By Dave Donnelly
Friday, January 31, 1997
Rod Carew, George Ariyoshi
Rod Carew, George Ariyoshi
THERE were lots of tears shed at the 15th anniversary HUGS achievement awards dinner. Kalowena Komeiji described the feeling as "pretty darn close to being touched by Angels" - California Angels, perhaps? In town to accept the HUGS achievement award from the Help, Understand and Group Support organization was Rod Carew, longtime Minnesota Twins star and current batting coach for the California Angels. When his daughter Michelle battled with leukemia, Carew went to bat for the National Donor Registry to recruit bone marrow donors, and his efforts resulted in the registration of more than 2 million new donors. The usually irreverent comic Billy Sage sagely turned serious and gave a dinner invocation that proved very moving, evoking the names of Michelle, who lost her battle last April, and Alana Dung, among others. By the time Na Leo Pilimehana sang "Flying With Angels," a dry eye in the vicinity was rare ... Angels alight
at HUGS huddleTHE Carews and Alana's parents, Stephen and Adelia Dung were both in the audience, and managed a private get-together at the Golden Dragon Restaurant of the Hilton Hawaiian Village before the Carews left town ...
SPEAKING of youngsters, the 35 Leeward students hereafter to be known as Konishiki's Kids, celebrated many firsts during their trip to see the Leeward-born sumo star in the basho in Japan at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. Not only was it their first time in Japan, but for most the first time off the island and in an aircraft. For that, thanks must go to United Airlines, which generously donated 42 round trip tickets to make the kids' trip a reality ... Also in the spirit of giving, hats off to David Thall of Planet Hollywood Maui who hosted a dinner party for 145 volunteers of the 1996 Maui United Way campaign ...
CHRISTMAS may be over in your household, but where Suzanne Jones is concerned, she's still in that holiday giving spirit. Honolulu's recycling coordinator has arranged for free mulch, sprinkled with a touch of Oahu's recycled Christmas trees, to be available at GreenCycling Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 8 at Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden. The Christmas in February giveaway accompanies workshops throughout the day on subjects like mulch and backyard composting. It's free, too. ... Mulch obliged
WHEN Pam Davis of David Media flew to Palm Springs to work on a new advertising account, she quickly discovered that her contact was, like her, a Honolulu girl. Turned out to be Kathleen Sullivan Gaines, daughter of soccer maven and professional Boston Irishman Jack Sullivan. Pam's dad is Rick Davis, who's been an old friend of the elder Sullivan for years and has donated to the prison programs which keep him busy. The two young ladies now represent Recommend Travel Magazine both here and on the mainland. Yup, you got it: Small World ...
LONDON tabloids have been on the long-distance phone checking out reports that Mark Philips, former husband of Princess Anne, was in Hawaii to get married ... Still need Pro Bowl tickets? Don Murphy still has a supply ($35 each) at Murphy's Bar & Grill downtown ... Former Gov. George Ariyoshi, is chairman-elect of the Board of Governors of the East-West Center, taking over July 1. Gov. Ben Cayetano had to twist his arm to serve on the board but now he's jumped in wholeheartedly ...
SEVENTH and eighth-graders from Kamehameha Schools and a group of third-graders from Holy Nativity School were on the Navatek I's morning whale watching cruise Wednesday when the eagle-eyed students spotted a juvenile humpback whale entangled in nets off Waikiki. Navatek's Lori Mazzuca called the National Marine Fisheries Service for assistance but before the Coast Guard cutter could arrive on the scene, the whale disentangled itself and rolled out of the nets. The whale then gave a "thank you" show of breaches, tail slaps and blows that'll give the kids plenty of tales to tell ... Whale tale
