D I G E ST E D I TO R
Up and Running
Selfless Spirit
YUUKI IDE
COMMUNIT Y
Even before the doors of the Club’s Covid-19 vaccination center had opened on July 5, a line of eager Minato Ward residents had formed at the first-floor entrance. By the end of the designated site’s first week, nearly 5,000 people, including many Members and staff, had received their first of two vaccine doses. “I’m delighted for the Club to take part in such a momentous project,” says Club governor Sam Rogan, who led the task force that worked with Minato Ward to launch the center. “It’s a testament to the ingenuity and selflessness of our community that such an impactful operation could get off the ground so quickly.” To learn more about how the community initiative came about and its ongoing impact, turn to page 20. NJ GOLF
KAYO YAMAWAKI
Tee Time
Doglegs and sand traps aren’t usually welcome sights for any golfer, but they were when the Club’s revamped 19th Hole simulator reopened with upgraded shot-tracking technology last month. As part of the 19th Hole’s grand unveiling, dozens of links-loving Members celebrated with test-drives on the state-of-the-art Trackman simulator, which uses multiple radar and optical sensors to analyze more than 40 different swing parameters (see page 35 for photos from the Grand Slam Golf event). “Every golf pro on earth basically has a Trackman system,” says Club pro Tom Fielding of the new tech. “It’s a lot more intuitive. It presents information in a much more visual way.” Visit the Club website to book your simulator session. OZ
6 | INTOUCH
The launch of the Club’s Covid-19 vaccination center for Minato Ward on July 5 was remarkable. Unprecedented in the history of the Club (like the scale of the pandemic itself ) and extraordinary in how quickly it came together. But the Club has seen this kind of Member mobilization before. Just days after earthquake-triggered tsunami decimated communities along Japan’s Tohoku coast in 2011, groups of Members sprung into action. The Club became a hub for donated supplies that were driven up to affected areas by teams of volunteers in the trucks of one Member’s relocation company. “I felt compelled to give back to the country I consider my second home,” another Member volunteer told INTOUCH at the time. “My daughter was born in Japan, so we have a history here and it has had a huge impact on our family.” At the same time, a relief fund was set up and preparations began for a fundraising concert in the New York Ballroom, featuring a variety of performers, including rapper Speech from the hip-hop act Arrested Development. Those efforts brought in more than ¥16 million. But the Club’s relationship with the region didn’t end there. Tourism- and education-related projects with the hard-hit Fukushima region continue to this day. Over the last few weeks, the Club community has, once again, revealed its humanitarian side. As detailed in this month’s cover story, “Doses of Optimism,” dozens of Members collaborated to ensure the success of a life-saving initiative. Even after the challenges of the past 18 months, the compassion of Members remains undimmed.
