聖ジョゼフ大学にて桜の木の植樹 (West Hartford, CT)    2020/10/23

今年4月、聖ジョセフ大学にて、「田嶋インレリーフ」の開展とEarth Day を記念して、日本からおいでになる古儀茶道藪内流の片岡聡先生ご一行の茶会と出雲松蝶師匠の日本舞踊“花の舞”等、一連の盛大なイベントを盛り込んで、桜の木の植樹を予定しておりましたがCovid-19禍の為、行事の延期を余儀無くされてしまいました。まだ収束には至っておりませんが、UJSCと大学では、夏の名残を感じるこの時期に今年の植樹を決行する事に致しました。現況下では、学長並びに他のVIPも参列されてのフォーマルなセレモニーはできませんが、ご寄付に協力して下さった企業並びに個人の方々に感謝の意を込めてその旨ご報告したいと存じます。
 
去る10月12日、８時半に枝垂れ桜４本が届き、その後、原生の桜の木１５本が別の業者より届きました。来年は、吉野種と原生種合わせて３５−５０本を予定しております。
 
そして来週からは、まず手始めに、コネチカット河を共有するモーテンセンリバーフロントプラザ公園の清掃活動を開始。次段階で低樹木、草花そして桜の植樹とコネチカット河畔の人と自然に優しい美化運動にも貢献していく予定です。
先週土曜日は、橋のガード下と階段のゴミ拾い、雑草むしりで終わりました。
町、美しければ人の心が和み、企業誘致にも貢献し、仕事が増え、町が安全になります。
こんな希望を抱いて、地域社会への貢献を邁進していく所存です。

内野敏子並びに会員一同
Us & Japan Society of CT

Cherry Tree Planting at University of St. Joseph, West Hartford, CT

In April this year, we scheduled to plant cherry trees at Univ. of St. Joseph in celebration of
 big events that were “Tajima in Relief Exhibition” grand opening and Earth Day Festival.  We
invited Mr. Satoshi Kataoka, Kogisadou Yabunouchi Style tea master, and his group from Japan to hold Tea Ceremony gathering and Master Izumo Showchow to perform Japanese traditional dance “Cherry Blossom Dance” .  However the cherry tree planting event as well as such series of auspicious events were postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19.  This pandemic is not resolved yet, but our organization and the university decided to plant trees embracing the summer remains as the trees were originally reserved for this spring.  We could not hold a formal ceremony with the presence of the president of the university and other dignitaries due to the current conditions, but we wanted to report and thank wholeheartedly to organizations and individuals that value our activities.
 
On October 12 at 8:30am, 4 weeping cherry trees were delivered to Facilities Garage at the campus in the drizzle.  Remaining 15 native cherries were delivered later from another supplier.  We plan to donate Yoshino and native trees all together 35 to 50 next year.
 
Next week, we will roll off  “Let’s Clean Our Parks & Streets Initiatives”, auxiliary to Sakura Manbon, cleaning Riverfront Park which covers Connecticut River trails as first step of our activities.  The second phase is planting bushes, flowers and cherry trees in consideration of people and nature friendly beautification of the Connecticut Riverside.
 
Last Saturday, some of us including Riverpoint  residents collected paper and plastic trashes and broken glasses and did weeding at underpass of and steps to the bridge.
When the town is clean and beautiful our heart becomes gentle, it also attracts business and creates jobs and the towns and streets become safe.
In such hope, we strive ourselves to improve local communities
 
Toshiko Uchino and members of
Us & Japan Society of CT

一昨年、イーストハートフォード市とグラストンベリー市にUs & Japan Society of Connecticut とGlastonbury International Club の合同企画として、提出しました『桜万本』は、桜の最適品種の分析並びに選択に時間を要しましたので、今年はしだれ桜二本をグラストンベリーリバーフロント公園に植樹致しました。

第一本目は、オーストラリアのアスリートで彼の青春を植樹運動に捧げたコリーの為に。２２歳の若さで、白血病でこの世を去った息子の為に母親が私に託した基金です。そして、この思いは、日本へも届き、大阪在住の陶芸家が、コリーの為に名板を作成することで参加致しました。

Us & Japan の Us が意味するものは、アメリカに住む我々だけではなく、世界中のみんなを包括した暖かい他者への思いやりです。

Sakura Manbon project that was proposed two years ago to towns of East Hartford and Glastonbury by Us & Japan Society of Connecticut and Glastonbury International Club as 

a joint effort took more time than we expected on analysis and selecting most suitable trees to Connecticut climate.  We have chosen two willow cherry trees this year and planted 

at Glastonbury Riverfront Park in spring.

First tree was for Corey who was an avid athlete and most of his youthful time was spent on the green movement planting trees in Australia. The fund was left with me from his mother in memory of her beloved son who passed away at the age of 22 from leukemia.  Her thought was shared by a person in Osaka, Japan and she joined in our activities and made a name plate for Corey with clay as she is a pottery artist.

Us in Us and Japan Society of Connecticut represents not only us in the United States but also empathy for others that encompasses everyone in the world.