Letter from the President
Thank you to all the members and volunteers who attended our Shinnenkai on January 3, 2026. We shared good food, conversation, and fun.
Here is a short summary of our presentation:
JASSC Board:
Introductions and 2025 changes.
New Members:
Naomi Wise,Vice President
Adriana Jerome, Secretary
Brent Sabati and Matt Imlay, Directors at Large
Resignations:
Jennifer Ishida Basco, resigned as Vice President and Eric Basco resigned as Secretary.
Ralph Archuleta, resigned as a Director at Large responsible for social media and as our event DJ.
We thanked them for their contributions and service and wished them well in their new endeavors.
Volunteer Recognition:
Naomi Wise conducted our Volunteer Recognition Ceremony to recognize those volunteers who donated hours of service in 2024 and 2025 at JASSC events. They were recognized with Certificates of Appreciation and a US/Japan lapel pin.
The Past:
Jenifer Ishida Basco and Laura Villagrana shared presentations and spoke about our major accomplishments throughout 2025. They included their perspectives and changes over the past few years, shared numbers and statistics, financial reports, new partnerships and community support.
The Future - A Call to Action:
Additionally, I wanted to share my comments for those who were unable to attend.
When I took over as President, I saw that we needed to review our nonprofit business model since we are a 501c3 nonprofit organization. I’m happy to say that our administrative foundation has strengthened and allowed for event opportunities. I do want to pause here and say clearly: none of this is possible without the goodwill, time, and dedication of our community members.
JASSC began as a small group of like-minded neighbors who simply wanted to spend time together and share culture. Over the years, it has grown into something much larger — an organization dedicated to expanding cultural understanding across Southern Colorado, now running events that welcome over a thousand attendees.
That growth brings real demands. We, the Board, have put in hundreds — if not thousands — of hours into planning, coordination, and execution. Many others have done the same. While that level of dedication is admirable, it is not sustainable as a long-term model.
Historically, JASSC has relied on highly motivated individuals who step up, give enormous amounts of energy, and then, understandably, step back when life requires it. When that happens, members sometimes ask, “Where did all the events go?” The answer is usually simple: the work became too much for too few people.
So, I believe we are at a point where we need to evolve.
One viable path forward is to reduce reliance on burnout-driven volunteerism by professionalizing some of the work — paying someone to handle administration, coordination, and continuity. We’ve begun exploring what that could look like through conversations with the Japan-America Society of Colorado, an organization that already operates with that structure.
At the same time, we need broader participation now. Committees are where JASSC functions — Cultural Engagement, Board Governance, Fujiyoshida Sister City, and Website and Communications. When more members participate, the workload becomes lighter, ideas improve, and continuity increases.
If you care about JASSC’s future — its events, its programs, and its ability to keep showing up for this community — I strongly encourage you to get involved. Even a small contribution of time can make a meaningful difference.
If you’re interested in joining a committee or helping in a planning or coordination role, please contact info@japanamerica.org.
Finally, we are working with the Consul General in Denver who is leading efforts for collaboration with other US/Japan organizations in Colorado. Together our hope is to continue to promote the US/Japan relationship, offer impactful community events and further our opportunities to educate the community and members of the importance of this alliance.
Again, thank you all for your contributions this past year. We wish you all the best for this new year, 2026!
M. Wayne Stout
President of Japan America Society of Southern Colorado
Cell: 719-323-9550
wayne@japanamerica.org or president@japanamerica.org
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Each table will have at least one native Japanese speaker, and groups are split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. 
Concert & Ticket Information: 
