Yuko-2nd Annual Sakura Fes

Minneapolis – Ibaraki
Sister Cities Association
Sister Cities since 1980
April 2012
Volume 1, Issue 1
MISCA’s Second Annual Cherry Tree
Festival
Join us Sunday, May 13th
starting at 2 p.m. at Nicollet
Island Park by the Cherry
Trees and the “Bell of Two
Friends” for the Second
Annual Cherry Tree Festival.
In Honor of the 30th
anniversary of the Sister city
relationship in 2010 the City
of Ibaraki donated 30 cherry
trees to the City of
Minneapolis. Six were
planted in 2010 and bloomed
wonderfully last spring. We
hope to have a few more
planted sometime this year.
The Festival was moved a
week earlier this year, since
the cherry blossoms were
almost all gone by the time of
the festival last year.
the cherry blossoms, play
some Japanese games (both
for children and adults),
enjoy some Japanese sweets
and finish with a procession
of all participants taking
turns in the ceremonial
ringing of the “The Bell of
Two Friends”.
Inside this issue:
MISCA, what we
are about
2
Cherry Tree
Festival
2
Upcoming
MISCA Events:
There is no charge to
participate in the Cherry
Tree Festival, all are
welcome.
•
May 13 – 2pm
Second Annual
Cherry Tree
Festival, see
article on page 2
“The Bell of Two Friends”
was designed and sculpted
by Minneapolis artist and
MISCA member Karen
Sontag-Satell with funding
from the City of Ibaraki.
•
June 12 – 6:30
pm
MISCA Board
Meeting,
Kikugawa
Restaurant
So please join us as we enjoy
•
Bell of Two friends
1
July 15 – TBA
Minneapolis
Sister Cities
Day, Nicollet
Island Pavilion
250 Marquette Avenue South
Suite 1300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
MISCA is a not-for-profit organization established to build good will, friendships and
opportunities between two cities: Minneapolis and Ibaraki, Japan. Ibaraki is a city with a
population of about 250,000 and is located between Osaka and Kyoto. Working together with
Osaka (the third largest city in Japan) Ibaraki has developed a strong interest in biotech research
and is the home to such large manufacturing plants as Matsushita and Toshiba. Kyoto, on the
other hand is the “old”, historic, religious center of Japan.
E-mail address
Among the activities MISCA sponsors are cultural, educational, sporting, artistic, and business
exchanges involving both adults and youth. The goal of these efforts is to provide a better
understanding and appreciation of one another as we reach out to make new friends.
MISCA
C/o Meet Minneapolis
kreinhard@visi.com
Facebook:
Type MISCA into a
Search at Facebook.com
Member of Sister Cities
International
Want to help out? Volunteer!
MISCA has many ways that
you can help out our mission
of helping understanding the
Japanese culture.
• Volunteer to help
chaperone tours of the
city for our visitors from
Ibaraki
• Become a member of
the MISCA Board of
Directors
• Volunteer to be in or
help set up MISCA’s
performance at Sister
Cities Day in July
• Volunteer to be a host
family for visitors from
Ibaraki City.
• Volunteer to help
prepare and supervise
the Cherry Tree Festival
If you are interested in
volunteering your talents,
please contact Karl Reinhard
by email at:
kreinhard@visi.com
MISCA Board of
Directors
Karl Reinhard –
President
Michael RainvillePast President
Jessica
Manivasager –
Vice-President
Patrick Goode Vice President
Karen Sontag-Satell
Dan Rolfs
Haiku Contest Award Ceremony
The Annual Haiku Awards
Ceremony will take place on
Sunday, April 15th at 2 p.m.
at the Downtown
Minneapolis Central
Library.
We will be honoring the
eight winners in each of the
following categories:
Kindergarten – 5th Grade
6th – 8th Grade
9th – 12th Grade
Adults
winners from the over
10000 entries we received
this year!
Winners will receive a
certificate and small gift
from Ibaraki City.
Look for photos of the
ceremony in our July Issue
or on our Facebook page.
Congratulations to the 32
Don Katagiri
Jim Ullyott
Gayle Fleming
Sue Bagge
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