Japanese Music Concert to Benefit OSP Healing Garden – August 5

Join us at UUCS, Sunday, August 5 at 3:00 pm for “Making Music – Planting Peace”, a Benefit Concert for the Japanese Healing Garden inside the Oregon State Penitentiary.

This will be an afternoon of traditional and contemporary Japanese music and an enlightening discussion on nature’s positive impact on the human spirit.

Performers are Masumi Timson on the koto, Yumi Torimaru on the shamisen, bamboo flute, and Taiko drum, Loraine Stuart on the piano, and vocalist Kohgetsu Aoki,

$10 suggested donation – benefits the OSP Healing Garden project
Refreshments following with Q & A opportunity.

The Healing Garden project arose from the OSP Asian Pacific Family Club’s (APFC) vision of creating a peaceful space, offering prisoners the opportunity to commune with nature and experience its healing effects. OSP’s progressive management and staff soon recognized the garden’s potential for instilling hope and healing– leading to prisoner transformation both to improve peer relationships and improve reentry into society upon release–and fully supported the project.  

The Healing Garden, however, would not be supported by state funds. Funding is entirely by efforts of APFC and its community supporters, grants and other donations from multiple sources.  The project soon attracted the attention of renowned Japanese garden designer Hoichi Kurisu, who generously provided a unique design.  Images of the design are available at NAKASEC garden site. The Healing Garden will be the first of its kind in an Oregon prison. More information about the Healing Garden designer, Hoichi Kurisu,  is available at http://www.kurisu.com/

In addition to the concert, attendees will hear more about the Healing Garden Project and the healing properties of nature and meditation.  Speakers will be

  • Richard R. Davis, UUCS minister and Zen meditation practitioner
  • Willamette University Professor Melissa Michaux (Politics, Policy, Law & Ethics), will discuss restorative approaches to prison reform
  • Former OSP lifer Trevor Walraven, will speak about his personal journey of transformation and redemption. 

A reception will follow the concert; light refreshments will be served.  The concert is open to the public; suggested $10 donation at the door.  

Other donations: 

  By check:

  Make check payable to: OSP Asian Pacific Club Account #2444

  Memo line: for Memorial Healing Garden

  Mail to: OSP Asian Pacific Family Club Account #2444;  2605 State Street; Salem, OR 97310

  By credit card:

  Go to the webpage of the APFC’s fiscal sponsor, NAKASEC  (a 501 (c) 3  organization), at nakasec.org/garden where you may “click and donate”.  A receipt will be mailed from NAKASEC for tax purposes.