Hawaii
THANKSGIVING is just about everyone's favorite holiday, and it seems to bring out the best in people. Many organizations such as the Salvation Army gear up to provide a memorable meal for those who otherwise wouldn't have one. Yesterday we mentioned UH football coach June Jones would be passing out plates at the River of Life Mission to homeless folks, and now we learn that about 100 clients from Hale Kipa, the non-profit program for runaways, will get a Thanksgiving lunch to remember at the Ocean club in Restaurant Row. G.M. Beau Mohr is donating everything and has lined up some professional talent to help serve the meal. They're cast members from "Miss Saigon" including Mika Nishida, who plays the title role, and Joseph Anthony Foronda, who has a ball playing the Engineer. He's bringing his entire family to help out ... Giving thanks means giving
BY the way, the Kidney Foundation's organ donor awareness program raised more than $22,000 with its "From Saigon with Aloha" program at Diamond Head Theater. "Miss Saigon" performers were joined on stage by Rocky Brown, who was in the show on Broadway, and another ex-cast member, Tony Conjugacion ...
THOSE sneaky folks at the Hawaii Opera Theater! At an open house Wednesday night, people entering the entertainment area were met and greeted by name by two kimono-clad women and a man dressed as Lt. Pinkerton in "Madama Butterfly." But we spotted staffer Katie Doyle casually checking who was coming in and whispering their names to the "Butterfly" trio. The personalized greeting was a huge surprise to many, and went over great ...
Magical idea
SO taken by the way the Star-Bulletin was magically saved, at least for a time, magician JohnHirokawa came up with an idea in a flash that seems like a stroke of genius. He's decided to give out as Christmas presents to those on his list, subscriptions to the Star-Bulletin. Now if others were to follow in his footsteps, the resurgence of the afternoon paper, which has been teetering on the brink of closure, would be more than just an illusion ...
INCIDENTALLY, Paul Klink, the man who came up with those "Live Aloha" bumper stickers, has a Web site (http://www.Hawaiian.com) where he makes the stickers available free and where he also offers links to other sites about Hawaii. And of the 51 links he has behind his "Cool Sites" button, he informs me, the one with my photo that leads to this column is the No. 1 clicked link. Said Klink, "I was requested to do an analysis of clicks on the page and you bubbled to the top." He says he even gets flame email -- complaints -- when the column is on vacation. Mahalo to all, but I'm still taking a week off next month ...
Moffitt on the radio
HE'S not to be confused with 107.9 Oldies D.J. Tom Moffatt, but Honolulu Symphony clarinetist James Moffitt is becoming a radio star. Moffitt, who just returned from a two-year leave of absence to play with the celebrated St. Louis Symphony, will be able to tune in KHPR on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. and hear himself. That's the day the entire National Public Radio system will air the St. Louis Symphony's performance of Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Clarinets and Two Oboes. It was recorded in May, but is only being released the Sunday after Thanksgiving ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com