Nisei Ski Club

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

It’s September and it’s been HOT these past few weeks. But despite the heat your focus should be on the upcoming ski/snowboard season. Why? Because it’s just around the corner and the next thing you know it will be time to trek up to Tahoe to get your first days of skiing in, possibly in November and hopefully in December. There are quite a few September events coming up so take a look at them and decide which ones you want to attend. Since I’m not a bicyclist or painter there is really only one for me to choose.

Upcoming Events

California Ski Company September Offers

Did you know that California Ski Company in Berkeley has NSC members as employees? And they have a reputation as being the best boot-fitters in the state. Looking for new gear? This month they’re having discounts on 2016/2017 snow gear in their massive parking lot sale. Go to their website (http://www.californiaskicompany.com/index.html), click on “coupons” and snag some coupons for a free pre-season wax. Yes, I know it’s only September but now is the time to start getting ready for the upcoming ski/snowboard season.

September Pizza Social – September 10

This event has been canceled due to a lack of sign-ups

It’s FOOTBALL Season and let the games begin! Our September Pizza Social will be on Sunday, September 10th at The Garret (Campbell) so we can gather around, quaff a few ales, dine on outstanding pizza, and watch the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys battle it out on the turf. Game time starts at 5:30pm but you can arrive later if you’re stuck in traffic. If you’re planning on attending then please respond to the Evite that has been sent out. And yes, el presidente is buying the beer.

NSC Bay Bridge Bike Ride – September 17

Due to construction at the Bay Bridge there have been some changes to the NSC Bike Ride. I won’t say “Bay Bridge Bike Ride” because that route might get changed if the Bay Bridge construction isn’t completed by the scheduled 16th date. With that in mind, check out the flyer for the latest dates and Karen Soo and Sandy Kiyomura will keep you informed of the latest changes.

NSC Paint Night in San Jose – October 7/8 or October 14/15

This event is still scheduled for October but the dates have yet to be confirmed. Karen Soo is back from vacation and will be finalizing the dates. Stay tuned.

SnowBomb Shows in October/November

Coming up in October and November are the annual SnowBomb ski shows in Santa Clara (used to be San Jose) and San Francisco. I usually attend the San Jose event and Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro attend the San Francisco event. We’re looking for additional volunteers to support the BAC booth at both locations. As a volunteer you get free admission to the SnowBomb event, talk with people about the various clubs that are part of BAC, and do some self-promoting of NSC. Arrive early, or stay later, and visit the other ski-related booths or perhaps pick up something at one of the retail booths that have discounted prices on ski gear. The Santa Clara event is October 28-29 and the San Francisco event is November 4-5. If interested then drop me a line (president@niseiskiclug.org) or Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org).

Vail Ski Week 2018

The Vail trip is moving along smoothly and we currently have 44 signups (out of 64). Thanks to all of those that made their 2nd payment on time (August 10th). If you haven’t made your 2nd payment then go find your checkbook and send it in. Still deciding to signup for Vail? What’s to decide? Everyone knows that Vail is a world-class resort with plenty of great skiing, shopping, and dining. If you’re not yet signed up then take a look at the flyer and make that all-important decision to be on this trip, and you can get the Tahoe Local Pass through Sports America (http://www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei), which will be good for five days skiing at Vail, plus skiing at Northstar, Heavenly Valley, and Kirkwood, and a 6% discount on the Epic Pass (~$31) if you sign up for the Vail trip.

Judy Hom, Newsletter Editor

Did you watch the solar eclipse on August 21? Everybody in my office did. For awhile, all work stopped while we watched this extraordinary event.

It wasn’t Oregon where they experienced totality but it was still fun to watch it in the Bay Area despite the cloud cover. I used a welder’s helmet (courtesy of my husband) so I could safely watch the moon eclipse the sun.

For information about the solar eclipse that we just experienced, visit the NASA website: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how. The next solar eclipse will occur April 8, 2024.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

Squaw Valley kept their promise and had skiing on the 4th of July. I saw film clips on the news and there were plenty of people in shorts, tank tops, and a few bikini-clad girls. Not the greatest skiing, but more of a happening just to be on that single run on the slopes on Independence Day. Will there be a repeat next year?

