JAPAN RELIEF CONCERT PUBLISHED IN THE SENTINEL NEWSPAPER

A little bit of Japan came to Landover Hills on Sunday, when the New Hope Family Church hosted the Japan-Aid Festival.

Peter Holden, of Bowie, gets a crash course in Japanese calligraphy at the Japan-Aid Festival

The event, held at the New Hope Academy, aimed to raise funds for victims of the recent earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Red Cross and the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace.

About 300 people of all age groups, some even dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono, braved the cloudy skies and light rain to attend the four-hour event.

At the gate, participants bought tickets to "spend" at various booths set up behind the school. These booths offered an array of Japanese delicacies including sushi, noodle dishes and chicken teriyaki as well as the chance to learn origami, Japanese calligraphy and face painting. Other activities included a Nintendo Wii tournament and karaoke.

Photo by Ashley S. Westerman. Peter Holden, of Bowie, gets a crash course in Japanese calligraphy at the Japan-Aid Festival.

The festival's featured guest, Madame Yukiyo Sakata, flew all the way from Japan to teach Japanese floral design, known as Ikebana. Yuki, who has demonstrated Ikebana all over the world in cities such as New York and Bangkok, taught festival participants how to create their own floral arrangements to keep.

"She believes in the power of healing through nature," said WFWP Maryland Chairwoman Kim Dadachanji, of Bowie.

Greenbelt resident Keiko Burton, member of the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace, met Sakata at the United Nations in February, said Dadachanji. When Sakata heard news of this festival, she wanted to come and be part of it.

"WFWP aims to promote world peace through families," said Dadachanji, who has been involved with the organization since it was founded in 1991. "Madame Yuki being here is a great example of that because her husband supported her to come."

Debra Gertz, of Annapolis, and her daughter, Alex, were just two of the many participants who attended one of Sakata's demonstrations. Using the various flowers provided, the mother and daughter got the rare opportunity to create their own work of Ikebana with the guiding hand of a master.

"I've always wanted to learn Ikebana," Debra Gertz said. "I love Japanese culture and wanted to support the relief." Her 25-year-old daughter echoed her words. "I have a lot of Japanese friends, and I like the culture," Alex Gertz said. "And I wanted to support the Japanese relief effort."

The tickets sold at the gate of the school also granted access to the benefit concert held inside the school's auditorium.

Eva Ozaki's daughter, Amy, is a member of the Japanese girls' choir, "Arigato" that performed during the concert. "Amy just likes to sing," said Ozaki, of Laurel. "So we got a bunch of her friends together and now they sing in the choir. I really like that they're getting the experience."

Other artists that performed at the concert included the Washington AIDS International Teens dance team, opera singer Emiko Nadimi and the grunge-rock group, The Rumble.

Matt Robinson and his 7-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, also attended the event. "My daughter attends the school," said Robinson, whose daughter was most excited about the face painting and getting to eat sushi. "We came to support the school and its activities."

Kaeleigh Moffitt, 22, of Bowie, is the youth minister at New Hope Family Church and a senior at the University of Maryland. She was one of the main organizers of the event and said this event allowed everyone in the church to take what they were good at and put to toward a good cause. "We really wanted to bring together the neighborhood," Moffitt said. "It's a simple festival for a great cause."

Teresa Ferrete, also a student at the University of Maryland, and several Japanese-American residents of Prince George's County including Yoshimi Ozaki, of Laurel; Mitsuaki Aoyama, of Landover Hills; and Keiko Burton, of Greenbelt, were all organizers of the event.

Pastor Matthew Goldberg said that this was a fantastic opportunity for their church to engage the community.

"This is completely volunteer-driven," said Goldberg, who said that the Unification Church's historical foundations were rooted in Korean and Japanese culture. "This was a chance for both young and old to come out and support Japan."

The event, held at the New Hope Academy, aimed to raise funds for victims of the recent earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Red Cross and the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace.

About 300 people of all age groups, some even dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono, braved the cloudy skies and light rain to attend the four-hour event.

At the gate, participants bought tickets to "spend" at various booths set up behind the school. These booths offered an array of Japanese delicacies including sushi, noodle dishes and chicken teriyaki as well as the chance to learn origami, Japanese calligraphy and face painting. Other activities included a Nintendo Wii tournament and karaoke.

