Celebrating Fusako Muro, 2022 Chip Fricke Award Recipient

Photo: Fusako Muro, SPNSCC President Chris Rossow, NSPSCC President Takayuki Miyanishi

The following are highlights from congratulatory speeches given at our Annual Celebration Dinner, followed by Fusako's acceptance speech.

Congratulations by Bill Pesek

The Walter "Chip" Fricke Award was established some 30 years ago by this organization, the Saint Paul Nagasaki Sister City Committee. It was a way to pay tribute to Mr. Walter "Chip" Fricke, a dedicated long time ago SPNSCC member, for his endless amount of time and energy in fostering bonds between the country of Japan and the United States.

This year, we are honored to bestow this same tribute to a fellow member of the SPNSCC, Fusako Muro, whose outstanding commitment to this organization and culture sharing has been witnessed year after year. 

[In 1988] Fusako answered an ad for Japanese speaking volunteers to help as interpreters in the construction and restoration of a Japanese Garden project in Saint Paul's Como Park. That's when I, Bill Pesek, met Fusako for the first time.  Her role was to understand the logistics of the highly technical construction specifications, translate them to Mr. Matsuda, receive his input, recommendations and vision. This dialogue and its successful outcome could not have happened without Fusako. 

Fusako also served our SPNSCC and Board of Directors for years, bringing her talents to the table including her involvement in the Lantern Lighting Ceremony, planning of annual SPNSCC Dinners, Return of the Sword, and Cherry Tree Celebration. She was also willing to lend her softened voice to those of us who were trying to make Mr. Matsuda's working visits to St. Paul and the garden as welcoming as could be. Along with Akiko Sako and Andy Padula, Chris and Larry Rossow and me, she became a friend to so many of us. 

Fusako continues to be an active member of SPNSCC when her schedule allows. I must also recognize, her husband, Shinji, who understands and supports Fusako's role as ambassador in her teaching  career and SPNSCC related activities. So with the deepest respect for all of your work, this Walter Chip Fricke awards is being presented. Congratulations, Fusako Muro.

Congratulations by SPNSCC President Chris Rossow

Fusako Muro, this year's recipient of the Fricke Award, came to live in
the Saint Paul area in 1988 with her husband Shinji and her children
Kenji and Aiko. At that time, Fusako did not have an American
green card but was eager to volunteer and was recruited by Jean Hammer,
volunteer coordinator at Como Park Conservatory to assist with the
Japanese garden there. During the 3 years Masami Matsuda returned each
summer to guide the reconstruction of the Como Ordway Japanese Garden,
she assisted with the interpreting as Matsuda san spoke no English and
needed to teach everyone the principles involved. 

Fusako got her green card and spent 10 years teaching Japanese language
at the Japanese school held on Saturdays for 3rd and 4th generation
Japanese Americans who wanted to keep in touch with their heritage. The
school was organized and run by Takuzo Ishida. She also was a cultural
guest speaker at Blake School for 15 years. For 20 years, she taught
Japanese language and culture at evening classes for the Mpls Community
College, and also at Normandale Community College in the daytime. When
Normandale required a Master's degree to teach there, she worked for and
obtained her Master's in Education at Hamline University. I so admire
her determination to do so in a language not native and sometimes
baffling to her. On a personal note, Larry & I took private Japanese
language and culture lessons with her when we were making frequent trips
to Japan. She is a very imaginative and creative teacher. She has a
true gift for teaching and only retired last spring.

When the SPNSCC needed someone to keep track of our membership and
provide address labels for the Hochi we were still mailing out
quarterly, Fusako stepped up and volunteered to do it. It should be
mentioned that Shinji, now a retired computer programmer, assisted with
the computer aspects of that job. She has helped in nearly all our
events, staffing and/or decorating booths. And, as she did during the
rebuilding of the Japanese garden in Como Park, she has frequently
volunteered as an interpreter when we have Japanese speaking guests who
have no one with them to do so.

During my terms as president, Fusako was someone I could rely on. Though she has not held an office in the group, she has been a strong volunteer and an
important supporter of our mission and activities for many years. As
she helped me order and pick up the Chip Fricke awards for others, I am so very glad that she is now getting one of her own.
Congratulations and best wishes, Fusako.

Congratulations by NSPSCC President Takayuki Miyanishi
(Translation Follows)

私が初めてお会いした時、Chris Rossowさんが、「私の日本語の先生です」、と日本語で紹介してくれました。ずいぶん昔で、正確な年は覚えていませんが、Chrisが現役で会長をしていた頃です。1990年代後半でしょう。

とても和やかな印象で、フサコさんからはお母さんのような包容力を感じました。私たちにも優しく接していただき、その後、たくさんの交流の場面で、長崎の人々とセントポールの人々をつないでいただきました。長崎の友達は、みんな、フサコさんのことをよく思っています。

The Chip Fricke award　受賞おめでとうございます。
授賞式の頃、私は、長崎交響楽団の演奏会で、Beethoven Symphony No. 9を合唱団とともに演奏しています。そして、人類愛と世界平和のメッセージを100名の合唱団とともに、ホールに来た1,500人の聴衆、そして長崎、セントポール、世界に向けて送りたいと思います。

これからも健康に気をつけて、お元気にお過ごしください。
またお会いしましょう‼

When I first met Fusako Muro, Chris Rossow introduced her to me, saying in Japanese, "This is my Japanese teacher." It was a long time ago, so I don't remember the exact year, but it was around the time Chris was still serving as president. That would be the late 1990's.

Fusako-san emanated an air of peace and motherly tolerance. We received many kindnesses from Fusako-san, and, above that, she connected the people of Nagasaki and the people of St. Paul in many exchanges. All my friends here in Nagasaki think very highly of Fusako-san.

Congratulations, Fusako-san, on winning The Chip Fricke award.

At this time, during your award ceremony, I am playing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the chorus of the Nagasaki Symphony Orchestra in concert. Together with the 100-member choir, I would like to send a message of world peace and love for all humanity to our 1,500 audience members here, to all the people of Nagasaki and of St. Paul, and to the world.

Please continue to take care of your health and keep up your energy.
Let's meet again, Fusako-san!

Acceptance Speech by Fusako Muro

Thank you for your kind introduction. Since I received The Chip Fricke Award announcement via e-mail, I have been overwhelmed with gratitude.

Thank you all so much for being here to share this occasion.

Years ago when I moved to Australia, I met a lady named Mrs. Kim, who was an immigrant from Korea. She worked hard for her family and for everyone around her. I respected her. I remember what she said to me, “everyone needs a place where they feel they belong and be recognized.” Moving to the U.S., eventually I did find my place of belonging and recognition. Thank you, Sister Cities.

Today my daughter’s family from NY and my husband, Shinji, are here with us. Many of you may be surprised that I do actually have a husband. I can’t pretend that I am single anymore. That’s no fun!

Over the years, I complained a lot to my husband, Shinji, because we moved many times from country to country and it wasn’t easy. Today, I want to tell him, “Thank you for giving me the chance to have wonderful experiences and meet so many wonderful people here in MN.”

Arigato, Shinji, and thank you, Sister Cities, again, for this great honor.