Da Kine Star-Bulletin staff and wire services

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Vote for Hoku fave

Music fans still have a chance to vote for the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards Favorite Entertainer of the Year by filling out ballots at Borders and Borders Express stores statewide.

This is the only Hoku category determined by public vote. The nominees are Nathan Aweau, Ekolu, Hapa, Jack Johnson, Ledward Ka'apana, Sonny Lim, Na Leo, Sean Na'auao, Brittni Paiva and Jake Shimabukuro.

All 10 nominees are previous Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners, and the contest pits Nathan Aweau against himself as a soloist and as a member of Hapa with Barry Flanagan.

Deadline for voting is May 21. All Hoku winners will be announced during a televised awards ceremony May 31 on KFVE-TV.

The ceremony will be held at Hilton Hawaiian Village at 5 p.m. Tickets are $95 and $200. Call 235-9424.

The formal dinner will include a salute to the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award winners -- Dick Jensen, the late Leila Hohu Kiaha, George Naope, Ohta-San and Palani Vaughan -- and entertainment by some of the nominees.

Expressing gratitude

"Operation Gratitude," a golf tournament and party, will honor the men and women in the Hawaii National Guard and Army Reserves on May 22 at the Mid-Pacific Country Club.

Proceeds will be donated to the Hawaii National Guard Volunteer Support Organization.

Lunch will be served at 11 a.m. with a shotgun start at noon. Donations of cash and prizes are being accepted. Call Ken Koike at 561-7926 or Emi Espinda at 262-8161, ext. 246.

Pen your thanks

Children are invited to illustrate the theme "Express Your Vision of Freedom" in a Military Appreciation Month contest sponsored by Montblanc.

To enter, children ages 6 to 12 must visit any Montblanc boutique to draw a picture on contest stationery. They may also write a letter to the troops to accompany their drawings.

Montblanc, at Ala Moana Center and in Wailea, Maui, will have drawing instruments available. Deadline is May 22.

Each boutique will choose the five top entries to display in the store beginning Memorial Day, May 29, and residents will be able to vote for one winner, to be announced June 14.

Hawaii's winners will then compete with those from 39 other Montblanc stores nationwide for a grand prize of a $2,500 educational bond and a donation for $5,000, to be made in his or her name to Our Military Kids.

Montblanc will also donate $1 per vote to Our Military Kids, which helps the children of deployed and injured Reserve and National Guard personnel participate in youth sports, fine arts and tutoring programs.

Call 800-995-4810.

CONTEST ENTRIES

Cancer survivor stories wanted

Do you have a friend or relative who is a breast cancer survivor? The Honolulu Star-Bulletin and LUXi would like to honor them in support of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation's Hawaii affiliate during the store's opening month.

Tell your breast cancer survivor's inspirational story in 500 words or less. Send it to the Star-Bulletin at features@starbulletin.com or Cancer Survivor, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Today section, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Include your name, survivor's name and respective phone numbers.

Survivors in the Top 2 stories will receive $350 LUXi gift certificates. Deadline is May 31. No purchase is necessary.

All entries become property of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and LUXi. Winning entries will be reprinted in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.