Iwamoto calms
MADD staplersIT was a MADDening experience for more than 30 AIG Insurance employees and their families, but former City Council candidate Karen Iwamoto showed her political acumen in dealing with a touchy problem. After hours of painstakingly stapling 16,000 MADD ribbons to program cards to help the organization promote safe and sober driving during the holiday season, one sharp-eyed volunteer noted that the program cards contained -- zounds! -- an Allstate sponsor logo. Iwamoto, who is government and p.r. manager at AIG, convinced the volunteers the spirit of giving and working together should overcome such suggestions as covering the logo with AIG stickers, and the job got done. This time, however, it was the Allstate people who found themselves in Good Hands ...
THE old joke is that if you remember the 60s, you weren't there. (Something about dope deadening the brain.) But at Saturday's "Two Million Dollar Party" at the Blaisdell Arena, the 1960s music won't be the only thing to take you back a few decades. Sure, you can rock (and even dance) to the music of Freddie Cannon, Sonny Geraci (of Climax and the Outsiders), the Marvelettes, Mitch Ryder, Ray Peterson, Lou Christie, Martha and the Vandellas and even Hawaii's own Robin Luke. But up until show time, promoter Tom Moffatt has arranged to offer Mug root beer floats at the 60s price of 35 cents ...
RICE alumn Dr. John Lederer, head of radiation therapy at Queen's, hosted the Rice Owls women's volleyball team to dinner at the Outrigger Tuesday night. And although he admitted he's a big UH booster with season tickets to both the men's and women's volleyball games, he made a concession to his alma mater. Dr. Lederer was given a Rice T-shirt by the team and they made him promise to wear it in the UH booster section when the Owls play the Wahine tonight at the Special Events Arena. Dr. Lederer should be easy to spot. Let's hope the visitors didn't spend so much time in the sun that they could be described as Rice Crispies ... Owls give a hoot
THERE'LL be sports figures galore at the newly awarded AAA five-diamond Ihilani Resort & Spa this weekend. Olympic gold medalist Dan O'Brien is hosting a big dinner there Saturday night followed by a concert by the Brothers Cazimero. It's the third annual "Celebrity Sports Invitational" benefit for the U.S. Olympic Committee. I went to last year's dinner and found myself seated between Ron Reagan, son of the ex-president, and Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the sex therapist. As I recall, I spent far more time talking with Dr. Ruth than with Ron ...
SO I meet this stunning young blonde woman at Murphy's and somehow the subject got around to Marv Albert and his alleged predeliction for biting women on the back. She didn't see anything so strange about bite marks on the back, said Becky Worley of Manoa, adding that she had some herself. Before the obvious question, she added, "I got them playing rugby." Worley, it seems, engages in the sometimes vicious sport, and is currently acting as press coordinator for the 1997 Budweiser Hawaii Harlequins rugby tournament being held today through Sunday at Kapiolani Park. Naturally I asked if she were a hooker -- a rugby position -- and she replied that sadly, no, she was a halfback. Rubgy is, incidentally, a fascinating sport to watch, especially with participants like Worley -- no relation to JoAnne -- who gives as good as she gets ... Rugger-ous sport
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.