Mendocino Sister Cities Association
Official Website
Mendocino's Sister City
Miasa-Omachi, Nagano, Japan
Mendocino's Sister City of Omachi, Nagano, Japan sits beneath the majestic Japan Alps south of Hakuba and north of Matsumoto
Miasa-Omachi is located on Japan's main island of Honshu in Nagano Prefecture, about 150 miles northwest of Tokyo. Omachi-shi 大町市 is located in a long, wide valley beneath the towering Japan Alps. Miasa-mura 美麻村 is about 10 miles or 16 Km east-northeast of Omachi, spread out in several small mountain valley's surrounded by rice paddies, old farmhouses and tall, wooded hills. Miasa 美麻, which means, "Beautiful Hemp" in Japanese, is near the Northern Japan Alps and the ski resorts of Hakuba, site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Miasa is very small and not found on most maps. In 2006 our original Sister City of Miasa was incorporated by Omachi. Miasa-Omachi is the name we have given our new Sister City although, technically the City of Omachi is our Sister City.
Mendocino's original Sister City of Miasa experiences a full four seasons and is situated northeast of Omachi. Different living districts located in several small valley's surrounded by tall, wooded hills make up the Miasa village
Become a Fan of Mendocino Sister Cities Association on Facebook. Click on this link: MSCA on Facebook
To apply for MSCA Membershipclick on this link: MSCA Membership Application
Or write to: MSCA PO Box 2451 Mendocino, CA 95460-2451
Mendocino Homestay Host Families needed for May, 2012
The MSCA is sending out a request to local Mendocino families who are interested in hosting either a couple of students or teachers from Miasa School for 5 nights, from May 11 to May 15, 2012. Please get in touch with either Debbie Crowningshield at debcrown@mcn.org or Marci Van Sicklen at marci@mcn.org for more information. Thank you for your help and consideration. This is the 21st year of this annual exchange. If you would like your son or daughter to travel to Japan in the future then this is a good way to find out more information and get involved in a great association. Or, if you know anyone who you think might be interested in Hosting, please give them this information.
Four of the 23 wonderful Miasa School Students who will travel to Mendocino on May 11, 2012. Great and Fun kids!
Board Meeting Announcement
Mendocino Sister Cities Association held its Annual Election of Board Members meeting on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 4:30 pm in the Meeting Room at the Mendocino K-8 School.
The Board Meeting discussed current plans for upcoming events followed by an election for Board Members. Three present Board Members' 3 year terms were ending (Carolyn Latkin, Sharon Garner & Shizuko McConathy) and any current MSCA member was allowed to nominate someone or even run for a seat themselves. Only MSCA members that were present at the meeting were allowed to vote for the Board Members. After all other business was finished and the election of the three Board Members was complete, there was a meeting for Board Members only to elect the Board Officers.
Carolyn Latkin and Sharon Garner were reelected for another three year term with Carolyn retaining her Treasurers Office. Shizuko McConathy was given Life Membership status which freed up a regular board seat. The newly elected Board Member is Carolyn Zeitler. During the voting of Board Officers, Debbie Crowningshield was voted in as Co-President along with Mike L. Evans who is currently residing in Mendocino's Sister City, Miasa-Omachi, Japan. Debbie retired from her previous office as Vice-President and Marci Van Sicklen was voted in to fill the vacated position. Congratulations and welcome to Carolyn Zeitler!
If you are interested in getting involved with the MSCA please contact Co-President Mike L. Evans at mike@mikelevans.com or Co-President Debbie Crowningshield at debcrown@mcn.org.
Miasa-Omachi 2012 Artists Group participant Emi Ishida
with Mendocino 2011 Artists Group Leader Debra Lennox
spending time together at the 2011 Artists Reception
at the Asagura Art & Cultural Center in Omachi, Japan
