ZAMA, Japan – Volunteers from Camp Zama planted sunflower seeds here June 15 that in two months will grow to be the tall, bright, yellow symbol of the U.S. installation’s neighboring city.
The volunteers sowed some of the 550,000 sunflowers, which are scheduled to bloom in August — just in time for Zama’s annual Sunflower Festival held in nearby Yotsuya.
Sgt. Jefferson Moreira, assigned to U.S. Army Medical Department Activity – Japan, returned to volunteer at the event for the second year in a row with his son, Genesis. He said the two of them were eager to support the festival and city again and that he is appreciative of opportunities to get involved with their host-nation neighbors.
“Events like these help get [people on the base] out of their ‘military bubbles’ to integrate into their [neighboring] community, learn what that community does, and become a part of it,” Moreira said. “My son and I are looking forward to seeing the sunflowers we planted today bloom in August.”
Genesis, 7, said he was excited to volunteer again because he and the others planted the seeds by hand last year, but they got to use a machine to sow the seeds this year.
“Although it was difficult to keep the machine going straight, it was a lot of fun,” Genesis said. “[The experience] was good because it will help me plant sunflower seeds in the future.”
The sunflower is arguably the most well-known symbol of Zama, making the namesake festival one of the city’s most iconic and popular events, said Zama Mayor Mito Sato. The mayor joined the effort, lauding it as a friendly exchange event between the city and its neighboring U.S. Army community and thanking the volunteers who came to help Zama prepare for the festival.
“I recognized some of the Camp Zama volunteers who have repeatedly participated in events with our city, and I’m very happy to see them getting to know our city that way,” Sato said. “I hope they will continue to spend time in Zama as if it were their second home.”
The mayor said she wants those who are moving to Camp Zama to know there are many opportunities to learn about Japan and Zama by participating in various cultural events with locals from the city.
“I believe the first step toward peace is to recognize our differences and deepen our understanding,” Sato said.
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