The YOSC- Serving Yokota for more than 50 years

  • Published
  • By Kathy Sonnenberg
  • Yokota Officers Spouses Club member
The Yokota Officers' Spouses' Club began more than 50 years ago when spouses started sharing cultural exchanges and teaching English to Japan Self-Defense Force wives.

Over the years, the club has evolved to include a variety of welfare, cultural and social activities.

"The club not only brings individuals together for companionship and camaraderie, but also fosters unity and fellowship through a variety of welfare activities aimed at serving the needs of the Yokota community," said Addy Lawler, YOSC president. "In serving these needs, the YOSC gives approximately $80,000 each year to community organizations and scholarships."

Some of the past recipients of donations from the YOSC welfare fund include Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Yokota DoDDS booster clubs, parent-teacher organizations, 225-Ride, Vivace Arts, Yokota Players,
Stingrays Swim Team, First Sergeants' Food Pantry, Special Olympics, the Air Force Ball, Tripler Fisher House and the Air Force Enlisted Widows Fund.

To expand community exposure to all of Asia, the YOSC brings vendors from several Far East countries to Yokota for semi-annual Asian bazaars.

The bazaars provide the largest source of revenue for the YOSC's donations to the community.

"More than 75 percent of the profits from our bazaars are donated to the community," said Ms. Lawler.

"However, the ability of the YOSC to continue to host bazaars depends greatly on volunteer support," she said. "We still need volunteers for our bazaar Saturday and Sunday to assist vendors with sales, provide Korean and Japanese language assistance, donate baked goods for the vendor lounge and to clean-up Sunday after the bazaar."

Volunteers receive a chance to win door prizes and both volunteers and those who donate baked goods may shop early on Saturday from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m.

"If people would like to donate baked goods, they can bring them to the entrance of Hangar 15 Saturday at 7:45 a.m. and can shop the hour before the bazaar opens," said Ms. Lawler. For more information, send an e-mail to YOSCBazaarVolunteer@yahoo.com.

In addition to supporting community organizations through bazaar revenue, the YOSC also donates 100 percent of the profits from its Thrift Shop sales to scholarships.

Last year the YOSC awarded $32,000 in scholarships to Yokota family members of all ranks, military and civilian alike.

This year's scholarship recipients will be announced at the YOSC's end-of-the-year luncheon on May 22.

"For those just arriving at Yokota, the YOSC provides an immediate group of friends, really a family, to help you settle-in and make the most of your tour in Japan," said Ms. Lawler. "The YOSC also assists newcomers of all ranks by publishing a free online Travelog filled with practical information about living and traveling in Japan and the Pacific. This is a great site to find out about everything from shopping, dining, and sightseeing locally to traveling to nearby Pacific destinations," she said.

The Travelog is accessible at the Travelog link on the YOSC Web site: www.yosc.org.

"I've made lifelong friends with many of the women and men that I've had the pleasure of associating with," said Ms. Lawler. "The YOSC gives us a chance to visit with friends, old and new, at monthly meetings and functions. We also have special activities groups that have something for everyone from golf to quilting to BUNCO and more.

"Also, our culture groups host regular exchanges with Japan Self-Defense Force spouses and provide a great opportunity for us to experience Japanese culture, travel, make friends and increase our mutual understanding while strengthening the bond of this important alliance," she said.

The Yokota Officers' Spouses Club is a private organization open to all officers' spouses and civilian equivalents as well as single officers and civilian equivalents. For more information about the YOSC
or to join, visit www.yosc.org and complete an online application.