Words of thanks and appreciation are what Chris Filiatrault returned home with after his visit to Salmon Arm’s sister city Inashiki.
A longtime supporter of the relationship, Filiatrault had the duty of presenting the city with close to $3,000 raised, thanks to fundraising efforts by Salmon Arm Secondary students and donations from the school district, the Spiritualist Church of Salmon Arm and other private parties.
“I have been doing the exchange for 20 years, and as one of the founders of the program, it was very natural for me to present these donations to Inashiki. I was concerned with everyone’s safety but everyone was in good spirits.”
Filiatrault left for Japan on March 30, and during the three weeks spent there, presented Inashiki’s mayor Hisakatsu Taguchi with the donations. Along with money contributions, were other gifts such as 1,000 origami cranes made by students and hand-knit blankets made by community members, including Filiatrault’s mother Margaret.
During the ceremony held at Inashiki’s city hall, Filiatrault, along with the help of his two eldest sons, translated messages sent by students and speeches prepared by school district superintendent Doug Pearson and Mayor Marty Bootsma.
“Everyone in Inashiki was very thankful. You could see they were happy to receive the donations and found it nice to know that somebody cares,” he said. Filiatrault was also presented with gifts for Salmon Arm from the sister city – a plaque for city hall engraved with what he describes as, “a very heartfelt thank you,” as well as appreciation certificates for those who have shown long-standing duty to the exchange program.
While visiting Inashiki, which is approximately 350 kilometres from the city of Sendai, Filiatrault said he witnessed the aftermath of the earthquakes and tsunami.
“Surprisingly everyone in the country has stood together through this difficult time,” he said. “It is very different from the news we get here, which tends to be fear-based. The state of things wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”
Some of the aftermath Filiatrault recalls included damage to rice fields, cracked roads and leaning power poles and houses.
“Sadly, due to the earthquake, the sister exchange could not go forth this year because Japan is in mourning,” he added, referring to those 16 students who planned to travel to Japan March 23 along with nine adults, including Mayor Marty Bootsma.
After the disaster on March 10, Filiatrault said it took him two days to get in touch with his wife and two sons who were in Narita where their family home is located, 100 km outside Tokyo. Filiatrault and his youngest son were in Canada at the time.
“I was pretty sure they would be OK, but I didn’t know whether they were at home or were out,” he said, adding how thankful he was to hear they were unharmed and that there had been no damage to the family home.
Filiatrault, who has lived in Japan for 25 years, says he isn’t afraid to stay in Japan but does have some concerns.
“What is unsettling are the aftershocks that are expected to occur for years after the earthquake. You get used to it but when it starts you are never sure how big it is going to be, which is the scary part.”
Before returning to Japan, Filiatrault stopped by Salmon Arm Secondary’s Sullivan campus to show students literature on the damage. He also handed out gifts from Inashiki – bright green sister exchange T-shirts. Of course, Filiatrault sported one himself.