Photo by Ashley S. Westerman. Peter Holden, of Bowie, gets a crash course in Japanese calligraphy at the Japan-Aid Festival.

The festival's featured guest, Madame Yukiyo Sakata, flew all the way from Japan to teach Japanese floral design, known as Ikebana. Yuki, who has demonstrated Ikebana all over the world in cities such as New York and Bangkok, taught festival participants how to create their own floral arrangements to keep.

"She believes in the power of healing through nature," said WFWP Maryland Chairwoman Kim Dadachanji, of Bowie.

Greenbelt resident Keiko Burton, member of the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace, met Sakata at the United Nations in February, said Dadachanji. When Sakata heard news of this festival, she wanted to come and be part of it.

"WFWP aims to promote world peace through families," said Dadachanji, who has been involved with the organization since it was founded in 1991. "Madame Yuki being here is a great example of that because her husband supported her to come."

Debra Gertz, of Annapolis, and her daughter, Alex, were just two of the many participants who attended one of Sakata's demonstrations. Using the various flowers provided, the mother and daughter got the rare opportunity to create their own work of Ikebana with the guiding hand of a master.

"I've always wanted to learn Ikebana," Debra Gertz said. "I love Japanese culture and wanted to support the relief." Her 25-year-old daughter echoed her words. "I have a lot of Japanese friends, and I like the culture," Alex Gertz said. "And I wanted to support the Japanese relief effort."

The tickets sold at the gate of the school also granted access to the benefit concert held inside the school's auditorium.

Eva Ozaki's daughter, Amy, is a member of the Japanese girls' choir, "Arigato" that performed during the concert. "Amy just likes to sing," said Ozaki, of Laurel. "So we got a bunch of her friends together and now they sing in the choir. I really like that they're getting the experience."

Other artists that performed at the concert included the Washington AIDS International Teens dance team, opera singer Emiko Nadimi and the grunge-rock group, The Rumble.

Matt Robinson and his 7-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, also attended the event. "My daughter attends the school," said Robinson, whose daughter was most excited about the face painting and getting to eat sushi. "We came to support the school and its activities."

Kaeleigh Moffitt, 22, of Bowie, is the youth minister at New Hope Family Church and a senior at the University of Maryland. She was one of the main organizers of the event and said this event allowed everyone in the church to take what they were good at and put to toward a good cause. "We really wanted to bring together the neighborhood," Moffitt said. "It's a simple festival for a great cause."

Teresa Ferrete, also a student at the University of Maryland, and several Japanese-American residents of Prince George's County including Yoshimi Ozaki, of Laurel; Mitsuaki Aoyama, of Landover Hills; and Keiko Burton, of Greenbelt, were all organizers of the event.

Pastor Matthew Goldberg said that this was a fantastic opportunity for their church to engage the community.

"This is completely volunteer-driven," said Goldberg, who said that the Unification Church's historical foundations were rooted in Korean and Japanese culture. "This was a chance for both young and old to come out and support Japan."

The event, held at the New Hope Academy, aimed to raise funds for victims of the recent earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Red Cross and the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace.

About 300 people of all age groups, some even dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono, braved the cloudy skies and light rain to attend the four-hour event.

At the gate, participants bought tickets to "spend" at various booths set up behind the school. These booths offered an array of Japanese delicacies including sushi, noodle dishes and chicken teriyaki as well as the chance to learn origami, Japanese calligraphy and face painting. Other activities included a Nintendo Wii tournament and karaoke.

Photo by Ashley S. Westerman. Peter Holden, of Bowie, gets a crash course in Japanese calligraphy at the Japan-Aid Festival.

The festival's featured guest, Madame Yukiyo Sakata, flew all the way from Japan to teach Japanese floral design, known as Ikebana. Yuki, who has demonstrated Ikebana all over the world in cities such as New York and Bangkok, taught festival participants how to create their own floral arrangements to keep.

"She believes in the power of healing through nature," said WFWP Maryland Chairwoman Kim Dadachanji, of Bowie.

Greenbelt resident Keiko Burton, member of the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace, met Sakata at the United Nations in February, said Dadachanji. When Sakata heard news of this festival, she wanted to come and be part of it.

