kids Hawaii as long as we live.

People in Japan and Fukushima, in spite of all of what has been going on, give birth, raise children and they LIVE in more radioactive environment than before March 11, 2011.  We want those children live and grow in good health. This strong hope gave a birth to Fukushima Kids Hawaii Project, inviting children from Fukushima to Hawaii to experience a healthy respite from radiation. 

So far, Fukushima Kids Hawaii invited 7 people in summer 2013 for a month, 8 people in winter 2013~14 for 2 weeks, and housed 3 people at Fukushima Kids Hawaii House for 2 months, with children age 2 to 17 (plus chaperons and a mother). This summer 2014, we meant to increase the number of kids to 10 plus 2 chaperons. (this means more funding is needed)

At Fukushima Kids Hawaii House, we are now inviting 3 families (mothers and children) and we are able to support the airfares up to 100,000 yen per child.  Please spread the good news to your connection in Fukushima and around if you know any mothers and children!

http://kikuchiyumi.blogspot.com/2014/01/blog-post_8.html

The biggest cost of our program is traveling expenses. To support more children, we need more resources and that is why we do something totally new and different to raise money and awareness.

Our goal is to raise enough money to supprot 2014's budget of 8 million yen.  This does not include  manpower expenses.  If we can exceed 8 million yen and can raise 10 million yen, we can support some of the volunteers who have been working 24/7  for the program.

Let's dance and support Fukushima kids!

＊Basic ZUMBA steps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6gu6cWSWxo

＊ZUMBA introduced on Japanese TV：http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FumucMI9nSY
＊Mom and child dancing ZUMBA:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc2hYKbTw-w

Tentative schedule of ZUMBA PARTY with Jason/ March 2014

Mon.  March 10,  7-9pm @Tokyo

Tue. March 11,  7-9pm @Yokohama

Wed. March 12, 7-9pm @Osaka

Thu. March 13, 7-9pm @Kyoto

Fri. March 14, 6:30-8:30pm @Nagoya

Sat. Marh 15, 2-4pm @Tokyo

Sun. March 16, 10-12am @Shonan

　　　　　　　4-7pm@Hamakanaya, Chiba (in Yumi's talk show)

Tue. March 17, 2-4pm@ Kamogawa

Thu. March 19, 7-9pm @Tokyo (finale)

Would you like to join the party?

Send an e-mail to: rainfo☆harmonicslife.net(replace☆with@)

In the title of the e-mail, please pick the date and city: ZUMBA March xx (date), xxxxx(city)
In the text, we need your name, how many people in your party and your phone number. 

In return, ZUMBA Party with JASON office will send you where the party is, party fee and where you send money to. (minimum fee is 3000 yen per person)

All the proceed go to Fukushima Kids Hawaii.  The 1st 1o people for each location will get a free one day pass to Pacific Island Fitness in Kona, Hawaii.

Please join the party to support Fukushima Kids Hawaii.

Started Indiegogo Fundraising: Inviting Fukushima Children to a healthy respite in Hawai'i

This is the first time I ever try this. I do not know how it works, but I have a reason to raise money for Fukushima Kids even more so than ever.
http://www.indiegogo.com/project/607845/widget/5608962

I am inviting you to a public event to meet the kids. Bring your friend and family as it is a free event. (I hope to have enough fund raised by Indiegogo)

Last week after the great success of Support Fukushima Kids Day and 3 garage sales, I counted all the money including small changes and separated money for each event, put it in different envelope and calculated the total and put them in a large brown envelope.

The next day, that brown envelope disappeared from our house.

I am afraid it was stolen by someone who knows we were fundraising. I did have many strangers in the house for the garage sale as we displayed nicer items inside the house.

When I realize money we raised was gone, I cried.
I sobbed for a few hours and was depressed for days.
I was so sorry and discouraged that I did not know how to tell all the friends who helped me to raise money.

They all worked so hard.
 I am grateful for them and this is what I have to tell them?
The money is stolen now?

But now that 7 children and 1 chaperon from Fukushima are arriving on Dec 21, 2013, I have no time to cry but to do what I can to raise money for them again.

What is gone is the money, $2600, but all the love and care I received for Fukushima Kids is intact. It is still with me and that is important.

$2600 is a lot for me. I guess it is a lot for anyone when the money is not yours but it is the money for Fukushima Kids we raised together. So many people, especially mothers worked and helped.

I am so sorry it is gone now.  Please help me to regain what I lost and support the Fukushima kids.

Mahalo for reading my blog to the end. Your support is invaluable.

