Welcome to new Board Members: Heidi Sweetnam, President, convened the first board meeting of 2025. We are pleased to have three new board members: Inna Caron, Kristen Hughes, and Ann Endo. We are very appreciative of all Board members who volunteered to stay on the Board for a second year. Below is the complete list of directors who have graciously volunteered their time for CWAJ.
President: Heidi Sweetnam
Vice President: Yoko Moskowitz
Parliamentarian: Ann Endo
Treasurer: Junko Hiyashima
Recording Secretary: Hillary Kobayashi
Membership: Miyuki Fukuma
Scholarship: Suz Wilkinson
Education: Carol Iwanaga
Cultural Programs: Shigeko Nagaoka
Print Show: Naoko Yagura
Communications: Momo Kamimura
Public Relations: Inna Caron
Development: Kristen Hughes
Board Discussion
—Values: Heidi Sweetnam introduced a set of values by which she would like the board members to operate:
–-Goals for 2025. Heidi reported that CWAJ made a lot of progress towards the schools in 2024. However, there are still challenges and opportunities on the horizon. The board endorsed the recommendations to continue the same goals as last year. One additional goal was added: to raise 13 million for scholarships in 2027. The goals are as follows:
Increase membership
Increase brand recognition
Increase in-person meetings for committee work and cultural exchange
Lighten the administrative load on volunteers
Raise JPY13 million for scholarships in 2027
Treasurer’s Report: Junko Hiyashima made a presentation about the organization’s financial statements, explaining how expenses and revenues are accounted for in the CWAJ budget provided by the Treasurer each year. She requested that each Director submit her budget request for February 6. Heidi Sweetnam explained that the Treasurer will present a proposed budget for 2025 at the March Board meeting and the Board will vote in April. Heidi explained that this year she and Yoko Moskowitz plan to talk to each Director in January about their plans and budget priorities for 2025. This information will be passed on to the Treasurer after the February Board Meeting.
Four Proposals: Four proposals were discussed:
–Purchase of a new computer: The board approved a proposal to purchase a new computer for the CWAJ Center.
–Charity Concert – a VVI 50th event: The Board approved a proposal to hold a charity concert on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of VVI on Thursday, November 6, 2025. The charity concert will feature pianist Rika Sugata who is totally blind and a 2021 SVI-SJ scholarship recipient, and Seina Kudo, soprano singer with low vision. The concert will be organized by Cultural Programs in collaboration with the VVI Steering Committee.
–Proposal for VVI 50th event: “Life is Climbing”: Documentary film and Talk Event. Recommended by Director of Education and the VVI Committee, the board approved a proposal to hold an event around a documentary film, Life is Climbing! This event will be on April 19th, open to the public. It features the story of award-winning paraclimber and founder of NPO Monkey Magic, Koichiro Kobayashi, and his sighted guide Naoya Suzuki, professional rock climbing teacher and guide. It is “An exhilarating, sometimes heartbreaking film about friendship, the gifts of adversity, and the courage it takes to put everything on the line for the thing you love. ..”
— Membership Proposal: The Board approved a proposal by Miyuki Fukuma, Director of Membership Activities, to allow the Membership Committee to accept up to 10 new Japanese members in 2025.