"WFWP aims to promote world peace through families," said Dadachanji, who has been involved with the organization since it was founded in 1991. "Madame Yuki being here is a great example of that because her husband supported her to come."

Debra Gertz, of Annapolis, and her daughter, Alex, were just two of the many participants who attended one of Sakata's demonstrations. Using the various flowers provided, the mother and daughter got the rare opportunity to create their own work of Ikebana with the guiding hand of a master.

"I've always wanted to learn Ikebana," Debra Gertz said. "I love Japanese culture and wanted to support the relief." Her 25-year-old daughter echoed her words. "I have a lot of Japanese friends, and I like the culture," Alex Gertz said. "And I wanted to support the Japanese relief effort."

The tickets sold at the gate of the school also granted access to the benefit concert held inside the school's auditorium.

Eva Ozaki's daughter, Amy, is a member of the Japanese girls' choir, "Arigato" that performed during the concert. "Amy just likes to sing," said Ozaki, of Laurel. "So we got a bunch of her friends together and now they sing in the choir. I really like that they're getting the experience."

Other artists that performed at the concert included the Washington AIDS International Teens dance team, opera singer Emiko Nadimi and the grunge-rock group, The Rumble.

Matt Robinson and his 7-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, also attended the event. "My daughter attends the school," said Robinson, whose daughter was most excited about the face painting and getting to eat sushi. "We came to support the school and its activities."

Kaeleigh Moffitt, 22, of Bowie, is the youth minister at New Hope Family Church and a senior at the University of Maryland. She was one of the main organizers of the event and said this event allowed everyone in the church to take what they were good at and put to toward a good cause. "We really wanted to bring together the neighborhood," Moffitt said. "It's a simple festival for a great cause."

Teresa Ferrete, also a student at the University of Maryland, and several Japanese-American residents of Prince George's County including Yoshimi Ozaki, of Laurel; Mitsuaki Aoyama, of Landover Hills; and Keiko Burton, of Greenbelt, were all organizers of the event.

Pastor Matthew Goldberg said that this was a fantastic opportunity for their church to engage the community.

"This is completely volunteer-driven," said Goldberg, who said that the Unification Church's historical foundations were rooted in Korean and Japanese culture. "This was a chance for both young and old to come out and support Japan."

The event, held at the New Hope Academy, aimed to raise funds for victims of the recent earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Red Cross and the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace.

About 300 people of all age groups, some even dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono, braved the cloudy skies and light rain to attend the four-hour event.

At the gate, participants bought tickets to "spend" at various booths set up behind the school. These booths offered an array of Japanese delicacies including sushi, noodle dishes and chicken teriyaki as well as the chance to learn origami, Japanese calligraphy and face painting. Other activities included a Nintendo Wii tournament and karaoke.

Photo by Ashley S. Westerman. Peter Holden, of Bowie, gets a crash course in Japanese calligraphy at the Japan-Aid Festival.

The festival's featured guest, Madame Yukiyo Sakata, flew all the way from Japan to teach Japanese floral design, known as Ikebana. Yuki, who has demonstrated Ikebana all over the world in cities such as New York and Bangkok, taught festival participants how to create their own floral arrangements to keep.

"She believes in the power of healing through nature," said WFWP Maryland Chairwoman Kim Dadachanji, of Bowie.

Greenbelt resident Keiko Burton, member of the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace, met Sakata at the United Nations in February, said Dadachanji. When Sakata heard news of this festival, she wanted to come and be part of it.

"WFWP aims to promote world peace through families," said Dadachanji, who has been involved with the organization since it was founded in 1991. "Madame Yuki being here is a great example of that because her husband supported her to come."

Debra Gertz, of Annapolis, and her daughter, Alex, were just two of the many participants who attended one of Sakata's demonstrations. Using the various flowers provided, the mother and daughter got the rare opportunity to create their own work of Ikebana with the guiding hand of a master.

"I've always wanted to learn Ikebana," Debra Gertz said. "I love Japanese culture and wanted to support the relief." Her 25-year-old daughter echoed her words. "I have a lot of Japanese friends, and I like the culture," Alex Gertz said. "And I wanted to support the Japanese relief effort."

The tickets sold at the gate of the school also granted access to the benefit concert held inside the school's auditorium.

