Category: Living Life

90th Lei Day Celebration: a May Day Tradition

2016 Lei Queen Carol Ana Makana Lani Yamada, mother of famed female surfers Carissa and Cayla Moore. Photo: Dave Miyamoto, Dave Miyamoto & Co.

O‘ahu’s 90th Annual Lei Day Celebration will be held on Monday, May 1, at Kap‘iolani Park. The theme for the 2017 celebration is Lei Kula — the gold lei of the golden years.

Hawai‘i’s Lei Day has a very rich and colorful history, incorporating a variety of ethnic traditions.

The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is seeking applicants for the 89th Annual Lei Court Selection event, which will be held on March 4, 2017, at McCoy Pavilion in Ala Moana Regional Park. The event is free and open to the public.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the city’s Lei Day and Lei Court selection events, the DPR has added a new age group to the three existing groups. The 2017 selection will accept applications from Nā Mākua ‘Ō‘ō (The Elders in Training) group.

Court applicants for 2017 must be between 46 and 60 years of age by Saturday, March 4, 2017. The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.

Age groups will rotate each year to highlight a different phase of life.

The DPR staff will provide free lei-making workshops in preparation for Lei Day festivities and contests. The schedule will be available to the public by the end of December at www.honoluluparks.com.

LEI DAY CELEBRATION
Kaiulani Kauahi, Chairperson
808-768-3041 | rkauahi@honolulu.gov.

O‘ahu’s 90th Annual Lei Day Celebration will be held on Monday, May 1, at Kap‘iolani Park. The theme for the 2017 celebration is Lei Kula — the gold lei of the golden years. Hawai‘i’s Lei Day has a very rich and colorful history, incorporating a variety of ethnic traditions. The Department of Parks and Recreation…
Expand Your Horizons Through Travel

Seniors who travel may be positively impacting their health. Travel keeps the mind and body active and strong.

Any type of travel is good for you. A change in scenery and environment provides a healthy break from your regular routine.

Travel encourages engagement with others, whether you are visiting family and friends, or traveling with a group of people you don’t know. Group travel — usually with between 15 and 40 people — introduces you to new friends. Depending on the focus of the travel program, you will be among like-minded, interesting people.

Engage in tours that focus on quality experiences with insider access to heritage and environmental. We work with nonprofit organizations such as the Smithsonian, The Nature Conservancy, National Parks Conservation Parks and Road Scholar (previously known as Elderhostel) to customize educational travel programs in Hawai‘i, Tahiti, Fiji, Easter Island, American Samoa/ Samoa, Guam, PNG and throughout Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.

Consider these educational travel explorations over a “mass tourism” group package as tours emphasize learning about the destination, its indigenous peoples, and its history and natural environments. Gain perspective from the locals, discover regional cuisine and leave with a better understanding of what life is like in these places.

Interpretation is often with “guides,” who are not in the tourism industry, but are experts in their fields of study, including volcanologists in Hawai‘i, archaeologists on Easter Island, or marine biologists in Palau or Fiji. Much can be learned about their political systems and unique economic industries.

Get out and explore the world or even your own backyard on a Neighbor Island.

You can travel by ship, take a group land tour or consider family travel on an intergenerational (grandparents and grandchildren) or multi-generational tour (grandparents, parents and grandchildren together).

Quench your curiosity, get active and go travel! There is something out there for everyone.

PACIFIC ISLANDS INSTITUTE
1144 10th Ave., Ste. 301, Honolulu HI 96816
O: 808-732-1999 | F: 808-732-9555
info@pac-island.com | www.ExplorethePacific.com
Exceptional cultural and eco-experiences since 1989

Seniors who travel may be positively impacting their health. Travel keeps the mind and body active and strong. Any type of travel is good for you. A change in scenery and environment provides a healthy break from your regular routine. Travel encourages engagement with others, whether you are visiting family and friends, or traveling with…
Memoir of a Hawai‘i Cowboy Doctor

T. David Woo’s highly textured memoir of his life as a Hawai‘i Island plantation doctor provides a fascinating look at the days when sugar cane was king.

Plantation Doctor: A Memoir of Hawai‘i is filled with anecdotes, rare photos and detailed maps of ethnic camps during Hawai‘i’s booming plantation era.

