Donations to Minori-en
On September 6, a concert was held in Nagoya featuring Chiaki Arisaka, who debuted a song written by Kumiko Takagi in honor of the victims of the tsunami. A portion of the proceeds from that concert was earmarked for the Minoriyen Day Care Centre to help with its rebuilding. On October 23, Masayoshi Tanno, a city councilman in Natori and two supporters, Kayoko Watanabe and Naoko Abe, who have children at the Special School, presented the check of \33,035 to the Director of Minoriyen, Mrs. Suzuki, the staff members and other representatives of the facility. They were also given a newsletter about the Hat Spring Project, a dvd of the concert as well as a program from the concert. In the presentation ceremony, the dvd was played featuring Chiaki Arisaka singing “When I Think of You” together with the.
Minori-en is a day care center for special needs adults and a support system for their parents. The program began in a small prefab building that they soon outgrew, but sadly, just after their new building was completed, the huge earthquake and tsunami occurred and the building was washed away. Fortunately because of the fast action of Mrs. Suzuki, everyone was saved. It has been a great burden rebuild, however, everyone is working hard to keep the program open, because it is the only welfare facility in Natori