Recognized at the 2014 Berkeley awards luncheon were (from left) Steve Higashi (for Pioneer awardee Takeuchi), Reiko Nabeta (Yamashita Memorial), Whitney Tamaki (for scholarship recipient Nakao of Berkeley HS), George Kono (Kono Memorial), “Cookie” Takeshita, Ken Abe (Date Memorial), Ryan Nakamura of Piedmont HS, Christina Fa (for scholarship recipient Fa-Kaji of Berkeley HS) and Union Bank’s Victor Vazquez.
By P.C. Staff
The Berkeley JACL awarded scholarships to high school seniors Reyna Fa-Kaji, Ryan Nakamura and Nina Nakao, as well as presented Pioneer Awards to “Cookie” Ikuko Takeshita and Laura Takeuchi (posthumously) during the chapter’s May 18 awards luncheon held at Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto in Berkeley, Calif.
In addition, the chapter recognized longtime major sponsors Union Bank, Wells Fargo Bank and memorial scholarships donors the Beatrice Kono family, the Terry Yamashita family and the Dan/Kathleen Date family. The chapter also acknowledged the attendance of Yoshiro Tasada of the Consulate General of Japan and Dianne Fukami, co-director/producer of the documentary “Stories of Tohoku.”
Serving as members of this year’s committee were Mark Fujikawa, Vera Kawamura, Neal Ouye, Al Sakate, Sharron Sue, Alexandra Tagawa and Ron Tanaka (chair).
Originally published June 6, 2014
