WISTERIA SENIOR HEALTH AND HOUSING SOCIETY
Our Vision & Purpose
To facilitate activities and programs in the community as well as provide affordable housing for low and moderate income seniors; in an environment which provides social, nutritional, medical and spiritual wellbeing through interconnectedness and mindfulness that meet the special needs of the aged;
And
To support activities that facilitate, promote and enhance quality of life and spiritual activities as well as enabling and empowering persons and groups to build and strengthen civil society; and provide other programs and activities including academic, educational, research, social welfare, benevolent, relief of poverty, healthcare, medical, scientific, cultural, religious, athletic, recreational or sport programs which are of public benefit
PROJECTS:
Wisteria Place
Our initial purpose and project has been the creation of Wisteria Place at 4388 Garry St.
Independent Living
107 Bachelor, One and Two
Bedroom suites on three floors.
Right next to Steveston Park
Wisteria Place Vision
We want to create a better future,
where people of all cultures
live in harmony.
Wisteria Board Of Directors
WSHHS is a not-for profit society, meaning the activities of the Society shall be carried on without purpose of profit and any income to the Society shall be used in promoting the purposes of the Society, and no director or officer shall be paid any remuneration for services rendered to the Society as a director or officer.
Directors serve for overlapping terms of three years, and at present meet every two weeks, while out senior home is under construction. Once Wisteria Place is up and running, meetings should gradually reduce to once per quarter.
The society is looking for new directors to help put our vision in practice, especially those with a financial or health care background.
Bud Sakamoto, BSc. BArch
Bud was born during the internment years in the Interior of B.C. and then moved to Steveston in 1949. At a young age, he worked in his father’s boat shop sweeping floors, stacking lumber and helped out with various odd jobs. He also mended nets and went commercial fishing with his father. In 1958 at the age of fifteen he had his own boat and fished every summer while pursuing his schooling.
He took a one year sabbatical before entering architectural school and travelled whe world followed by 2 1/2 years in Ottawa managing statistical projects for Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
After 12 years in the architectural profession he retired in 2006 completing planning, architectural building, urban design, building programming and management projects.
His accomplishments include:
– Founding Member, Board Member and President of the Steveston Historical Society
– Member of the Richmond Advisory Heritage Committee
-Founding Member, Board Member and President of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society
– Steveston Coordinator for the City of Richmond
– Board Member, Treasurer and President of the Steveston Buddhist Temple since 2002
– Founding Member and Board Member of Wisteria Senior’s Health and Housing Society
Kelvin Higo, Chair
Kelvin is a long-time Steveston resident having resided in Steveston for 68 years. He is a long serving community volunteer serving as:
President of the Steveston Community Society
President of the Steveston Kendo Club
Co-chairman of the Japanese Cultural Show at the annual Steveston Salmon Festival.
He has also taken responsibility to organize the annual National Day of Mourning held every April 28th.
He strongly supports seniors and this is the primary reason he joined WSHHS.
His hope is that Wisteria Place will be a home for seniors who wish to remain in their local community as well as welcome those seniors wishing to make Steveston their new home.
Glenn Kishi BPE MEdAdmin
Glenn joined the Wisteria Board this past year. By joining the Board, Glenn wants to give back to his community by creating a comfortable place for seniors where they can live in the Steveston area. Glenn is a retired teacher, vice-principal and district principal who worked for 33 years in public education. Twenty five of those years were in the Richmond School District.
He has been a resident of Steveston for over 62 years. Glenn’s family has a rich history in Richmond as his grandfather Seiji Kishi and father Yoichi Kishi were local boat builders in Steveston.
Glenn is also still involved in the Sister City Advisory Committee with the City of Richmond. He has always been a community minded individual and is proud to be from and live in Steveston.
Naoko Watanabe BA MSW
Naoko has been a director for the past year. She is a registered social worker by profession and the focus of her career has targeted seniors.
She currently works in a long-term care facility in Richmond. She volunteers at the Steveston Buddhist Temple’s Obon Festival every summer and also for other opportunities.
Naoko’s has a passion for increasing the quality of life for seniors and that is what drew her to become a Director
Ted Akune BSc MEd
Ted has been a Director for WSHHS for the past year. He grew up in Steveston and now lives in South Surrey. He is a retired teacher, administrator and counsellor of Langley School District.
Ted is an active member of the Crescent Beach Photography Club as well as the Canadian Association of Photographic Art. Ted’s interest has always been health and wellness and
supporting communities continues to be an important issue for Ted.
Ted currently serves as the president of the Steveston Buddhist Temple.
Rainer Mehl BA MA BEd
Rainer is one of the three founding members of the WSHHS that originated with an initial visioning exercise in 2014.
He has been a teacher since 1995 and is a past recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award in teaching excellence.
With a strong background in Planning, Design and Photography, he has been working on ensuring the vision of the Society is reflected in the programming and development plans going forward.
Rainer currently serves as the treasurer, webmaster and Newsletter editor of Steveston Buddhist Temple.
ADVISOR: Grant Ikuta BSc MA
Grant is the Minister of Steveston Buddhist Temple, and an advisor to the Board. Grant’s Father and Grandfather also were ministers at the temple and the Ikuta family has been a integral part of the Steveston Buddhist Temple and community for over 70 years.
Wisteria Place shares the site with the Temple, and programming in the buildings will be coordinated to enrich the experience of residents and the community.
Floyd Yamamoto,
Floyd joined the WSHHS Board in fall of 2020, and is the ‘New Kid on the Block’
Floyd and his wife Sheila are a long time Steveston residents and are active in the community, volunteering with diverse organizations such as the Nikkei Fishermen’s Reunion Project, RCMP Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee, and Steveston’s Santa Claus Parade.
Floyd has been a director of G&F Financial Group for four terms and prior to becoming a director worked for GFFG for 12 years managing computer systems as part of the executive management team.
Floyd operates Sansei Consulting, providing consulting services for non-profit and for-profit organizations in IT Management and contract negotiations and change management.
Floyd has worked for large international companies Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and Staples to mid-size companies Absolute Software and Syscon Justice Systems, where Floyd provided oversight for projects and IT investments.