Hawaii
THE moon was full and so should be the coffers of the Children's Advocacy Center of Oahu following a fund-raising Hawaiian food and music evening at the home of Duncan MacNaughton Wednesday. Many folks more often seen in tux and evening gowns than aloha shirts were gathered at the 3-acre estate overlooking Kahala, one of the last surviving true "estates" in Honolulu, and instead of breaking bread, they chowed down on kalua pig, lomi lomi salmon, laulau, yams and pineapple. MacNaughton offered his digs for the party and the affair was underwritten in its entirety by Sheri & Mark Robison of RCI Construction in Seattle. How come? Mark is a local boy who grew up in Hawaii and even played linebacker on the same UH Rainbow squad that was quarterbacked by June Jones in the early '70's. Mari & Jon Sutherland organized the fund-raiser and lined up Jerry Santos & Olomana to perform. The heavy rain of the night before gave way to a beautiful evening, complete with a full moon. And the event helped the Friends of the Children's Advocacy Center in meeting its annual goal of $400,000 to help Oahu's abused children through the State Judiciary ... Fund-raiser luau
aids isle’s abused kids
Kona and mom
BACK from Los Angeles after celebrating a landmark birthday with her daughter is Billie Gabriel-Zito of Kapiolani Children's Hospital. Her daughter, who's half her age, is Kona Carmack. Kona was the "Playmate of the Month" in Playboy magazine a few years ago, but has put that part of her life behind her and is now modeling worldwide. She spent a great deal of time in Israel, where a modeling assignment got her the nickname of "Kona-Cola," perhaps prophetic because she's now modeling for Pepsi in L.A. Another Christina Aguilera on the scene? Kona told her mom that she was surprised to learn that knowing Hebrew, which she studied and in which she became fluent in Israel, is a great help in Hollywood. She may have been surprised, but not everyone will be ...WHEN new Honolulu Club athletic director Rick Ahn was a sophomore at West Point, he set the Academy push-up record by doing 163 push-ups in two minutes. Humble Rick says, "There are advantages to having short arms." No, he's not using military slang about inspections ...
Queens in a daze
ALSO off to Japan to appear at a Tokyo fashion show is new Miss Hawaii USA 2002, Juliet Lighter. She's accompanied by designers Takeo and Eric Chandler. Juliet, a 25-year-old lovely from Kaneohe, won her crown at the Sheraton Waikiki in convincing fashion. She won all phases: swimsuit, evening gown, interview, photogenic award, popularity and scholarship awards.She was trained and coached by fashion photographer and manager Russell Tanoue ... Speaking of beauty queens, Nora Meijide, mother of former Miss Hawaii Candes Meijide Gentry, is looking forward to being a grandma next month. No, Candes isn't pregnant, but her sister, Corin Meijide Gentry Balding is. She's married to Billy Balding, who captains the huge yacht "Kekela" for owner Ben Baldwin and rents it out to well-heeled visitors for big bucks ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com