PHOTOS BY RICHARD WALKER / STAR-BULLETIN
Dorthy Cooper, Maui Princess Pau Rider smiled during the
Kamehameha Day Parade on Ala Moana Boulevard yesterday.

Kamehameha Parade
brings out the
aloha in everyone

85th anniversary of the event
is filled with smiles, floats and a
few acts of kindness

---

By Leila Fujimori
Star-Bulletin

The crowds lining Kalakaua Avenue oohed and ahhed over the floral floats and elegant pau riders, but everyone clapped and smiled as three boys passed along the route.

Robin Char, 9, brother Cohen, 10, and Kalai Ahlo-Souza, 10, first-time participants, served as the pooper-scooper team behind the King Kamehameha Day Parade queen's court as a cub scout project.

The smell of fresh horse manure made pushing the manure wagon, decorated with kukui leaves and straw flowers, the hardest part, said Robin.

The 85th annual King Kamehameha Celebration floral parade, sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines and Grueninger Tours, was the highlight of the statewide Kamehameha Day festivities held this weekend.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD WALKER / STAR-BULLETIN
The royal court float members proudly participated in the
Kamehameha Day Parade on Ala Moana Boulevard yesterday.

Alongside the local residents were visitors like Geri Mauthe of California.

"It's good to see the culture being passed on," said Mauthe, who belongs to a California hula halau, and whose mother and grandmother were from Hawaii.

"It's lovely, just beautiful," Mauthe said as she took pictures of the pau riders and floats.

Tyler Espinda, 7, sat next to his 83-year-old great-grandmother who clapped and responded 'aloha' to those in the parade.

"All the floats that passed by" was the best part of the parade, Tyler said.

Two pau riders almost missed the parade after the Hawaiian Humane Society pulled their horses who were limping, said Gary Alapai, who brought in horses from Kualoa Ranch.

"One girl was in tears," Alapai said. So he sent his daughter to pick up his own horses from D.K. Ranch in Waimanalo for their use, free of charge.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD WALKER / STAR-BULLETIN
Hendrich Huihui, 12, used a tree to get a higher vantage
point to view the parade.

"The smile was enough," Alapai said. "The page said, 'Thank you uncle.' He was happy."

For the floats, the Governor's award went to Hawaiian Airlines featuring a giant nene goose; Kamehameha Schools received the Lieutenant Governor's award, and the Mayor's award went to the Poi Company.

For the pau units, Niihau took first place, Oahu won second place, and Maui placed third. For outstanding pau princess, first place went to Lorna Ouderkirk, Niihau, second place was Kauai princess Ronica Young, and Beverly Lee, Oahu princess took third place.