Submitted. “On Friday, April 19th, 2013, Rick Hansen Secondary School welcomed two new residents. Not students but rather two ornamental cherry blossom trees.
Rick Hansen Secondary is one of three Abbotsford School District No.34 schools which teach a Japanese language course. The other two schools are Robert Bateman and Yale Secondary.
Several members of the Abbotsford Sister City Committee, including SD34 Trustee committee representative Stan Petersen, attended the presentation and planting of the trees which were a donation from the local Everbloom Garden Center.
At this time of year when the festive cherry trees bloom, the Japanese celebrate what is known as “hanami or flower – viewing ” by having a meal under the floral laden boughs.
A live and interactive demonstration of typical hanami cuisine was done by Satomi Knudsen, who also runs the Fraser Valley Japanese Language School. She taught the students about hanami bento (spring lunch box), and the foods that are typically brought to hanami parties. Students learned how to make dango (a traditional Japanese sweet made from rice flour), as well as sushi.
The City of Abbotsford has a long-standing relationship with Fukagawa, Hokkaido, Japan, a counterpart Sister City.”
For further information, please contact Arno Neumann, Chair, Abbotsford Sister City Committee at 604.809.4334 or Sherry Davis, Manager of Legislative Services, City of Abbotsford at 604.851.4151.