Exchanges
2011-12 Chairman for JSCC: John Seeley
If you have been around
the JSCC lately you willrecall that John Seeley andhis family have hosted fourtimes in the past year andare about to host their fifthchild this summer. They
have also hosted during
the anniversary year when
the adults came to America. John has also beenvery involved in the empowering the alumni who
would like to be involved inthe Sister City. His two
son’s Josh and Jared have
handled responsibilities
ranging from fund-raising
to running events. Johnhas volunteered to chair
both the host family committee and the activities forthe student committee forseveral years and in 2007
he was the Exchange Student Chaperone. BothJohn and Bev Seeley workfor the government in different capacities and bothson’s are in college.

Japanese Sister
City Committee
May June2011 Newsletter

Inside This Issue:
HOST FAMILIES
Thanks to the Moxley’s

2

Cherry Blossom Vendors

2

The Shaws, Friends andthe Festival

3

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

4

SPECIAL PERSON SPOTCONNIE MC QUAIN

Above: Bev, Jared, Shimpei, Josh, &John at the Luau. Left: Josh at the Cherry
Blossom Festival, Below left: Bev displaying her mothering skills for her Japaneseson, Below Right: Jared & Kento the firstday of a very great brother-hood in 2006.

Tea Ceremony 2nd Floor Sermon Center
Susan Peoples (left) dressed thepart as she made tea in ceremony
fashion, saying and sharing thetea in the same manner she waspar-took in Japan and as a friend,
Naoko Nagai, taught her here inAmerica. Using Naoko’s gifts she
had around ten tea ceremonies at
the festival. The last one was performed by her college professor.

ONCE school teacher, Connie
has a smile on her face almost
all of the time. She is very involved in her nieces and nephews and has Sue Valentine as
her best friend.
For the JSCC she has had thelongest term taking it from Jana
Waits, and keeping it an extra
year so Joe Gall could take itafter her. She planned the Anniversary events at the Truman
Memorial Building, had threesuccessful exchanges with agreat group of host families .
Connie not only went to Japanbut planned the adult trips.
Now she chairs the officers
replacement committee andhelps out where ever she canas a JSCC member. Connie
has many friends in Japan.

Page 2

Exchanges

THANKS TO OUR VENDORS!
AT THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

THANKS TO THE MOXLEY FAMILY AND A DEDICATION TO
ALL HOST FAMILIES! The Moxley family sent all but one daughter toJapan, hosted a half a dozen years and always gave a fantastic afternoon
activity with motor boats, tubing, swimming and a great American example of families in America having a good time at the lake in Blue Springs.
They generously opened their home with love and laughter. They are all
the richer for it and we are all very thankful for their dedication to being
host parents for so many years! Take a vacation in your own town, see itthrough someone else’s eyes and share you life! It is so wonderful!!

YUMMY
GOOD FOODTOO
THANKS

May June

Page 3

ON STAGE at the Cherry Blossom Festival wasa question and answer interview of Bill andJoanne Shaw (pictured to the left with Mr. andMrs. Ono) Bill was the JSCC chairman during thetime that Japan built the Friendship Garden atCity Hall. It was a very big blessing to Independence and Bill worked with the gardeners in getting the right rocks from Iowa, getting them set
just the way the Japanese wanted them in thegarden as well as all the plants and Japaneselanterns. But the biggest story to hear is Bill andJoanne talk about their first visit to Japan. They
have been many times since but the first time
was the first adult trip to Japan as a Sister City.
He has also been the historian and helped put on
so many activities.
FESTIVAL FRIENDS Left:Anna Price & Shayla Jarminin their Alumni Fund Raising Shirts & Right: Patty
Schumacher and Penny
Kruse, from the Chamber,dish out the desserts. Examples of friends having
fun and working at theevent & there is room for
more friendships.
TALENTS ARE SHARED AT THE
FESTIVAL: Gerald Hancock sets up aslide show of all the previous activities
while his wife sits at the Ikebana booth.
They have made their hobbies profitable for
the Cherry Blossom Festival.