Eva Ozaki's daughter, Amy, is a member of the Japanese girls' choir, "Arigato" that performed during the concert. "Amy just likes to sing," said Ozaki, of Laurel. "So we got a bunch of her friends together and now they sing in the choir. I really like that they're getting the experience."

Other artists that performed at the concert included the Washington AIDS International Teens dance team, opera singer Emiko Nadimi and the grunge-rock group, The Rumble.

Matt Robinson and his 7-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, also attended the event. "My daughter attends the school," said Robinson, whose daughter was most excited about the face painting and getting to eat sushi. "We came to support the school and its activities."

Kaeleigh Moffitt, 22, of Bowie, is the youth minister at New Hope Family Church and a senior at the University of Maryland. She was one of the main organizers of the event and said this event allowed everyone in the church to take what they were good at and put to toward a good cause. "We really wanted to bring together the neighborhood," Moffitt said. "It's a simple festival for a great cause."

Teresa Ferrete, also a student at the University of Maryland, and several Japanese-American residents of Prince George's County including Yoshimi Ozaki, of Laurel; Mitsuaki Aoyama, of Landover Hills; and Keiko Burton, of Greenbelt, were all organizers of the event.

Pastor Matthew Goldberg said that this was a fantastic opportunity for their church to engage the community.

"This is completely volunteer-driven," said Goldberg, who said that the Unification Church's historical foundations were rooted in Korean and Japanese culture. "This was a chance for both young and old to come out and support Japan."

The event, held at the New Hope Academy, aimed to raise funds for victims of the recent earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Red Cross and the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace.

About 300 people of all age groups, some even dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono, braved the cloudy skies and light rain to attend the four-hour event.

At the gate, participants bought tickets to "spend" at various booths set up behind the school. These booths offered an array of Japanese delicacies including sushi, noodle dishes and chicken teriyaki as well as the chance to learn origami, Japanese calligraphy and face painting. Other activities included a Nintendo Wii tournament and karaoke.

Photo by Ashley S. Westerman. Peter Holden, of Bowie, gets a crash course in Japanese calligraphy at the Japan-Aid Festival.

The festival's featured guest, Madame Yukiyo Sakata, flew all the way from Japan to teach Japanese floral design, known as Ikebana. Yuki, who has demonstrated Ikebana all over the world in cities such as New York and Bangkok, taught festival participants how to create their own floral arrangements to keep.

"She believes in the power of healing through nature," said WFWP Maryland Chairwoman Kim Dadachanji, of Bowie.

Greenbelt resident Keiko Burton, member of the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace, met Sakata at the United Nations in February, said Dadachanji. When Sakata heard news of this festival, she wanted to come and be part of it.

"WFWP aims to promote world peace through families," said Dadachanji, who has been involved with the organization since it was founded in 1991. "Madame Yuki being here is a great example of that because her husband supported her to come."

Debra Gertz, of Annapolis, and her daughter, Alex, were just two of the many participants who attended one of Sakata's demonstrations. Using the various flowers provided, the mother and daughter got the rare opportunity to create their own work of Ikebana with the guiding hand of a master.

"I've always wanted to learn Ikebana," Debra Gertz said. "I love Japanese culture and wanted to support the relief." Her 25-year-old daughter echoed her words. "I have a lot of Japanese friends, and I like the culture," Alex Gertz said. "And I wanted to support the Japanese relief effort."

The tickets sold at the gate of the school also granted access to the benefit concert held inside the school's auditorium.

Eva Ozaki's daughter, Amy, is a member of the Japanese girls' choir, "Arigato" that performed during the concert. "Amy just likes to sing," said Ozaki, of Laurel. "So we got a bunch of her friends together and now they sing in the choir. I really like that they're getting the experience."

Other artists that performed at the concert included the Washington AIDS International Teens dance team, opera singer Emiko Nadimi and the grunge-rock group, The Rumble.

Matt Robinson and his 7-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, also attended the event. "My daughter attends the school," said Robinson, whose daughter was most excited about the face painting and getting to eat sushi. "We came to support the school and its activities."

