Tom Lau
Nov 17, 20151 min
Finally getting around to finishing off GSBF Convention stuff before they get too old. Saturday Night dinner award was chalked full of people. Most of them are listed and a great write up can be seen on the GSBF website. I'm just going to hightlight just one of them that is a bit closer to home.
Frank Nagata was posthumously awarded "The Most Prestigious Circle of Sensei Award"
Yes, thats correct the founder of our club Nagata-san himself. He brought bonsai into the main stream light that it is today in Southern California like other giants: John Naka, Khan and Kay Komai, and Harry Hirao.
Here is a rare picture that I found of Nagata-san.
Mrs. Karen Margolis is Frank Nagata-san granddaughter and the daughter of Khan and Kay Komai. She made a wonderful speech about how Nagata-san must be so excited to learn that his lifes work is being continued into this modern era. There was not a dry eye in the house after this lady spoke.
Mrs. Margolis stated, "None of my siblings nor I followed the art of bonsai. But, we adopted Lindsay Shiba as our bonsai brother!" After her speech the Margolis family donated a check to GSBF under Frank Nagata name.
Picture of Lindsay Shiba, Karen Margolis, and GSBF President Abe Far