Woo was born on the Big Island just after the turn of the century. He left home at age 14 to attend school in China. After earning his medical degree in 1935, he returned to his island home to become a self-professed “cowboy doctor” at Parker Ranch; physician for the Hakalau, Pepe‘ekeo, Honomū and Onomea plantations; and co-founder of the Hilo Medical Group, providing medical care for thousands of ranch hands, plantation workers and other Big Island residents.

His interests also extended to horticulture, a field in which he hybridized award-winning orchids. He was also a horse-breeder, playing a key role in continuing kanaka mustang (Hawaiian horse) bloodlines.

The posthumously published memoir was compiled by Woo’s three children, who shared, “As we age, we have come to more full… appreciate his optimism and positivity in serving his fellow man, community and family.”

Available at www.bookshawaii.net
($19.95 for softcover, prices may vary)

T. David Woo’s highly textured memoir of his life as a Hawai‘i Island plantation doctor provides a fascinating look at the days when sugar cane was king. Plantation Doctor: A Memoir of Hawai‘i is filled with anecdotes, rare photos and detailed maps of ethnic camps during Hawai‘i’s booming plantation era. Woo was born on the…
Keeping History Alive: Maui Plantation Camps

Did you or a loved one work for the plantations on Maui during the 20th century? Do you enjoy reminiscing with children and grandchildren about simpler times, when family came first and neighbors looked out for each other? Lahaina Restoration Foundation’s (LRF) Plantation Camp Map project helps tell your story.

Over seven years, the Plantation Days annual event in Lahaina allowed members of West Maui sugar and pineapple plantation communities to view and fine-tune details on large paper maps originally drawn up by Taketo Okamitsu. By locating their family homes on the maps, they preserved details for future generations.

For the past two years, LRF has commissioned digitization of these maps and a collection of personal details. LRF’s 32 colorful new maps show family names and home locations, company stores and services in each West Maui plantation camp from south of Lahaina to Pu‘ukoli‘i and Honolua. They celebrate the old families in our community and assist seniors in saving their memoirs.

LRF is currently the only organization committed to collecting information about West Maui’s camps, an integral part of a larger outreach to gather all primary source historical information about Lahaina.
By the end of 2016, residents and visitors will be able to view camp maps in a permanent display at the Plantation Museum, located on the top floor of The Wharf Cinema Center in Lahaina. Historic photos and antiques, including appliances, tools, furniture and heirlooms will illustrate poignant, real-life stories on display panels. Learn how migrant workers traveled to Hawai‘i; view the workings of a sugar mill and pineapple cannery; see homemade toys, games and community sports; explore the bango system and mid-century labor strikes. Visit the museum with your family and share your memories of plantation life.

LAHAINA RESTORATION FOUNDATION
501(c)3 Hawai‘i nonprofit with volunteer board of directors and members
808-661-3262 | www.LahainaRestoration.org

PLANTATION MUSEUM
The Wharf Cinema Center, third floor
658 Front St., Lahaina HI 96761
Open daily from 9 am – 6 pm, free admission

Did you or a loved one work for the plantations on Maui during the 20th century? Do you enjoy reminiscing with children and grandchildren about simpler times, when family came first and neighbors looked out for each other? Lahaina Restoration Foundation’s (LRF) Plantation Camp Map project helps tell your story. Over seven years, the Plantation…
Adopt a Family Program Lifts Holiday Spirits

Gloria, 65, a participant in the Adopt A Family program in 2015, and EAH Housing Resource Coordinator Amber Itokazu. “Don’t assume that others know what you need or what you’re going through,” said Gloria. HHH photo.

The holidays are a special time for Hawai‘i families. But for some seniors, the season can be one of the most challenging and difficult times of the year.

Many kūpuna live on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet. Some do not have the support of family and friends, and especially during the holidays, this isolation can make them feel alone and unloved.

Those with ‘ohana can feel the financial strain of the gift-giving season. Elderly parents caring for mentally or physically disabled adult children may find themselves unable to afford additional holiday indulgences.

During these times of need, Helping Hands Hawai‘i (HHH) helps to support seniors experiencing financial hardships. Every year, HHH’s Adopt A Family program connects seniors, and other low income or homeless individuals and families, with community donors who help uplift and inspire them while providing them with much-needed basic necessities.

