A New Floor for VJCC

Above and below: Members of Valley Japanese Community Center celebrate the installation of a new hardwood floor in the auditorium building.

Valley Japanese Community Center (VJCC) in Sun Valley recently celebrated the installation of a new hardwood floor in the auditorium building.

Over 59 years ago, a generation of Issei and Nisei had a vision to build the foundation for the future, a place where we could share community — a sense of identity from the past and a vision for what could be. The VJCC is one of the oldest community centers with over 200 families dedicated to bringing the community closer together and celebrating our culture.

The campaign was spearheaded by Dr. Eliza Ahn, a VJCC member who sent numerous letters requesting contributions, kendo sensei Bill Kaneshiro, and Freeman Baldwin. They contributed their time from choosing the wood to perusing contracts and overall ensuring a successful and beautiful installation.

A floor may be just some pieces of wood, but it marks the beginning of a renewed vision to leave a lasting legacy to the members of the community, their friends, and their children.  It’s more than a floor. It’s what we stand on — thanks to the generation ahead that so graciously provided for us…the future.

The auditorium is used for numerous activities, including kendo.