The Buzz
The Buzz
EASTER SEALS Hawaii is now in the record business -- sort of. Easter Seals adds
new line of workThe nonprofit organization is throwing an invitation-only CD release party April 18 to unveil "Lessons in Life," by Hoku-award-winning Daniel Ho and singer Bridgette Bryant.
Among the invitees are representatives of Easter Seals' corporate partners for the project, including Oceanic Cable, Foodland Supermarket Ltd., American Savings Bank and Starbucks Hawaii.
Each partner has a role to play in promoting or distributing the CD, which will sell for $13.99, with a $2 discount for members of Foodland's Maikai Club or Oceanic's Keiki Club.
"Lessons in Life" will also be sold by traditional music retailers, with all proceeds benefiting enrollees in Easter Seals' Youth Services Music Enrichment program.
Easter Seals Vice President of Development Billie Gabriel said Ho donated the CD for a Hawaii-based provider of early intervention services, since his daughter had received early intervention services from a similar organization on the West Coast.
Gabriel said he had expressed the desire to a mutual friend, which is how it started two years ago.
Easter Seals offers a range of early intervention services for newborns to 3-year-olds with special needs.
"It's that process of helping them at the very beginning so when they're ready for school they can be mainstreamed," Gabriel said.
An expatriate Hawaii musician from Kaimuki, Ho now lives in Los Angeles but is returning to perform at the party.
Bryant, who has performed with Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, Phil Collins and Celine Dion, is on tour and will not attend, Gabriel said. KCCN FM's Lina Girl, who also co-hosts Oceanic Cable's Local Kine Grindz, will perform at the party with Ho0.
Collins provided a review of the project: "The songs, mostly co-written with a very talented Daniel Ho are apparently at first, for children, yet their openness and freshness could teach us all something."
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4757, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com