Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: George Fugami Interview
Narrator: George Fugami
Interviewer: Dee Goto
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: June 15, 1998
Densho ID: denshovh-fgeorge-01-0046

<Begin Segment 46>

DG: But you've translated into people, and tell me a little bit about your feelings there and helping people.

GF: Yeah. See, well, the Lions is to help people and there's a lot of people that are much unfortunate than we are. We have to help them out. So I think that's my feeling. I like to help people out. Whatever we can do, I think... I don't know how that feeling came in, though.

DG: Well, let's talk about Lions itself a little bit. Tell me about the history of that organization.

GF: That was formed in (1954)... what was it? Hold on a second. This one here is what I'm going to say tonight. I don't want that. But, anyway, the Lions was formed... let's see now. I think the Lions Club here was formed in 1954, and I didn't join until quite late '54 maybe, '60 or something I joined. And how it was formed was... if you get in touch with Jim Matsuoka he can probably tell you more about the beginning formation. This is what I hear now. I said, "Why First Hill?" We're in International, not First Hill, but I think First Hill was where there were people that need more help. When Capitol Hill sponsored us, I think, Doc Shimbo is the one that they approach first, and I think Doc had quite a bit to do about forming this Lions Club. And they called us First Hill Lions Club because all the help was needed up at First Hill. I think, that's what I heard, but I'm not sure. I was just wondered why First Hill, we're down in the International. Why didn't they call it International Lions Club or something like that? But, anyway, Jim Matsuoka was the president I understand, and Doc Shimbo was the secretary. He was quite a influence in that Lions Club. And all the people like Bill Mimbu and all those people were there, but our motto is, "To serve," and that's what we do. It was before mostly service to the blind, that's where it was, but now as things develop there's a lot of other things, diabetes and hearing and all other kinds of handicap. And now Japanese in this international area, there is a lot of help needed, especially scholarship. We help on scholarship and the International Fair. They're going to have a fair down here pretty soon. We're going to put up a hearing van to help people that need hearing aids or eyes. And so our biggest thing is to help people that are unfortunate.

DG: Now, this is a group that was primarily Nisei?

GF: This was Niseis, but there were... mostly all Niseis actually. All Niseis.

<End Segment 46> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.