60th NSC Anniversary in 2018

Next year NSC will be celebrating its 60th anniversary. Yes, the club was established in 1958 to serve an Asian community interested in skiing and social events. During those initial years the club grew to 300+ members and there were busloads of skiers heading to Tahoe for racing and skiing. As time passed the club got older and our membership has dropped to fewer than 100 members. I recall going to Vail in 2008 for the 50th anniversary, and that’s why we are returning to Vail in 2018. In June 2008 the club held a 50th Anniversary Celebration “Golden Memories” held at the Holiday Inn in San Jose. The evening consisted of dinner, officer introductions, past president introductions, a silent auction, dancing, and Curtis Otaguro was president.

For our 60th anniversary it would be great if we could have another celebration. However, putting on a celebration requires manpower, and this is where you come in. This is a call for volunteers to form the NSC 60th Anniversary Committee. This committee will be responsible for coming up with a venue, task assignments, and whatever else needs to be performed. If you are interested in helping make this celebration come to life then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

Snowbound Magazine

As president of NSC I often receive a variety of email promoting products, services, or notices from various ski resorts seeking our business for future trips. One particular email, from Snowbound Magazine, asked me to complete a short questionnaire on group travel tips. After completing the questionnaire I was contacted by the editor requesting my photograph and that my responses were going to be used for the next edition of Snowbound. Although my “mug shot” was not used in the article they did use several of my travel tips. A copy of the magazine is available on the Snowbound website.

Mountain View Obon Festival – July 15th and 16th

The Mountain View Obon Festival was a great success and I would like to thank the following volunteers: Bill Lee, Brian Hess, Ken Kato, Alex Kami, David Ng, and Tamara Liang. Once again NSC has stepped up to the plate and volunteered for this event.

Upcoming Events

September Pizza Social – September 10

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL! Yes, it’s getting to be football season again. Our September Pizza Social will be on Sunday, September 10th at The Garret (Campbell) so we can gather around, quaff a few ales, dine on outstanding pizza, and watch the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys battle it out on the turf. Although the game starts at 5:30 we can meet at 6:30 and still catch most of the game. If you’re planning on attending then let me know at president@niseiskiclub.org. And yes, el presidente is buying the beer.

NSC Bay Bridge Bike Ride – September 16

Get your bikes ready for a bike ride from Emeryville and across the Bay Bridge towards Treasure Island. Karen Soo and Sandy Kiyomura have laid out the route and are sponsoring this bike ride. See the flyer for details.

NSC Paint Nite in San Jose – October 7/8 or October 14/15

Are you the next Monet or Gauguin? My hidden talent definitely is not in painting, unless it’s paint-by-numbers. I’ve never heard of Paint Nite but apparently it’s quite the popular event (along with Escape Rooms). Check out the flyer for details on this upcoming event.

Vail Ski Week 2018

The Vail trip is moving along smoothly and we currently have 34 signups (out of 64). Take a look at the flyer and make that all-important decision to be on this trip. There’s still time to get the Tahoe Local Pass through Sports America (Epic Pass – Nisei Ski Club), which will be good for five days skiing at Vail, plus skiing at Northstar, Heavenly Valley, and Kirkwood.

Sandy Kiyomura

On the weekend of July 16 – July 17, some of our Nisei Ski Club members volunteered for the Mountain View Obon Bazaar. This has been a long tradition with NSC. Years ago, we used their gym for our annual dances. The dance is in the past, but we still participate in their bazaar. This year David Ng, Tamara Liang, Brian Hess, Bill Lee, Alex Kami and Ken Kato volunteered. Some of the positions involved food preparation and other positions involved working at a tempura or beer booth. There were members who came to enjoy the food and activities at the Obon. See pictures of members below. Karen Soo, David Tsuhako, Amy Tsuhako, and Alex Kami danced. I brought my daughter Misha and my granddaughter Amelia. To their surprise, they won on their first round of bingo. Amelia is now an owner of her very own laptop. Thank you, Elaine Yu and Bill Lee, for their photo submissions.

Kathy Ito

Left, Right, Center, Hold. No, it’s not the latest line dance or poker game. For those of you familiar with NSC, you know it’s the popular dice game of chance. A chance to win a tidy sum of cash with a $3 buy in and yours truly won. Luckily, I had $3 in my wallet. Thanks to all 17 participants who donated their $3 to the cause.

