Visitors from Biffontaine

On April 22, 2025, we were honored to welcome Justine Oriel, daughter of Patrick Oriel, Deputy Mayor of Biffontaine, France, and partner, Anu, to the Clubhouse.

[LEFT SIDE] Club 100 board members (Amy Kwong, Jan Sakoda, Kathi Hayshi, and Joyce Doi) with Steve Sue, Justine and Anu. [RIGHT SIDE] Jeff and Yoko Morita, Daniel Wong, Mary and Kevin Kuroda, and former Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.

The welcoming group included Club 100 board members, Joyce Doi, Kathi Hayashi, Amy Kwong, and Jan Sakoda, along with former Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Kevin Kuroda and wife, Mary, Jeff and Yoko Morita, Daniel Wong, and Steve Sue, film producer of an upcoming film called, “The 100TH, Seeds of Aloha.” (https://100thfilm.com/)

We enjoyed the camaraderie of sharing a potluck lunch with Justine and Anu, and were touched to receive a heartwarming letter from Biffontaine Mayor Denis Henry, which was translated and read to us in English, by Justine.

Letter from Mayor Denis Henry of Biffontaine.

The letter states, in part, the following:

"It is an honor for us that Justine carry our message to you but also to all Hawaii inhabitants, to the fervent soldiers of the second World War II who free us from the German yoke.

We never miss attending every year the commemoration to the souvenir of those young soldiers in the prime of their age who mark the History with the ink of their own blood. Every year a sheaf of flowers is left to the Borne number 6 monument to remember them.

They liberated our little village but they also did not hesitate to save the lost battalion at the cost of many losses.

In 2017, we took a beautiful symbolic initiative and indeed full of meaning! Integrate the 50th star on our county blazon is reflecting a strong recognition towards the state of Hawaii as well as a deep bond of friendship between our peoples.

It shows that our community valorize the shared History and sacrifices made, while creating a cultural bridge who is uniting Biffontaine to the state of Hawaii so far apart geographically but so close in our hearts.

Despite the humanity's challenges that continue to occur, this kind of initiatives nourishes hope and unity."

We were honored to receive a cap and medal, described as Mayor Henry as, "touching symbolic gestures which consolidate this indefectible friendship."

Medal and Cap received from Biffontaine.

We wish to express our deepest appreciation to Mayor Denis Henry, First Deputy Mayor Patrick Oriel, Second Deputy Mayor and President of Borne number 6 committee Michael Valentin, Third Deputy Mayor Catherine Danner, the Biffontaine city council, and the townspeople of Biffontaine, for the beautifully written letter and gifts, in symbol of our bond and long-lasting friendship.