Club Meeting Minutes

September 19th, 2002

6:00 Meeting called to order.

Exec. Board Members Introduced:
Erika Fleisner - President
Nick Katzfey - V.P.
Adam Enter - Secretary/Treasurer
Phil Fischer - Newsletter

Members gave a short introduction and left their name and email on a member sheet.
There were 22 people in attendance including Guy Healy.

Dr. Fukuta introduced herself as Club Nippon advisor and mentioned JET Programme applications. JET is an opportunity for native English speakers to take a job assisting teaching English in Japan. Start your application now.

Guy Healy gave a short speech on USA Summer Camp and the Understanding Japan Tour. There are many camp counselors needed for next year's summer camp. It's difficult, fun, rewarding, and largely free. Understanding Japan is a class offered during interim for 4 credits and involves a two-week tour of Japan.

Guy Healy is really funny.

Erica introduced the purpose of the club and some annual activities:
Japan Week
Haiku Demonstration
Origami demonstration
Movie Night
Trip to Mitsua Marketplace
Trip to Nakashima's or Koreana
Last year we folded 1,000 paper cranes and sent them to NY commemoration 9/11.
There is a $7 fee to become a member.

Meetings are established as every other Thurs. @ 6:00.

Somebody said something about being "Japanese oriented". I thought this quite funny because sometimes Asian people are called Oriental, which is not very politically correct.

In Chicago on Sunday the 29th of September there will be a festival called Natsumasuri (sp?). It will involve drumming and judo demonstrations among other things, and it will last all day.

The members of Club Nippon then read an old Japanese folk tale, "The Wise Old Woman", aloud out of a children's book. We all took turns reading and showing the pictures (Except for Erika who, despite bringing the book, received no turn). Short discussion followed.

Dr. Fukuta announced that on Dec. 18th in downtown Green Bay, she will be introducing "Afterlife", a Japanese film by Koreda, as part of an international film series.

Phil introduced the Newsletter, which is released biannually. He stressed that he only organizes the newsletter. Members must write the articles. Members were asked to come up with ideas about what they want to share. Anyone who has had a Japan-related experience was urged to submit an article on it. Adam and Lauren were asked to submit USA Summer Camp articles. Traditionally the new teaching assistant (Sachiko Okamoto) submits an introduction article. We want to submit a recipe this year.

The Club Nippon website used to take submissions from members as well. Shaun Ryder volunteered to take over web page duties.

At subsequent meetings there is to be no grilling (of people, a Japanese style barbecue would be delicious).

At this point the meeting was opened to suggestions from members for the year and general Club Nippon improvements.
There were many general positive statements, but I will only list the requests.
Involve Japanese language more, perhaps a lesson in basics.
Japanese decorations for meetings for atmosphere.
Club T-Shirts
More trips.
New presentations.
Serious discussion (current events, cooking, artists, movies, tech, culture...)
Structure to meetings and organization.
Perform a Kabuki play.
Game Day (Go, Mah Jhong, Japanese Chess, Japanese Monopoly...)

Dr. Fukuta mentioned Japanese language table, which meets every Wednesday at 11:30 in the union by the food court.

Phil volunteered to lead current events discussion for the meeting of October the 17th. Adam volunteered to have his back.

Erika adjourned the meeting at 7:03.

These minutes of the Club Nippon meeting on 09/19/02 respectfully submitted,

Adam Enter
Secretary/Treasurer

Return to the top of the page.