This year, donors will adopt more than 600 households in need. Donors come from all over the island and from all walks of life. Their actions show hundreds of families that they are not alone.

“I think the community is not fully aware of how many seniors are in need,” said Amber Itokazu, a resource coordinator at EAH Housing (an affordable housing nonprofit), who works closely with many kūpuna.

One of these seniors is Gloria, who participated in the Adopt A Family program in 2015.

Gloria’s advice to other seniors struggling to make ends meet during the holidays is to ask for help. “Don’t assume that others know what you need or what you’re going through,” she said.

Gloria said the second step is to seek out support and “don’t give up until you find the program that best fits your unique situation.”

“Some seniors have the mentality that they are the forgotten generation, but they are not,” said Gloria. “Everyone needs to feel needed, wanted, cared about and that their lives do matter.”

“A lot of people don’t think of how much of an impact they can make,” Amber said. “To them, the gesture is so small, but to the person receiving, it is big.”

Together with generous supporters and donors, HHH continues to change people’s lives each year. Through partnerships with service providers and organizations, an increasing number of individuals learn about the community resources that are available to them.

During the holidays and throughout the entire year, remember that there are lonely seniors in the community who face constant financial strain.

Consider how you and your family can make a difference in a kūpuna’s life. Connect with a nonprofit in the community that supports seniors and help them in their efforts.

“Every little bit counts,” said Amber.

HELPING HANDS HAWAI‘I
2100 N. Nimitz Highway, Honolulu HI 96819
P: 808-536-7234 | F: 808-536-7237 | E: hhh@helpinghandshawaii.org
www.HelpingHandsHawaii.org

The holidays are a special time for Hawai‘i families. But for some seniors, the season can be one of the most challenging and difficult times of the year. Many kūpuna live on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet. Some do not have the support of family and friends, and especially during the holidays,…
How to Write Your Memoir

Everyone has a story to tell. And what better way to leave a legacy, and pass down family values and traditions than through your own words, in your very own book that can be passed down through the generations, inspiring legacies to come.

But getting started can be a daunting task. Staring at that blank page or computer screen can be an unnerving experience. Where to begin?

Writing the Hawai‘i Memoir: Advice and Exercises to Help You Tell Your Story by international bestselling author and writing instructor Darien Gee can help guide you from start to finish.

The book describes how to begin, what to do and how to do it with the aid of 29 writing exercises along with writing tips and inspiration from more than 20 of Hawai‘i’s best-known writers, teachers and storytellers.

Through this awardwinning how-to book, budding writers can learn tips to recall and organize life events into a story, discover life themes, overcome writer’s block, assess the “warts and all” aspects of storytelling, keep motivated and how to choose the best way to publish or share the finished memoir.

If your story is still waiting to be told, this book just may hold the key to unlocking your writer’s block, so you can share yourself — your story — with future generations.

Available at www.bookshawaii.net
($14.95 for softcover, prices may vary)

Everyone has a story to tell. And what better way to leave a legacy, and pass down family values and traditions than through your own words, in your very own book that can be passed down through the generations, inspiring legacies to come. But getting started can be a daunting task. Staring at that blank…
The U.S. Army Museum: Veteran Volunteers

The U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii in Waikīkī was once a battery built to protect the state from invading forces. Today, it is home to stories of military past, including exhibits of the Vietnam War, Korean War, World War II and more. But more than that, the museum is a great place for senior veterans to volunteer — a majority of the volunteers are retired veterans.

“Veterans are really great at talking to people,” said Ian Frazier, historian and museum specialist. “A lot of our visitors hail from all over the world . This is the only contact they have with veterans from WWII, Korean… Vietnam [wars].”

Museum staff are usually selective about who they have as volunteers because they represent our country and the U.S. Army. But Ian said the one thing that shines about veteran volunteers is the way they communicate.

The museum is always looking for additional volunteers, and you don’t have to be a veteran to be considered.

The museum, operated by the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, averages 400 visitors per day from all over the world. The museum receives funding through the U.S. Army and the Hawaii Army  Museum Society. Most of the staff are volunteers.

