Kirk R. Patterson
Chairman
YMCA Foreign Community Supporting Committee
I would like to thank the organizers of this concert - the Nippon Taiko Foundation - for donating the event's proceeds to the Foreign Community Supporting Committee (FCSC) of the YMCA. These funds will benefit the many physically and mentally challenged children who participate in YMCA camps and programs.
The FCSC was founded in 1958 to raise moral and financial support for the YMCA from foreigners living in Japan and to strengthen relationships between foreigners and Japanese. Today, with strong support from the foreign business and diplomatic communities, the FCSC raises funds through a general donation campaign, charity runs in cities throughout Japan, charity concerts and balls at various embassies, corporate sponsorships, and other activities.
Monies raised by the FCSC support several YMCA programs, such as:
・Youth Leadership Development, including international exchange and volunteer programs for young adults;
・The Challenged Children Project, including summer and winter camps for physically and mentally challenged children - in 1999, more than 3,800 children participated in 100 camps and programs nationwide;
・The Learning Disabilities Project, which features pilot programs aimed at improving the educational and employment situation for people with learning disabilities;
・The Douglas Kenrick Memorial Award, which recognizes a volunteer for long and outstanding service to the Challenged Children Project.
I am often asked why foreigners are doing so much to support Japanese charitable work. My answer is that nationality is irrelevant when it comes to helping those in need. I believe that one should make some contribution to the community in which one lives, regardless of whether one is "local" or "foreign."
Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the Nippon Taiko Foundation for their generous support of the FCSC, especially to Mr. Kazuo Yoshino, Chairman, and Ms. Kazuko Shiomi, Vice Chairman. Also, special thanks to Mr. Chris McDonald, who is a member of both the Nippon Taiko Foundation and the FCSC and whose efforts brought our two organizations together.
