| Year Started: | 1924 in Hilo, with 7 member families. |
| Original officers: | Zentoku Uyehara, president; Kana Uyehara, Taro Uyehara, Sanda Uehara, Ushi Takara, Kana Yogi, Kosuke Takara. |
| Past presidents: | Zentoku Uyehara, Ushi Takara, Taro Uyehara, Kana Yogi, Matsu Uyehara (1946), Kana Teruya (1953), Seitaro Akamine (1958), Albert Teruya (1959), Gentaro Kaneshiro (1960), Robert Teruya (1961), Taro Teruya (1962), Ike Ichiro Akamine (1963), Harry Takara (1964-65), Floyd Kaneshiro (1966), Wallace Teruya (1967), Sotaro Uehara (1968), Dennis Uyehara (1969), Samuel Kakazu (1970), Sueo Uehara (1971), Melvin Uyehara (1972), Fred Kaneshiro (1973-74), Frederick Takara (1975), Arthur Uyehara (1976077), Lawrence Uyehara (1978-79). |
| Notes: | Notes by Mrs. Ushi Uyehara: Before leaving Okinawa, the original group of immigrants from Oroku pledged tohelp each other in their new life in Hawaii. The keeping of that promise was the beginning of the Oroku Aza Jin Club, whichoriginally began in Hilo, Hawaii, in April of 1924. Later, the Teruya family of Aloha Grill exemplified that supportive spirit and, by opening their home for wedding receptions and other occasions, were very instrumental in keeping the people of Oroku together. Notes by Lawrence Uyehara: (1) Prior to World War II, the Oroku Aza Jin Club had a prefabricated clubhouse in which wedding receptions were held. In those days, no invitations to the receptions were made. Since there was a strong kin-like feeling, the Aza-Oroku people just came as members of the clan. (2) After World War II, the club aided Aza-Oroku, Okinawa, by sending items such as clothes, sewing machines, farm tools, books and school supplies and by donating $10,000 to rebuild the elementary school and the clubhouse. The aid was not forgotten by the people of Aza-Oroku. In 1979, when Lawrence Uyehara, then president of the Oroku Aza Jin Club, visited Aza- Oroku, he was given a welcome dinner At that occasion, he was told how grateful the people of Aza-Oroku were: the wartime relief had come when they were hungry and without clothes. |