NABF Newsletter #2

Feature #8

Current Events

Ted Tsukiyama Honored in Hawaii

Ted Tsukiyama was recently selected as a "Hawaii Living Treasure" by the Buddhist Honpa Hongwanji Mission. This award, made on an all-religion, all-ethnic group basis, is given to Hawaiians deemed to be "the most beautiful and best in the human spirit and human endeavor." The award is among the most prestigious community awards granted in Hawaii.

Ted, together with Saburo Kato and John Naka, was one of the founders of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation in 1989, and continues to serve as WBFF's Legal Consultant. He also helped found, and continues to serve as an officer of, the North American Bonsai Federation, which represents WBFF in North America. In 2001, Ted was honored by the Government of Japan with the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays, in recognition of his significant contribution toward building American-Japanese friendship.

PRESS RELEASE Feb. 4, 2003

The World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) and the North American Bonsai Federation (NABF) are pleased to announce an historic alliance in which Bonsai Clubs International (BCI) and the American Bonsai Society (ABS) will join with the U.S. National Arboretum, the National Bonsai Foundation and the Potomac Bonsai Association as sponsors of the WBFF World Bonsai Convention to be held in 2005 in Washington, D.C.

WBFF was formed in 1989 by Saburo Kato, John Naka, Ted Tsukiyama and others to promote peace, friendship and good will throughout the world through bonsai. Beginning in 1989, WBFF has held a World Bonsai Convention (WBC) every four years. The 1st WBC was in Omiya, Japan in 1989, the 2nd in Orlando,Florida in 1993, the 3rd in Seoul, Korea in 1997, and the 4th in Munich, Germany in 2001. The 2005 convention in Washington, D.C. will WBFF's 5th WBC. WBFF's North American representative, NABF, will be the convention's host. NABF's members include BCI, ABS and other bonsai organizations throughout North America. WBFF and NABF have a joint website at http://www.bonsai-wbff.org.

The theme of the 5th WBC is bringing the people of the world together through bonsai. Having the full support of BCI and ABS as sponsors of the 5th WBC will underscore WBFF's mission of promoting world friendship. BCI and ABS will forgo having separate conventions in 2005, will encourage their memberships to attend the 5th WBC and will hold their annual meetings for 2005 in connection with the 5th WBC. BCI is an international bonsai organization whose members include individuals and bonsai clubs throughout the world; its website is at http://www.bonsai-bci.com. ABS is a North American bonsai organization whose members include individuals in the United States, Canada and Mexico; its website is at http://www.absbonsai.org.

BCI and ABS will work with the U.S. National Arboretum (USNA), the National Bonsai Foundation (NBF) and the Potomac Bonsai Association (PBA) to make the 5th WBC the most memorable bonsai convention ever held. The USNA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is the home of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington, D.C., the first public museum in the world devoted to the art of bonsai. The USNA's website is at http://www.usna.usda.gov. NBF raises financial assistance and provides other support for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum; NBF's website is at http://www.bonsai-nbf.org. PBA is a regional bonsai organization whose members include bonsai clubs in the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania; its website is at http://www.bonsai-pba.org.

Never before have so many international, national and regional bonsai organizations concentrated all of their efforts to assure the success of a bonsai convention. As Alan Walker, President of BCI, said: "We will eagerly work to provide full and enthusiastic support for the 5th WBC." George Heffelfinger, President of ABS, remarked: "This world convention to be held in Washington, D.C. is an opportunity to present bonsai as the great success story it has become in North America."

WBFF and NABF, together with the Co-Chairs of the convention, Glenn Reusch and Chris Yeapanis, invite you to attend WBFF's 5th WBC, which will be held on Saturday, May 28 through Tuesday, May 31, 2005 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the following five organizations:

American Bonsai Society
Bonsai Clubs International
National Bonsai Foundation
Potomac Bonsai Association
U.S. National Arboretum

For further information about the 5th WBC, please contact Glenn Reusch at Ghreusch@aol.com or Chris Yeapanis at ibonsai@erols.com.

Bonsai Society of Upstate New York
30th Anniversary Celebration and Benefit Auction

Dear Friends,
Last year was the 30th Anniversary of the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York. We have enjoyed 30 active years of promoting and expanding bonsai, primarily through our annual exhibition held each May. On May 17-18, 2003, we will be hosting our 30th Annual Upstate New York Bonsai Exhibition at the Monroe Community Hospital, in Rochester, New York. I’d like to take this opportunity to personally invite you and your organization to join us for the Exhibition and our 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION & BENEFIT AUCTION. Bonsai Pioneer and Master, Yuji Yoshimura has been an honorary member of the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York for many years because of his outstanding support and many contributions to our society. Mr. Yoshimura passed away in 1997. The National Bonsai Foundation, Inc. has established and maintains an educational fund in his honor to support the various activities of the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum at the U. S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC.

The North American Bonsai Federation has been organized as a liaison between bonsai organizations in North America and the World Bonsai Friendship Federation representing societies throughout the world. These sponsors are now in the final stages of planning the next World Bonsai Convention to be held in Washington, DC in May 2005.

On Saturday May 17th after the Upstate New York Bonsai Exhibition closes to the public we will be holding our 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION & BENEFIT AUCTION. The evening will begin with a private viewing and critique of the exhibition followed by a buffet dinner and Benefit Auction. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Yoshimura Fund and the North American Bonsai Federation to support bonsai activities. Our society has approximately 125 active members, most of whom will attend this special event. Additionally, we expect bonsai hobbyists and professionals from around the region to attend our Exhibition to see some of the finest bonsai in the area and help us celebrate our anniversary and support the Benefit Auction. Our society members are donating established bonsai, nursery stock, viewing stones and many other items.

In order to widen the scope of auction items and generate additional income for the Benefit Auction, I would like to ask for your contribution of an auction item or funds. Ideal items include bonsai, nursery stock, viewing stones, tools, containers, stands, books, gift certificates and other related accessories. We are anticipating auction donations from across the United States, Canada, Japan, England and Australia.

All donors will be listed in the program to be distributed at the celebration. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like more details. Ideally we would like to have all auction items in Rochester before May 1, 2003. Again I would like to invite you to join us for our 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION & BENEFIT AUCTION on May 17th. With your assistance, support and donation we can make a significant contribution to honor Yuji Yoshimura and to promote bonsai activities throughout the world, North America and Upstate New York.

Sincerely yours,
William N. Valavanis, Chairman
30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION & BENEFIT AUCTION