MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Members of the Iwakuni Motorcycle Club visited the Oshima Island and Iwakuni city mayors to donate money to both communities July 9.
The club donated approximately 200,000 Yen to the community of Oshima Island and also donated approximately 100,000 Yen to the community of Iwakuni City.
“Our goal, as the Iwakuni Motorcycle Club is to help foster a friendship between the Americans of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni with the Japanese communities,” said Michael Gingles, Iwakuni Motorcycle Club president. Although maintaining the relationship is important, helping the local community through the donations given is also an important goal, Gingles added.
The money donated was raised by the Iwakuni Motorcycle Club during an annual two-day motorcycle rally organized by the club this past April 10 and 11.
Gingles said he hopes the club will be able to raise more money for next year’s donations.
This was the seventh year the Iwakuni Motorcycle Club donated money to the Oshima Island community and the third year money was donated to the community of Iwakuni City.
Yoshihiko Fukuda, Iwakuni City mayor, received the money on behalf of the people of Iwakuni City.
Fukuda said he planned to give the money to various welfare projects around the city. “I really do appreciate (the donation),” said Fukuda. What the Iwkauni Motorcycle Club is doing is a great thing, and they should keep doing what they’re doing to keep building on community relations, Fukuda added.
Takumi Shiiki, Oshima Island mayor, received the money donated by the motorcycle club on behalf of the people of Oshima Island.
Shiiki said his city has developed a reading program, which encourages parents to read to their children and he planned to use the money donated to buy books for the program.
“For the children, (who benefit most from the donation) they don’t know who’s American and who’s Japanese,” said Shiiki. “They just understand people with good hearts are helping.”
Shiiki said he believed it would be a great thing if the young children can understand it doesn’t matter if you’re American or Japanese, but how you help others is what matters.