Wood Craft Ben Wood

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Hana fun relay was a gas for one team a decade ago

ANYONE who read Katherine Nichols' fun run story in Saturday's Star-Bulletin about the Hana Relay, a 52-mile relay from Kahului to Hana, knows that it really is a fun run. Katherine has run it twice. A hilarious episode happened to her and her Outrigger Canoe Club teammates the first time she ran it a decade ago. In this race, runners pile into a vehicle and while one team member runs between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 miles to the next runner-transition spot, the others ride there. Katherine's teammates a decade ago were David Stackhouse, Vik and Tanya Watumull and Peter and Katy Bourne. Halfway through the race, the gas gauge was on empty in the team's rental car. They assumed the gas tank was full when they rented it but it was not. They heard a lawnmower chugging along somewhere and, realizing a power mower meant gas, heroic Vik jumped out of the car and ran to find it. Lo and behold, he returned with a can of gas and they struggled to pour it into the car's tank, as it didn't have a proper nozzle. Then, mission accomplished, they sped to the next transition spot to get there before their running teammate -- who was racing on the road -- got there to hand the baton to one of them. Katherine said it was a hilarious comedy of errors. Both the team and the car had enough gas to finish the race ...

Arroyo views Filipino arts gallery at Academy

PHILIPPINE President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was given a special tour of the George R. and Nancy Ellis Gallery for Filipino Arts Saturday afternoon at the Academy of Arts. The Academy's Asian Painting Conservator Eddie Jose, born in the Philippines, escorted Arroyo, along with Academy Development Director Karen Sumner and Academy Trustees Sam and Mary Cooke. The gallery of Filipino art is one of only a few permanent Filipino arts displays in the United States. It was opened in 2003 and named in honor of retired director Ellis and his wife ...

ALAN WONG is presenting "New Wave Luau II" at his Pineapple Room in Macy's Sunday to mark the restaurant's seventh anniversary. The event, with food, wine, beer and music, will benefit Hawaii's Plantation Village. Tickets are $125. Call 945-6573 for reservations ...