| 1897 |
Paul Rusch is born in Fairmont, Indiana. His family
moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where he grew up. |
| 1925 |
Rusch comes to Japan to help rebuild the Yokohama YMCA
after an earthquake. He stays as a lay missionary of the
Episcopal Church and economics professor at Rikkyo (St.
Paul's) University in Tokyo. |
| 1927 |
Rusch forms a Japanese chapter of the Brotherhood of St.
Andrew as a youth group for students. |
| 1937 |
With BSA support, Rusch targets Kiyosato for a Christian
fellowship youth retreat. |
| 1938 |
Seisen Ryo is built as a permanent retreat lodge in
Kiyosato. |
| 1942-45 |
Rusch returns home and serves in the U.S. military for
the duration of World War II. |
| 1945 |
On General MacArthur's General Headquarters Staff, Rusch
returns to war-devastated Japan. |
| 1946 |
Paul Rusch envisions the formation of KEEP, an
organization that models rebuilding strategies for rural
Japan. |
| 1948 |
St. Andrew's Church is completed at KEEP. |
| 1949 |
Ohio Experimental Farm is established at KEEP to
demonstrate highland dairy farming techniques. |
| 1950 |
St. Luke's Clinic is established at KEEP. |
| 1954 |
Annual County Fair Festivals begin and continue for the
next 20 years. |
| 1955 |
Seisen Ryo burned to the ground in a fire. Rebuilding
starts immediately. |
| 1957 |
St. John's Nursery School opens at KEEP. |
| 1962 |
Lenox Chapel built by Lenox High School volunteers from
California.
Takizo Matsumoto Youth Camp built with 4 cabins and two
meeting halls. |
| 1963 |
Kiyosato Farm School is established. |
| 1966 |
St. Luke's Hospital is established. |
| 1967 |
A training ring is built for horse back riding teams preparing for the Olympics. |
| 1976 |
First Brian Kane Fellowships are awarded.
Farm School closes and international study programs begin. |
| 1979 |
Paul Rusch dies in Tokyo. |
| 1980 |
A new hospital building is built that is remodeled in
2000 to become the St. Francis Discovery Center. |
| 1984 |
First Nature Center opens to the public. |
| 1986 |
Paul Rusch Society is established. |
| 1987 |
A new Nature Center is built by 400 volunteers.
The building was remodeled in 1998 to house the Yamane
Museum. |
| 1988 |
Tulgao Integrated Development Project inaugurated in the
Philippines.
County Fair Festival revived and renamed Yatsugatake County
Fair Paul Rusch Festival.
Community leaders from the four towns of the Yatsugatake
area and Madison County, Kentucky, formalize a Sister Region
Exchange agreement.
|
| 1991 |
The Visitor's Center opens. The center is now the Farm
Shop. |
| 1994 |
The Yatsugatake Nature Center opens housing the
Environmental Education Department staff. |
| 1995 |
The Japan Committee for KEEP is established. |
| 1996 |
The Paul Rusch Memorial Center opens for the public.
Opening ceremonies are attended by many dignitaries
including royal family representatives, American Embassy
representatives, local government officials, and many other
important supporters of KEEP. |
| 1998 |
The Yamane Museum opens in the former Nature Center
building. |
| 1999 |
The Farm completes a 5 year improvement plan complete
with a new milking barn.
The former farm office is remodeled into the KEEP Bakery. |
| 2000 |
St. Francis Discovery Center opens in the former
building of the St. Luke's Hospital. |
| 2001 |
Yatsugatake Rice Paddy School program begins. |
| 2002 |
International training programs with JICA (Japan
International Cooperation Agency) begin with trainees from
Central and Eastern Europe. |
| 2003 |
Forest Kindergarten program begins. |
| 2005 |
KEEP receives ISO 14001 certification for Environmental
Management Systems. |