CALGARY JAPANESE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

President’s Message by Roger Teshima

Spring, 2019

Although we are well into 2019, this is the first publication of the year so I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! The end of 2018 marked the close of the calendar year but it was just the midpoint of our term as directors. I wish to thank the members of the Board for their dedication to CJCA, and for their commitment to providing for the needs of our community association. As much as I cherish old traditions and customs, I recognize that things evolve and must change to accommodate the shifting mix within our community. We want to take the best of what we have had in the past, build on those experiences and open ourselves up to new ventures. Over the past month, I have spent a significant amount of time with my young grandchildren and they have shown me how quickly they are growing and changing. They are so adaptable. Many experiences are completely brand new to them and they soak it all in. Over the next few years, we will see many changes occurring in our community. We won’t always be seeing the same people and we won’t necessarily be doing things the same way as they once were done. In spite of our age, we are adaptable and we can, not only accept change but also embrace it as part of life. This month, some of the leaders of our community are meeting to engage in a dialogue about what those changes are and how we can prepare for them. The future of our community association and our Nikkei Centre may depend on what we do. If we work together, we can create a community that embraces diversity and change, and one in which we work in harmony with each other. 

Committee members are busy gearing up for upcoming events this spring and summer, culminating in Omatsuri in August. There are exciting times ahead.