Support Fukushima Kids Day: Nov.30, 2013@Hualalai Academy (Kona, Hawaii)

We made a local news in West Hawaii Today!
http://westhawaiitoday.com/sections/news/local-features/about-town-11-20-13.html

Join us on Saturday, November 30, 2013@Hualalai Academy for SUPPORT FUKUSHIMA KIDS DAY:  3pm Dance Party, 7pm Concert, all day (3-9pm) Silent Auction.

Do you like to dance?
If so, you can join us for 90 minutes of ZUMBA steps by Pacific Island Fitness instructors and others.
Tickets are sold at Pacific Island Fitness ZUMBA classes by the instructors.  Starting 3pm!

Do you like music?
Then you can come to the classic concert featuring Yumi Kikuchi, a flutist and co-founder of Fukushima Kids Hawaii Project, accompanied by Annu Shionoya.  Starting 7pm, playing beautiful classical tunes that you know!

Both tickets are $10, and at the door $15.  So, get the ticket(s).  I am looking for volunteers who will sell tickets for this events.

Are you a local artist who can donate your work for the silent auction?  Or are you an art collector who can donate some of your collection to support the Fukushima Kids?

If so, please call 334-9616 (Yumi).  Gift certificate to the local restaurants are very popular item for the auction, so, I love getting them, too.

The details are in the flyer. I look forward to your participating any way you can.　If you can print it out and put it in your favorite shops, that is a great help.  I need every help I can get and you can think of as this mission is so important for the survival and health of Fukushima children.

Mahalo nui loa for your support in advance.
To donate on line for this project, you can go to: http://iam-ced.org/Donate.html

Please let us know by e-mail that you donated for Fukushima Kids Hawaii.

To get involved, wanting tickets, writing about it, needing more information:
call 808-334-9616 (Yumi or Gen)

Let's GIve Fukushima Kids Time in Hawaii: Fukushima Kids Hawaii Project

 To go to Japanese site, click here.
http://fukushimakids.blogspot.jp

Latest News, please help spread! :  Today(Jun 24) at 7pm, Yumi will give a FLUTE and TALK SHOW@Hokutopia (Oji station, JR or Nan-Boku Line) to announce FKHP. 

Yumi's podcast by Fairewinds Energy Education on Fukushima Kids.

http://fairewinds.org/podcast/fukushima-kids-with-yumi-kikuchi 

Japanese mothers, Mayumi, Yumi and Shunko (from left to right) are inviting your participation and support for Fukushima Kids Hawaii Project.　

       photo by Gen Morita, taken at Ginger Hill Farm, Kealakekua, Hawaii.

    

We, the mothers of Japan and Hawaii launched Fukushima Kids Hawaii Project (FKHP) in a joint effort to bring children in Fukushima to Hawaii during their school breaks (summer, winter and spring).

Since March 11, 2011 earthquake and nuclear power plants accidents, 300,000 children in Fukushima have been constantly exposed to high level radiation.  In some areas of Fukushima, the levels of radiation are higher than that of Chernobyl. Our priority as mothers is always safety and health of children and we wished to do something, which resulted in the birth of this project.

The children are going to spend one month (Group A including some handicapped children:  July 19~Aug 20, Group B: July 24~Aug 20, 2013) here in Hawaii during their summer holidays. It is our intention to continue this project until such effort becomes unnecessary. Those children are invited to stay at Ginger Hill Farm of "Goddess" artist Mayumi Oda,  Hue Hue Ranch,  Puna Kamali'i Flowers and other individual homes in Kailua Kona and Hilo as well as Honolulu for extra few days.  We want the children to enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables of Hawaii, playing freely outside with local kids, and swimming in the ocean of Hawaii without any concerns about radiation.

Imagine your child is not allowed to play outside freely or refrain from swimming in the ocean.... That is the situation which those children are in. Let's give them a break from radiation exposure and let them have fun time in the nature of Big Island of Hawaii.  With your support, this will become the reality.

We are now raising a fund for the airfare of 15 children, which is about 40,000 USD.  I AM-CED is our umbrella non-profit organization to receive tax deductible donations: 
http://iam-ced.org/Donate.html

Send check payable to IAM-CED.org
P.O.Box 692
Pacifica, CA 94044
*please write "For Fukushima Kids" on the check to indicate that the donation is specifically for this project.

I am greatly grateful to you for your compassion in action.

Yumi Kikuchi, co-founder
Fukushima Kids Hawaii Project @Kona, Harmonics Life Center, Hawaii

For more information, please send an e-mail to rawinfo@harmonicslife.net or call at 808-334-9616.

Japanese site here.
http://fukushimakids.blogspot.jp