When thinking of Japan, the average person’s mind’s eye sees one of two things:
1. A sprawling city with crosswalks for days and a bullet train
2. People in beautiful kimonos walking in pristine gardens
It’s surprising for some to learn that Northern Japan boasts some of the most amazing skiing on the face of the Earth!
Misawa AB, Japan, is no stranger to snow with an average snowfall of 150 inches per year, and the folks with the 35th Operations Group certainly know how to have a good time in the snow! Each year they host a ski trip for military members and families of the 35th Ops Group and fund a fabulous social night for everyone to let loose and have a fun time. Unfortunately, Covid restrictions put a damper on fundraising efforts in 2020, and resources for the event were a little scarce.
With a little thinking outside the “container”, we put together a t-shirt fundraiser that helped offset the costs and kept this annual tradition alive. Incorporating the unit’s “Wild Weasel”, I created a design that encompassed the group, the military mission, and the event into a crowd-pleasing souvenir.