Background

Atsuko Ohama, the founder of Smile Club and now its chairman, used to be a physical education teacher in a junior high school and has been engaged in some sports programs for the mentally disabled as well as for the blind at the Blind School affiliated with Tsukuba University and at some schools for the disabled. Also in her neighborhood, she was asked to give an exercise class for the mentally disabled　children with mild Down's syndrome and children with mild autism― and she together with her friend started 'Class for Children Poor at Exercises　named "Undouga-nigatenakono-kyousitu",' a 60-minute weekly class given in a nearby center in Kashiwa, Chiba. This class has expanded and now the class is given in five more places―Funabashi, Chiba; Matsudo, Chiba; Toride, Ibaragi; Mito, Ibaragi;　and　Habikino,　Osaka to more than 100 children. All the classes are supported by the Funabashi Board of Education, the Toride Board of Education and the Mito-city government. This is the foundation of Smile Club and it was established as a NPO, in December 2000, because of Ohama's aspiration to establish surroundings where everyone, the old and young, women and men, can easily enjoy various sports. In the summer of 2001, Smile Club and Ohama were featured in a series of seven stories in the Yomiuri Newspaper, entitled 'Class for Children Poor at Exercises.' Smile Club and Ohama were highly encouraged by the great response of the readers from all over Japan. This response made Ohama realize that there had been few exercise classes for the disabled organized either by private organizations or by public organizations and assured her the significance of Smile Club as a NPO.

'Surroundings where everyone can easily enjoy sports'  is the motto of this club.

ｂｙ　Chairman Atsuko Ohama

1 What is SMILE CLUB

• An　organization　that　contributes to society through sportsactivity.
• A　community-ｂａｓｅｄ　sports　club.
• An organization freely accesible to all that want to enjoy sports　or　physical　activity.
• An　organization　that　aim　to　extend　its　activity　within　easy　reach of　your　community life；community　school　or　community　centerin　your　neighborhood.　

２　What　is　SMILE　CLUB　doing?

• Openinｇ　a　sports　and　health　class
• Sports　and　Health　Events
• Management of　sports　facilities
• Development　of　health　program
• Development　of　sports　software

3 Guide to each class

1,"Undouga-nigatenako-no" class

class for kids who are week in physical excercise（including disabled children）

2,Volleyball Class

• Club fees 3,675yen／month
• Initiation fee2,100yen
• Insurance fee 500yen／year（until Jr. high school)
  　　　　　　　　　　1,000yen／year（from high school）

3,Basketball Class

• Club fees 3,675yen／month
• Initiation fee 2,100yen　
• Insurance fee 500yen／year（until Jr. high school）
  　　　　　　　　　1,000yen／year（from high school）

4,Badminton　Class

• Club fees 3,675yen／month
• Initiation fee 2,100yen　
• Insurance fee 500yen／year（until Jr. high school）
  　　　　　　　　　1,000yen／year（from high school）

5,Smile gym class for health

• Club fees 4,150yen／month
• Initiation fee 2,100yen　
• Insurance fee 500yen／year（until Jr. high school）
  　　　　　　　　　1,000yen／year（from high school）