Hashi-Maine 2025, a show of student-created block prints exchanged between Maine and Aomori Japan, is now on view at the Greely Center for the Arts, connected to Greely High School, in Cumberland Center, Maine. An opening reception was held on Thursday, September 18th, 2025 and the show will be open to the public until Wednesday October 22nd, 2025. For questions and open hours, please contact the Greely Center for the Arts.
We hope that you will take the opportunity to view the student work and spread the word about this fantastic partnership between Maine and Aomori!
On July 29th, 20205, the Portland Sea Dogs baseball team partnered with Friends of Aomori for a fantastic night of fundraising, celebration, and baseball.
Friends of Aomori board members at the SeaDogs Japan Night, 2025. From left to right: Lynda McCann-Olson, President; Don Hudson, Treasurer; Jeff Badger, board member.
Japan Night was also an opportunity to celebrate the long history between Maine and Japan through the sport of baseball that was introduced to Japan by Gorham, Maine native Horace Wilson in the late nineteenth century. There are many sources that dive into this history, and we encourage you to research them!
As a fundraiser for Friends of Aomori, the Sea Dogs auctioned off Masataka Yoshida’s game-worn Scooby Doo jersey from his rehab appearance with the Sea Dogs on July 6th. (SeaDogs, July 17, 2025). The auction was a great success and raised over $1,000 for Friends and we are very thankful for this donation, the support from game attendees, and for this fantastic collaboration with the Sea Dogs.
Photo of the flier promoting the auction of Masataka Yoshida’s Scooby-Doo baseball jersey.
Below is a photo of the donation presentation at the final Sea Dogs home game of the season, to Friends of Aomori from the auction of Masataka Yoshida’s (Red Sox dedicated hitter) July 6th, game-worn Scooby-Doo shirt. Pictured, from left to right: Reo Miyake, from the Portland restaurant Aomori (opening this holiday season in East Bayside); Vera King, Bath-Tsugau Sister City Exchange; Lynda McCann-Olson, President, Friends of Aomori; and Chris Cameron, Sea Dogs Vice-President of Communications & Fan Engagement.
Presentation of the donation check on the Sea Dogs field.
Below is a group of enthusiastic supporters of Japan’s love for baseball and Sea Dogs’ generosity towards Friends of Aomori.
Friends of Aomori President, Lynda McCann-Olson (center, in yellow), with a group of enthusiastic supporters and Slugger, the Sea Dog’s mascot!
We look forward to another Japan Night at the Sea Dogs in the 2026 season, and we hope to see you there!
Friends of Aomori 
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