Today was full and fun. Started early with bkfst and out the door at 7 AM to get to Ishinomaki & Watanoha by 9 AM. We helped set up large (20'x60') canopies, tables, benches and food prep for Bingo and soba lunch.
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| Putting up the tents for "takidashi" and Bingo |
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| A local neighbor and Cheri and Celia help prepare lunch |
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| Rachel helping prepare prizes |
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| Andy and the Coffee-guy |
One guy has come regularly and has volunteered to be the coffee prep guy. It was given out freely, and tasted pretty good too. I'd guess 100 people came full of excitement and energy. It's quite a phenomenon. The best part is all the relationships that develop. We sang a bit for early arrivers while waiting for Bingo to start. On Jingle Bells, we invited a couple volunteers to come up and sing with us wearing the extra hats. Fun.
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| Andy calling the Bingo game |
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| Cheri spinning out the numbers for Andy |
Pretty soon, Andy started the Bingo game, and this was no ordinary event. It's actually a very strategic activity which builds community and comraderie, but also provides a happy and orderly way for people to receive needed but limited supplies such as coats, boots, long underwear, jeans, etc. Each winner - and they go through the whole Bingo card so nearly everyone is a winner - gets to choose from among the supplies that Lorna organizes each week. Afterwards, Enough soba was left over for us to eat lunch too, so we had a bowl, then helped pack up the tents, tables, etc.
We headed off at 1 PM to get ready for an afternoon event that started at 2:30 PM. It was at a small little cafe/coffee house near the iconic Manga Museum near the river in Ishinomaki. Mika was able to join us for the first time and she really helped fill out the parts. Unfortunately, Rachel was getting bothered by a nasty bug, so she didn't sing. Maybe 30 people jammed a 20'x40' room to listen. The music went pretty well, and we're starting to get some nice harmonies and phrasing. It was fun to invite a couple volunteers up to wear the extra hats and sing with us on Jingle Bells.
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| Mika at the door of Chakko House in Ishinomaki |
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| Caroling at Chakko House: (l-r) Mika, a volunteer, Bev, Celia, Cheri, Keith, Mark, & volunteer |
Partway through, a strange noise started behind us, got louder, and then the place started shaking. It was an earthquake. (Found out it was 4.7 R and just off the coast of Onagawa.) All the people jumped up and prepared for the worst. Fortunately it wasn't that big and didn't last very long. Andy said later that the noise sounded like it would be a huge quake, and Mika said the media is forecasting another big one some time soon, so people are especially jumpy. We made sure everyone was OK and wasn't freaking out with PTSD, etc., and resumed the next songs. Wild. Actually, that was the 3rd quake we've felt so far…
Good conversations with the audience afterwards, then headed home around 5 PM, but didn't get here until 7 PM, fixed supper, and chatted about the day.
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