Wood Craft Ben Wood

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Roosevelt marks 75th, raising $502,000 for school stadium

Roosevelt students, teachers and alums put on a super 75th anniversary dinner party for the high school Tuesday that left the many grads in the packed Hilton Coral Ballroom "filled with pride," just as the alma mater's words read. At the end of the night, the Roosevelt Alumni Association and Roosevelt Foundation presented a check of $502,081.14 to Principal Dennis Hokama to improve the Rough Riders' football field -- also the home field for Farrington and McKinley. The anniversary committee, headed by chairs Sen. Carol Fukunaga and Judge Marie Milks, did a great job. Beauty queen sisters Darah and Denby Dung were emcees. The RHS Marching Band, Pep Squad and Color Guard participated. The Sons of Papakolea and Gavin & Friends entertained. A short, well-done video, "Field of Dreams," made by students about the worn field, was shown. Danny Kaleikini, Class of '55 and one of the grads honored, led the crowd of 1,500 in the national anthem, "Hawaii Ponoi" and also sang the prayer. Other grads honored were: Judge Karen Ahn, the late John Bellinger, Buzzy Hong, Maggie Inouye, Bert T. Kobayashi Jr., Malcolm Koga, Bill Kwon, Mike Lum, Lynne Madden, Milks, Larry Price and Dr. Benjamin Young. Teachers singled out were: The late Ticky Vasconcellos, Juliette Nosse, Maydeen Minami and Ann Todd. RHS hula dancers and a string quartet performed during a delicious Chinese dinner. The table I was at had a fine young server. Her only slip was when she let a piece of calamari fall off a platter on to my head. "That's for good luck," she said quickly. She was fun ...

Ex-Hawaiian Air hostesses swing it paniolo style

The reunion of Hawaiian Airlines flight attendants of 1943-53 at the Ilikai last Saturday had a paniolo theme. Melveen Leed sang. Among her vocals was "Nani Kauai," which she and emcee-hula dancer Hale Kaohu Rowland dedicated to the late Verna Mae Perkins. The Country Line Dancers of Hawaii, led by Chris McColgan, performed. The HAL group, Na Koa'e Kea, was founded by Abigail Funn Chong and Carol Mae Stibbard Vanderford ... Melveen and Mayor Mufi Hannemann open the Salvation Army's bell ringing holiday fund drive at noon Nov. 21 at King and Bishop ...