Thank you to the more than 130 islanders who turned out to support community and civil rights at the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial volunteer work day, Feb. 19.
Volunteers cleaned the winding memorial wall, trimmed and weeded the grounds, and cleared the ornamental pond of reeds.
It was the biggest-ever turnout for this annual stewardship day.
The event marked the 80th year observance of the signing of Executive Order 9066, which set in motion the forced exclusion of Japanese Americans from Bainbridge Island for wartime incarceration.
From Clarence Moriwaki, Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community: “Thanks to the Parks Foundation for partnering and getting people out. It’s all about that, isn’t it? It’s all about partnerships. It’s all about community. This is really fantastic.”
On March 30, BIJAC will host “80 Years of Healing,” the annual observance of the forced exclusion, with an hour-long program.
