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Menlo Park Sister Cities is accepting applications for cultural exchange with Bizen, Japan
The Menlo Park Sister Cities organization is accepting applications for the city’s cultural exchange with Menlo Park’s sister city Bizen, Japan. The exchange will take place in late June/early July 2025. Exact dates are being finalized.
As an ambassador for the city you will have the opportunity to meet with Bizen city officials, live with a local host family and participate in unique cultural experiences. Past ambassadors have visited Japan’s first public school to learn about Confucius philosophy, visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and visited a soy sauce factory and sampled soy sauce ice cream.
Applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 18 and reside within the city of Menlo Park.
The trip is $3,000 and includes roundtrip airfare, accommodations, meals and ground transportation in Japan.
The application is due at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19. For more information and to apply, visit: menloparksistercities.org/programs/studentexchange.
— Angela Swartz
Bay Area Regional Climate Action Plan workshop takes place Feb. 11
The Bay Area Air District is hosting a virtual workshop on Thursday, Feb. 11, to share preliminary environmental strategies that could be included in a regional climate action plan for the Bay Area.
The district is asking Bay Area residents to participate in the workshop to share opinions on how the district can center equity, public health and communities in the regional plan.
The workshop will take place on Zoom from 5:30-7 p.m. Language interpretation can be provided upon request. Learn more and register for the event at tinyurl.com/BARCAPworkshop2.
Deadline to apply for Menlo Park commissions is Feb. 14
The city of Menlo Park is seeking applications for two vacant seats on city commissions: one on the Library Commission, and one on the Environmental Quality Commission. The two seats were left vacant after Jennifer Wise, a Library Commission member, and Jeff Schmidt, an Environmental Quality Commission member, were elected to the Menlo Park City Council in the 2024 general election.
All applicants to the empty seats must be 18 or older, a resident of Menlo Park and willing to attend monthly commission meetings. The term for the Library Commission seat will expire on April 30, 2027, and the term for the Environmental Quality Commission will expire April 30, 2026.
Qualified and interested residents must apply by Friday, Feb. 14.
— Eleanor Raab
5v5 Tournament for Change at Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart Preparatory student Calder Zirn and Crystal Springs Upland student Ben Fair are organizing the first annual 5v5 Tournament for Change at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 15 at Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton.
The tournament is coed and open to all ages for $35 per participant. All proceeds from the event will be donated to It Starts With Soccer, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children out of poverty in Africa. The fundraising goal for the event is $25,000 which will be donated to families in Bethesda Village in Zimbabwe.
Donations will fund for a clean water borehole, sustainable farming initiatives and uplifting youth through soccer.
Donations and tickets for the event are available at 5v5tournamentforchange.crd.co.
23rd benefit for The Lighthouse for the Blind
On Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m., Steve and Nancy Gill of Los Altos will be presenting the 23rd benefit for Lighthouse for the Blind’s Enchanted Hills Camp at Menlo School’s Martin Family Hall in Atherton.
The Enchanted Hills Camp is a summer retreat for deaf and blind individuals.
The event will feature musical covers of Willie Nelson’s original compositions such as “Crazy” and “You’re always on my mind” and many more from “The Great American Songbook.”
The requested donation amount for the benefit event is $20. Those who are planning on attending must contact Nancy Gill at 650-906-5264 or email gillnancyg@gmail.com.
Donations can also be made by checks sent to: Lighthouse for the Blind, Re: Gill Family Benefit, 1155 Market Street, 10th Floor, San Francisco.