Kaeleigh Moffitt, 22, of Bowie, is the youth minister at New Hope Family Church and a senior at the University of Maryland. She was one of the main organizers of the event and said this event allowed everyone in the church to take what they were good at and put to toward a good cause. "We really wanted to bring together the neighborhood," Moffitt said. "It's a simple festival for a great cause."

Teresa Ferrete, also a student at the University of Maryland, and several Japanese-American residents of Prince George's County including Yoshimi Ozaki, of Laurel; Mitsuaki Aoyama, of Landover Hills; and Keiko Burton, of Greenbelt, were all organizers of the event.

Pastor Matthew Goldberg said that this was a fantastic opportunity for their church to engage the community.

"This is completely volunteer-driven," said Goldberg, who said that the Unification Church's historical foundations were rooted in Korean and Japanese culture. "This was a chance for both young and old to come out and support Japan."

The event, held at the New Hope Academy, aimed to raise funds for victims of the recent earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Red Cross and the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace.

About 300 people of all age groups, some even dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono, braved the cloudy skies and light rain to attend the four-hour event.

At the gate, participants bought tickets to "spend" at various booths set up behind the school. These booths offered an array of Japanese delicacies including sushi, noodle dishes and chicken teriyaki as well as the chance to learn origami, Japanese calligraphy and face painting. Other activities included a Nintendo Wii tournament and karaoke.

Photo by Ashley S. Westerman. Peter Holden, of Bowie, gets a crash course in Japanese calligraphy at the Japan-Aid Festival.

The festival's featured guest, Madame Yukiyo Sakata, flew all the way from Japan to teach Japanese floral design, known as Ikebana. Yuki, who has demonstrated Ikebana all over the world in cities such as New York and Bangkok, taught festival participants how to create their own floral arrangements to keep.

"She believes in the power of healing through nature," said WFWP Maryland Chairwoman Kim Dadachanji, of Bowie.

Greenbelt resident Keiko Burton, member of the Japanese Women's Federation for World Peace, met Sakata at the United Nations in February, said Dadachanji. When Sakata heard news of this festival, she wanted to come and be part of it.

"WFWP aims to promote world peace through families," said Dadachanji, who has been involved with the organization since it was founded in 1991. "Madame Yuki being here is a great example of that because her husband supported her to come."

Debra Gertz, of Annapolis, and her daughter, Alex, were just two of the many participants who attended one of Sakata's demonstrations. Using the various flowers provided, the mother and daughter got the rare opportunity to create their own work of Ikebana with the guiding hand of a master.

"I've always wanted to learn Ikebana," Debra Gertz said. "I love Japanese culture and wanted to support the relief." Her 25-year-old daughter echoed her words. "I have a lot of Japanese friends, and I like the culture," Alex Gertz said. "And I wanted to support the Japanese relief effort."

The tickets sold at the gate of the school also granted access to the benefit concert held inside the school's auditorium.

Eva Ozaki's daughter, Amy, is a member of the Japanese girls' choir, "Arigato" that performed during the concert. "Amy just likes to sing," said Ozaki, of Laurel. "So we got a bunch of her friends together and now they sing in the choir. I really like that they're getting the experience."

Other artists that performed at the concert included the Washington AIDS International Teens dance team, opera singer Emiko Nadimi and the grunge-rock group, The Rumble.

Matt Robinson and his 7-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, also attended the event. "My daughter attends the school," said Robinson, whose daughter was most excited about the face painting and getting to eat sushi. "We came to support the school and its activities."

Kaeleigh Moffitt, 22, of Bowie, is the youth minister at New Hope Family Church and a senior at the University of Maryland. She was one of the main organizers of the event and said this event allowed everyone in the church to take what they were good at and put to toward a good cause. "We really wanted to bring together the neighborhood," Moffitt said. "It's a simple festival for a great cause."

Teresa Ferrete, also a student at the University of Maryland, and several Japanese-American residents of Prince George's County including Yoshimi Ozaki, of Laurel; Mitsuaki Aoyama, of Landover Hills; and Keiko Burton, of Greenbelt, were all organizers of the event.

Pastor Matthew Goldberg said that this was a fantastic opportunity for their church to engage the community.

"This is completely volunteer-driven," said Goldberg, who said that the Unification Church's historical foundations were rooted in Korean and Japanese culture. "This was a chance for both young and old to come out and support Japan."