Admission to the museum is free. However, donations are always welcome. The museum also offers audio tours for a small fee of $5 or $2.50  for society members. You may also view some military exhibits on the museum’s website.

U.S. ARMY MUSEUM of HAWAII
2161 Kalia Road, Honolulu HI 96815
Hours of operation: Tuesday – Saturday, 9 am – 4:15 pm
Sunday, Monday and all federal holidays — CLOSED
808-438-2821 | www.tinyurl.com/ArmyMuseumHI

The U.S. Army Museum: Veteran Volunteers by Stephanie Kim, Generations Magazine Intern from the Oct-Nov 2016 issue of Generations Magazine, Hawai‘i’s Resource for Life
Voices of Aloha Chorus is 100!

The Voices of Aloha Chorus is a non-audition group for people of all ages who love to sing. This year, they have been singing joyfully for 100 years.

We are 21st-century descendants of the Gleemen of Honolulu, the oldest men’s chorus west of the Rockies, and celebrating 100 years! The chorus began when the Apollo Club and Honolulu Choral Society joined voices in 1916. Among notable members were Sen. Daniel Akaka, Gov. Lawrence Judd, Charles K.L. Davis and Charles E. King.

Shigeru Hotoke, WWII veteran and Kailua High music teacher, assumed directorship of the Gleemen in 1984, and in 1992, he produced a Chrismas concert with the Kailua Madrigal alumnae and a mixed choir, Mele Nani Singers, under director and opera singer Gerald Ting. This was the beginning of Gleemen Plus of Honolulu.

In 2007, after 20 years of successful concert ministry on the mainland, I assumed the role of director. In 2013, the Leadership Board changed our name to the Voices of Aloha to better reflect our origins and mission. Since 1916, the chorus has always been a civic, community-minded choral group, open to all who love music and can carry their part, whether they read music or not. We are a non-audition chorus, and accept vocalists of all ages and professions/trades. Voices of Aloha regularly performs for senior clubs, care homes and retirement centers. Our popular annual spring and Christmas concerts draw crowds of up to 800. The future looks bright!

If you love to sing, rehearsals are Tuesday nights from 7 to 9 pm at Community of Christ Church Annex in Makiki. To join, book a concert, or donate, please call us and sing joyfully!

VOICES OF ALOHA
Christmas Concert Dec. 4, McKinley HS Auditorium, 4pm
Mark Yasuhara, director | 808-228-5068 | emynent100@yahoo.com

Voices of Aloha Chorus is 100! by Mark Yasuhara, Director, Voices of Aloha Chorus from the Oct-Nov 2016 issue of Generations Magazine, Hawai‘i’s Resource for Life
Aloha Chapter Teaches Leadership

Volunteers, friends, family and Troop 616 all worked hard to complete this project.

An Eagle Scout project is the culmination of the Boy Scouting program that gives a scout an opportunity to demonstrate leadership, utilize communication skills and help their community. For me, as a scout and as a Native Hawaiian, Lunalilo Home represents not only a staple for the longevity of Hawai‘i’s elderly, but a historic institution that is deeply rooted in the care and support of the Native Hawaiian community. It is for these reasons and more that I chose Lunalilo Home as the beneficiary of my Eagle Scout project. The project consisted mainly of creating a 15-by-16-foot cement patio for use by the senior day care operation at Lunalilo Home. The staff, especially Jill Martinez, director of day care activities, was extremely helpful in outlining what would best serve the senior patients. I also found immense support from local companies and institutions that happily donated materials, funds and volunteer manpower to my project. Overall, I think this Eagle Scout project has demonstrated the amazing generosity and cooperation that exists in our local community. This support can only be described as the aloha spirit.

To find out more about Lunalilo Home in Hawai‘i Kai, visit www.lunalilo.org. For scouting in Hawai‘i, visit www.alohacouncilbsa.org and/or www.mauibsa.org

Aloha Chapter Teaches Leadership by Christian Tamashiro, Eagle Scout from the Oct-Nov 2016 issue of Generations Magazine, Hawai‘i’s Resource for Life
Picture Bride: A Historical Novel

Picture Bride is a remarkably engaging read, and from a historical sense, a body of research that brings to the forefront something that has escaped attention — Japanese-American culture. Everyone in Hawai‘i should read it!

