TLC/Save Kogawa House press conference yesterday morning at 10:30am




At the head table were Joy Kogawa, Bill Turner (The Land Conservancy), Ann-Marie Metten (Save Kogawa House committee),
Diane Switzer (Vancouver Heritage Foundation), Susan Bissonette (Heritage Vancouver), and Suzanne Anton Vancouver City Councillor.


Moderating was Tamsin Baker of the TLC who introduced each person.


Bill Turner
spoke about the importance of Kogawa House, and how pleased the TLC was
to be involved in this project.  He complimented the Save Kogawa
House Committee for developing the national awareness and initiating
the campaign to save the house.

It
was a very emotionally moving talk by Joy Kogawa.  She always manages to push
those
emotional buttons.  From the start Joy was so HAPPY, she kept
wiping
the tears in her eyes.  Joy said that for many years she dreamed
about coming back to the house that she knew as “home”.  It stayed
constant in her years as a child growing up in internment, then later
on the sugar beet farms, and as they moved from place to place. 

“But now, it's really happening!” she exclaimed,  “Even if the house isn't
saved, I am home now.  It's the here and now that is important,
and it's happening now!”

I will ask them for their notes to post on www.kogawahouse.com

Q&A period followed.




Media attending was: CTV camera person,  City TV Breakfast. 
Winnie for a Chinese newspaper…. 



A CTV camera took shots of me holding open
the book Almanac's Greatest British Columbians – as I opened to the
pages of BC's Greatest writers and the article on Joy Kogawa.  I kept
showing people and saying “Joy hasn't even seen this book yet!”  I then
showed my copy to Joy – and she of course was amazed.  I later gave my
library copy to Joy to take home to show her daughter and grandchildren.

I will write more later….



TLC will be planning some MAJOR fundraisers coming up – Meetins will start on Monday with Save Kogawa House committee.