ABOVE THE 2012 Exchange Student
fund raiser was Cherry-Lime-Aid Floats
and Sakura Popcorn. It was GREAT!
EVERYONE worked hard to make theSermon Center pretty & dressed up in aJapanese fashion as you can see in thetwo photos to the right.

THANKS TO JEANNAE SeguraBrown for the two years as a leader inCitizen Diplomacy with the JSCC. She
will never forget that she had both
H2N1 and the Earthquake/Tsunami
happen during her time in office.
Jeanne and her friend, Alreda Adams,
went to Japan with the exchange students for Sister School purposes. The
JSCC started attending the hockey
games during her two years and we
had parking lot fund-raisers with aclever advertising video she made.
She continues with the JSCC as treasurer & the Glendale Sister School Cluband Chair of the Festival.

Japanese Sister City Committee

Committee: Mayor Reimal andPresident & Host Families : John Seeley
Vice President: Twyla Olsen-Hahn
Treasurer and Elementary Sister School Chair:
Jeannae Segura-Brown
Fundraising Committee: Bruce Benson
Secretary: Alreda Adams
Historian: Gerald Hancock
Newsletter, Web Site & Facebook: Sandy Peoples,
Major & Sue Hammett, Joe Gall, Sharon Wilson,
Lana White, Connie McQuain

2011 HOST FAMILIES:
Meetings have been going onwith the excited host families,
who have gotten booklets on
their Japanese student and thetentative activities. Lined up are
old favorites like Worlds of Funand the Royals Game plus a
new camping trip and returning
for a 2nd year Twyla’s horseback riding trip. Some things areopen to the Friends of the JSSC,Alumni and 2012 Ambassadors.

SHARE YOUR LIFE !!

COLLECTING TEE SHIRTS!
CONTACT SANDY AT 816-843-1049
Drop off at Glendale while Exchange Students are here. SIZES: CHILDREN’S,
ADULT SMALL OR MEDIUM
WITH ENGLISHSLOGANS,EMBLEMSDESIGNS.
GIVE TODAY TO JAPAN!!
JSCC Donation Options

Japanese Students Events:•Students will visit Independence’s Puppetry Institute•Students will go to theNegro & Jazz Museum•The students are going
camping overnight!

•Joe Gall’s famous pool party
is open for Alumni and 2012
Ambassadors•Students will go to Kaleidoscope and Crown Center

•

•

•

Students will attend the Fireand Police Stations and they
will get to sit in the Mayor’schair!

Students and anyone thatwants to purchase a ticket
can go to Starlight Theater
to see Mama Mia

The students are going
horse back riding. For acost alumni and 2012
Ambassadors can go too•

The Moxley Family Boating
event will take place forstudents, alumni and 2012
Ambassadors••

Students will visit the Trails
Museum, ride the mulepulled wagon and learn
about the History of Independence
Diamond Bowl on thesquare for Alumni, Ambassadors and Japanese Students••

Students and anyone thatwants to purchase a ticket
can go to Worlds of FunStudents and anyone thatants to purchase a ticket
can go to see the Royals•

Students will perform for
the Glendale Kids Safari•

Teens are welcome to join
the students at Chrisman
for a fun and games day

Your gift today will be sent toHigashimurayama. They will beable to distribute the funds asnecessary to those in need inJapan.
Donate online www.thcf.org(be sure to designate Japan
Disaster Relief Fund)•Coffee Shop Chat forStudents, Alumni and 2012
Ambassadors•The students will visit theJapanese Garden at theTemple, hear the Temple
organ and visit the Peace
Pavilion.

Japan Disaster Relief Fund C/O

The Mayors Dinner will
be $15 dollars and anyone
is welcome.

Independence, MO 64050••Students will perform atthe Sock Hop Pot-luck

Donate by check
Truman Heartland Foundation
300 N. Osage
Earth Quake and Tsunami
Relief Collection Being Taken