Marian L. Hayashi is the 2010 Volunteer of the Year

"Marian has been a long time volunteer who had English conversation groups for the International Friendship Committee and helped with home meetings before there was an International House," said  Dorothy Foytik.

When the Connections group moved to International House and became more formal, Marian was the co-chair until the last several years.

"She is quiet and doesn't like to talk to a crowd but has been a mainstay of the organization since its inception," added Dorothy.

Marian has a fascinating background that led her to International House.

During World War II, Marian was supervisor of the nursery school at the Poston Relocation Center in Arizona. It was her first job after college. At Poston, she met her husband, Shuki, who had been interned with his family.

"I used to see this thoughtful-looking young man walking along with his pipe in his mouth and he interested me,"  Marian said. They met at his neighbor's place in Poston. After his discharge from the Army, despite opposition from both families, Shuki and Marian were married in 1946 in Chicago where Shuki was working on the Manhattan project at the University of Chicago.

Marian and Shuki returned to the Bay Area and have remained here ever since.

Nominations are solicited from staff, board and members in a position to know of deserving candidates. The criteria to be used in making the nominations are:

• The award may not be given to board members or former board members;
• The award may not be given to a previous winner of this award;
• The award is to be given to a person who has volunteered at I-House over many years.

Arun Sen, originator of the award, is consulted before any nomination is approved by the I-House board, and the board must approve the award before the Annual Meeting of members, at which time the closely guarded secret is made public.