Saturday, June 24th was a beautiful afternoon visiting with friends and enjoying the wonderful pot luck. NSC members never disappoint when it comes to delectable eats: BBQ pork ribs, tri-tip, hot dogs, hot links, egg rolls, sashimi, fried chicken, sushi, assorted salads, noodles, dips, chips, summer fruits. And, it would not be a complete NSC event without dessert. Ono grids, absolutely Da’ Bes’.

Our president, Armand, conducted the annual meeting, recapped our ski season, detailed the upcoming 60th anniversary ski trip to Vail, and future Far West ski trips to France and South America. Frank Chang gave us the treasury report and the good news we are financially healthy. Karen Soo, our trip director, also gave her report for last season and the lack of enthusiasm to fill one bus! Come on people! It was an epic year — the likes of which will not be seen in a long, long time. But wait! You can still enjoy the ski season, because Squaw is still open every Saturday as long as conditions permit and Mammoth is open daily until August!

A big thank you to the members who work so hard to put on these great social events. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and volunteers to keep this wonderful organization going. Great job! Keep up the good work! The club will be 60 next year and may we continue for another 60 years!

Judy Hom, Newsletter Editor

I was reading about observances for August. I found three that I thought I’d share with you.

Spider Man Day: August 1

Spider Man appeared on his first comic book cover in August 1962. It was the August edition of Amazing Fantasy. August 1 has been declared Spider Man Day and for 55 years, Spider Man has endured. In fact, another Spider Man movie – “Spider Man – Homecoming” has just been released this summer.

Senior Citizens Day: August 21

Ronald Reagan declared August 21st to be National Senior Citizens Day in 1988. Some people celebrate Senior Citizens Day on August 14th as it was the day that President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935.

For us who are 62 and older, the National Park Service sells a lifetime senior pass, which is good for admission to all of the national parks. The pass is $10 but will increase to $80 on August 28, 2017. If you qualify, get your lifetime pass now. For more information, visit the National Park service web site and read about the senior pass.

Women’s Equality Day: August 26

August 26th is the anniversary of national woman suffrage. The Nineteenth Amendment was proclaimed to be incorporated as part of the Constitution on August 26, 1920. This amendment prohibits states and the federal government from denying citizens the right to vote based on sex.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

It’s summer time and the warm-to-hot weather is perfect for all the summer activities – golfing, hiking, mountain biking, tennis, or whatever it is that gets you outside. As we start a new NSC season I would like everyone to think about why you joined NSC. Was it to ski with friends? What about attending social events (e.g. wine tasting, potluck dinner, etc.)? Although NSC sponsors a variety of hikes during the summer, there aren’t any other activities that involve the membership in a group venue. Perhaps this year we, as a club, can work on coming up with more social venues. If you have any ideas on a social event or would like to sponsor a social event then please let me, or a member of the board, know. NSC is not just “a ski club”; we are also a social organization.

NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic, June 24th

Once again we had a great turnout for our annual membership meeting and Luau picnic, and the weather was most cooperative. This year I made it to the finals and went against Kathy Ito for the Left-Center-Right game that Karen sponsored. But alas, it was not meant to be for me to bring home the grand prize. Congratulations to Kathy Ito for being the big winner, and thanks to everyone that showed up and had a great time.

Upcoming Events

Mt. View Obon Festival – July 15th and 16th.
This is an annual volunteer event that NSC participates in and is always a fun event. After all, there’s a variety of food, carnival-style games, cultural events, lots of people, and the famous Beer Booth. There’s room for a few more volunteers to work at the festival so look for the flyer in the newsletter or contact Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org).

Vail Ski Week 2018

Good news for the Vail trip! We are now flying Southwest to Denver, which means no baggage fees (for first two pieces) and a cost savings on airline fares. An updated Vail flyer has been posted on the website that provides all the details on the new Southwest flight numbers/times. Take a look at the flyer and make that all-important decision to be on this trip. There’s still time to get the Tahoe Local Pass through Sports America (http://www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei), which will be good for five days skiing at Vail, plus skiing at Northstar, Heavenly Valley, and Kirkwood.

We choose hope over fear. We see the future not as something out of our control, but as something we can shape for the better through concerted and collective effort.

Barack Obama