Congratulations! The FY2020 Sorachi Province Education Practice Commendation "Hokuryu Town Committee for Promoting Interaction between Children and the Elderly" Receives the Award

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

The Sorachi Education Bureau's "FY 2020 Sorachi Province Education Practice Awards" were given to the Hokuryu-cho Committee for Promoting Interaction between Children and the Elderly in the group category, and the award ceremony was held on March 8 (Mon) at the auditorium of the Hokuryu-cho Community Center.

FY2020 Sorachi Province Education Practice Commendation

The Sorachi Area Gyoiku Practice Awards are given to schools and organizations that have made significant contributions to the improvement of school education in Hokkaido, and to individuals who have achieved significant results in their social education activities.

Group Division

Takigawa Higashi Elementary Schoolhome page), Takikawa Municipal Meien Junior High School (home page), Hokkaido Iwamizawa Ryokuryo High School (home page(Committee member for promoting interaction between children and the elderly in Hokuryu Town)

The Hokuryu Town Committee for the Promotion of Friendship between Children and the Elderly was highly evaluated for its social education projects that enrich and nurture the minds of children through intergenerational exchange and at the same time bring joy and a sense of purpose to the lives of the elderly over its 37 years of activities.

Individual Division

Hidehiro Yoshida (Yuni Town)

Committee member for promoting interaction between children and the elderly in Hokuryu Town

The program started as a "Friendship program" sponsored by the Hokuryu Town Education Committee, following the implementation of the "Friendship program between boys and the elderly" issued by the Hokkaido Gyomyoiku Committee in 1983.

Currently, the group is composed of 14 members (13 senior citizens and the head teacher of Manryu Elementary School). The promoters include people in their 70s from the town.

A total of more than 150 elementary school students participate in the program each year, and it is conducted in cooperation with various organizations such as children's associations, youth groups, and associations of commerce and industry. Activities include various projects such as rice cake pounding (experience of handing down the traditions of daily life), sowing and harvesting vegetables at a farm (experience of labor), and making Kamakura (exploration of nature and fun), and are held about 8 times a year.

Award ceremony at the auditorium of the community center

Mr. Makoto Fujimura, Director of the Sorachi Education Bureau, presented the FY2020 Sorachi Province Education Practice Award to the Hokuryu Town Committee for Promoting Contact between Children and the Elderly (Representative: Mr. Shizuo Nakamura).

certificate of commendation

For 37 years, your organization has contributed greatly to the development of social education in the region by passing on the rich experience and diverse abilities of the elderly through intergenerational exchange, contributing to the healthy growth of children, and proactively working to build ties among town residents. We hereby commend him for his achievements. March 8, 2021 Makoto Fujimura, Director-General of the Sorachi Education Bureau, Hokkaido Superintendent of Education

Kazushi Arima, Superintendent of Education and Shizuo Nakamura, Representative

Kazushi Arima, Superintendent of Education

The award is a great encouragement to our promoters, for which we are very grateful."

The Fureai Project in Hokuryu-cho began in 1983 as a project to promote interaction between the elderly and children. This kind of interaction program in Hokuryu-cho is rare even in the Sorachi region. The program is held eight times a year and includes rice-cake pounding, bean-throwing, life passing on experiences such as karuta (a Japanese playing cards), and labor experience such as vegetable harvesting.

This year, however, due to the Corona disaster, the number of events such as the Kendama experience, the Harvest Festival, and the Yukinko Festival were reduced to four. The graduation ceremony, which is held as the last project, is conducted as a project to mark the end of one year, including the awarding of a prize for perfect attendance.

Children are recruited through the school and are free to participate, so the number of participants may rise or fall when their respective events coincide. The children, from first graders to sixth graders, seem to really enjoy themselves.

The members who support the project are mainly in their 70s, and range in age from 68 to 84. They are encouraged and motivated by the experience of being in contact with children and seeing them enjoy their activities.

In Hokuryu Town, a tradition has been cultivated in which the elderly look after the children. Children up to the third grade of elementary school attend the school-age childcare center and cheerfully go to the school-age childcare center every day after school, saying "I'm home! and they enjoy spending time together in a friendly atmosphere.

Shizuo Nakamura, Hokuryu Town Fureai Project Promotion Committee Member, Representative

Representative Shizuo Nakamura, 82, has been continuously participating in the Fureai Project for 37 years, since its inception in 1983.

I love the children and always enjoy participating. The fathers of the children who currently participate in the program are from the same generation as the children, and they give me energy every time I participate.

commemorative photograph

With endless love, gratitude and prayers for the great soul connection of the people of Hokuryu Town, who have been like a family over the years, sharing joy together.

More Photos

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◇ Photography and Editing: Noboru Terauchi Reporting and Writing: Ikuko Terauchi