Activities Report 6

KC of Sendai, Children's Fund conferred the Award with Highest Distinction on Mr. Tatsuya ISE, one of the TERACO graduates in March 2012.

Presentation of the Award on June 16, 2012

Panoramic view of TERACO

The tsunami flooded the school building above the first floor level. The euipment, furniture and curtain were soaked in seawater and became unusable.

Kiwanis (KC of Sendai, Children's Fund and Kiwanis Clubs Joint Fund) supported the school to purchase new kerosene heaters.

Kiwanis (KC of Sendai, Children's Fund and Kiwanis Clubs Joint Fund) supported the school to have new flameproof curtain to be installed.

The study room Teraco is in Minami Sanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture, which was devastated by the tsunami on March 11, 2011. Teraco was started on April 20, 2011 in the temporary shelter at the Shizugawa Elementary School Gymnasium, and was continued until May 6.
It was resumed at a room of Minami Sanriku Hotel Kanyo with the cooperation the hotel.
At Teraco, university student volunteers help the children like their brothers and sisters. No reservation is required. More than 130 children are registered, totaling over 4,000 so far.
Teraco is open every day throughout the year.

• (Weekdays) Elementary school children 5:00pm--6:00pm; Junior and senior high school students 7:00pm—11:00pm.
• (Weekends and holidays) Elementary school children 4:00pm—6:00pm; Junior and senior high school students 1:00pm—11:00pm.

The Kiwanis Club of Sendai, Children’s Fund has been providing monthly financial support for purchase of educational materials, etc.

Congratulatory poster: 12 junior high school students passed the entrance examinations and went on to the National Higher Professional School and senior high schools.

Each year Kiwanis designates a Saturday in April (in 2012, it was April 21) as Kiwanis One Day. Kiwanis clubs around the world join in a day of service.

The Kiwanis Club of Sendai hosted the following public lecture under the auspices of the Sendai City Board of Education:

“Children’s psychiatric reactions after the Great East Japan Earthquake” by Dr. Naru FUKUCHI, director, Regional Support Department, Miyagi Center for Mental Care.

As a child psychiatrist, Dr. Fukuchi has been visiting temporary shelters, temporary houses, schools and kindergartens to take psychiatric care of children traumatized by the earthquake and tsunami.

His PowerPoint presentation on possible symptoms and how to take care of them was well-received by the audience of about 50 including club members.

In July and September, 2011, Kiwanis Club of Sendai, Children’s Fund provided financial support to the “Psychiatric Care Camp” for traumatized children and their parents organized by a team of child psychiatrists including Dr. Fukuchi.

Dr. Naru FUKUCHI

President Toshikatsu HAMAD, KC of Sendai and the audience

Mr. Haruki TSURUTA (deceased in Feb. 2008) regarded Sendai City as his adopted home, since he had spent years at Tohoku University as an organic chemist. He was also active in many service projects. Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra has not been able to use earthquake-damaged concert halls in Sendai. Instead, it has been visiting many temporary shelters and schools cheering up eathquake and tsunami devastated people through live music. The donation was made possible through a member of the Kiwanis Club of Sendai.

Mr. and Mrs. Haruki TSURUTA (March 2007).

The cellists of Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra and the donated cello.

The scenes encountered during our recent visit on March 29, 2012 to find out possible further supports we could provide to the children in the City.

Only one pine tree out of about 70,000 in the beautiful pine forest along the shore survived the tsunami devastation of March 11, 2011. The building behind is the youth hostel.

The rest of the pine trees form piles of debris yet to be treated.

The outdoor activities center buildings near the pine forest.