The immigration experience of Issei Japanese workers at the turn of the century has been documented, as well as the valor of their Nisei descendants, the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 552nd Artillery Battalion and 232nd Combat Engineer Company.

Author Mike Malaghan’s wife, Tomoko, helped him interpret Japanese cultural values of the first immigrants —attributes that later made them American patriots integral to the U.S. and Allied war against the Nazi’s in Europe and the Japanese Imperial Army in Asia.

The protagonist, Haru, narrowly escapes sexual servitude in Amakusa, Japan, before becoming “picture bride” to a Buddhist priest, ministering to workers at Parker Ranch in Waimea on Hawai‘i Island. Mild and polite, but intelligent and strategic, Haru delicately navigates her community through plantation strikes and government opposition to Japanese language schools.

She supports her family with her passion for American freedom, noble aspects of Buddhism, and Japanese respect for knowledge and mastery. Her three sons honor her legacy as Nisei soldiers.

The book is available at:
– Local bookstores ($19.95 for softcover, prices may vary)
– www.Amazon.com (Kindle version is $8.99)
– Legacy Isle Publishing (an imprint of Watermark Publishing):
 www.bookshawaii.net
 808-587-7766 | toll-free: 866-900-BOOK

Picture Bride: A Historical Novel by Generations Magazine Staff from the Oct-Nov 2016 issue of Generations Magazine, Hawai‘i’s Resource for Life
Bindi: A Therapy Dog for Veterans

Bindi and Rona marched with Vietnam Veterans of America on July 4th. Photo by George Barlet, VFW.

Meet my nine-year-old American Champion Italian Greyhound, Blanerne Utoroonga, called “Bindi,” a therapy dog who visits wounded warriors at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) in the Red Cross Human Animal Bond (HAB) program. She passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) test, a temperament evaluation by a military veterinarian, and evaluation by a senior HAB handler and her dog. She proudly wears her HAB bandana with patches and Bindi Adams ID card when working at TAMC. She’s a smart cookie, and fully certified to help patients with medical, mental and social problems.

Patients love Bindi. She’s a cuddler and her sleek fur is smooth to the touch. She has sad eyes that bring out the best in people and she’s a very good listener. She politely accepts healthy snacks — but secretly prefers chicken nuggets.

Bindi also belongs to Tails of Aloha (TOA), an all-volunteer, animal-assisted therapy organization that offers comfort and de-stressing in schools, hospitals and libraries. To volunteer with your pet, visit the websites below.

RED CROSS HAB PROGRAM | www.redcross.org
TAILS OF ALOHA | www.tailsofaloha.com

Bindi: A Therapy Dog for Veterans by Rona Adams, RN, Vietnam Veteran, U.S. Army Nurse Corps from the Oct-Nov 2016 issue of Generations Magazine, Hawai‘i’s Resource for Life
Summer Tips for Senior Travelers

1. Arrive at the airport three hours before departure during the busy summer months. If you’re 75 or older, you do not have to take your shoes off at the security checkpoint. If you need assistance, ask for a wheelchair when you make your reservation. When you arrive at the airport, tell the skycap that you ordered a wheelchair. Be sure to read all the latest airline rules when you buy your ticket.

2. For free drinking water, just pack an empty bottle in your carry-on and fill it from a water fountain on the secure side of the checkpoint.

3. Bring snacks: trail mix, chips, dried fruit or candy. All foods must be wrapped or in some kind of container that can be opened for inspection.

4. Bring a washable travel pillow and light travel blanket if your airline does not provide them. In your carry-on, pack a hooded jacket or scarf and a light travel blanket to keep your head, neck and legs warm during or between flights.

5. Bring reading material, games or movies to watch on your iPad. When you buy your ticket, ask how to use the airplane’s WiFi system.

VACATIONS HAWAII
1585 Kapiolani Blvd., #900, Honolulu HI 96814

Kevin Kaneshiro, Sales and Promotions Manager  808-591-4777 | www.BoydVacationsHawaii.com
For further traveling information, visit  www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures

Summer Tips for Senior Travelers by Kevin Kaneshiro, Vacations Hawai‘i from the August-September 2016 issue of Generations Magazine, Hawai‘i’s Resource for Life