by contributor Donna Shor
Photo credit & Red Carpet commentary: Maria Giron
As has always been, the Japanese culture is full of discipline, organization and splendor, and the guests were not left without tasting a bit of it at the “Points of Light 2012 Tribute Awards Gala” at the Japan Ambassador’s Residence.
While the entire event was coordinated minute by minute, the show wasn’t the magnificent and gigantic residence – nor the beautiful and elegant dresses of the ladies – but the beautiful girls that adorned the red carpet and said hi with a Japanese-style greeting to the guests.
Girls between the ages of 6 and 14 dressed in typical Japanese costumes – their hair adorned with sakuras flowers and cherry fruits – were the center of attention that caught the eyes of everyone who went through The Red Carpet, from celebrity YOSHIKI (who took cell phone pictures of the place and girls) to the Honorable and Mrs. William J. Webster who enjoyed the beauty and pleasant greeting that conveyed these protagonists.
Since girls are part of a group that sings and dances Japanese artistic themes, perhaps, in the future, thanks to the presence of the musician and producer Yoshiki, one could become a star.
Ichiro Fujisaki, The Ambassador of Japan, showed a talent for standup at the “Points of Light Awards Gala” when he welcomed the crowd to his residence.
Among several quips that had the audience laughing was his take on the predicament diplomats find themselves in when they are asked their choices in political elections. How―diplomatically―to answer that?
He told us his solution: “It’s just like opening a Christmas present. No matter what’s inside, you say Oh, it’s exactly what I always wanted!” he advised.
An enormous white tent festive with red lanterns overhead and simple, beautifully done décor housed the party on the spacious grounds of the Nebraska Avenue residence.
The event, “Changing Lives Through Service” was co-chaired by Ambassador and Mrs. Fujisaki and Maria and Neil Bush. Bush is the chairman of “Points of Light”, and the son of President George H.W. Bush, the organization’s founder.
For twenty-four years, the group has promoted volunteerism where help is needed, with 4.3 million “Points of Light” volunteers engaged in 260 service projects per year, in sixteen countries.
The importance of volunteerism in helping make a world safer, healthier, more educated and less vulnerable was the theme of the evening, as Neil Bush emphasized.
Michelle Nunn, the CEO of “Points of Light” commended the service of the evening’s awardees, and spoke of the continuing devotion of the Bush family to the cause. Honorees were Scott Davis, chairman and CEO of UPS for its world-wide care for those dislocated by disasters, and education for children who are struggling to learn. Aya Higa and Naho Hozumi were honored for their work with the charitable group Hands on Tokyo, launching a Youth Advisory Council to engage youth in volunteer services and in organizing emergency supplies and working to further the re-building of devastated areas.
The volunteer par excellence, Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, the first woman to serve as chair of the American Red Cross, a former U.S. Ambassador to Finland and a business woman, has helped empower women across the globe through her initiatives and her hands-on work in difficult situations and countries. As she underscored the purpose of volunteerism to benefit others, and the realization of its value, she said “The most important days of your life are the day you are born, and the day you understand why.”
Wes Moore, an Army Combat Veteran and host of “Beyond Belief,” a Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins was honored for his support of U.S. veterans and his conviction of the importance of mentoring and public service in the lives of young Americans.
Moore was unable to be present, so his award was accepted by the Honorable Doris O. Matsui of the event’s Congressional Committee.
Wes Moore’s statement was: “Public service does not have to be an occupation, but it can be a way of life.”
Deborah Roberts of ABC News Network emceed with Al Roker of NBC News. Auctioneer Patrick O’Neill raised important cash effectively and amusingly in the live auction after the dinner.
Scallops and miso-glazed filet of beef were teamed with Isabel Mondavi Chardonnay 2010 from Carneros, California, then Isabel Mondavi Pinot Noir 2008 from the Willamette Valley, Oregon, respectively.
Sumptuous dessert tables set up in the embassy, with dancing to follow rounded out the evening. Departing guests were given a golden box with a gift from the ambassador. Inside was a long strip of fabric with a red bamboo design, identified as “a tenugui.”
We had to look it up. In Japanese, a tenugui means a strip of linen-cotton used as a decorative item or a towel to wear in Kendo―Japanese swordplay―or with two tenguis joined as a Ninja’s faceguard worn under the helmet as he battles.
Lacking swordplay skills, we’ll think of it as a handsome table runner.
