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Michelle Wie will swing
for Kapiolani Children’s
Miracle Network

THE Hawaii Pacific University's Spirit Squad will raise a friendly ruckus at Bishop and Alakea streets today and the next few mornings.

The purpose is to publicize the Miracle Birdie Club, a fund-raiser for the nonprofit Kapiolani Children's Miracle Network in which Hawaii golfing prodigy Michelle Wie will serve as strokeswoman.

The Children's Miracle Network is collecting pledges of any dollar amount for each birdie Wie makes at the Sony Open later this month. It is the first major nonprofit organization with which Wie has agreed to become involved, according to event organizers.

"She and her family are really happy to be partnering with the children's hospital," said Stacey Acma, director of the Kapiolani Children's Miracle Network. The program provides assistance and support for families with children who require medical care.

"One hundred percent of every dollar raised goes straight to children's services (in Hawaii)," Acma said.

Pledgers needn't be golfers, though forms are available at golf courses. Forms also may be found at www.miraclebirdieclub.com or requested at 535-7100.

Healthy hippies

The California-based production crew for "The Hippy Gourmet TV Show" is coming to Hawaii next week to tape episodes of healthy cuisine prepared by Hawaii chefs Beverly Gannon, Greg Gaspar and Goran Streng.

The show airs on 38 Public Broadcasting System and cable stations around the nation, though not locally. The new episodes will run in March.

Gannon is executive chef for Hawaiian Airlines, while Gaspar and Streng serve as executive chefs for the Maui Prince and Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki, respectively.

Putting the show's producers and the local chefs together was McNeil Wilson Communications Inc., a public relations company that represents the airline and hotel companies.

"Each chef will have their own episode," providing great publicity for Hawaii, said McNeil Wilson account executive Dara Lum.

Hosted by Bruce Brennan and now in its fourth season, the 30-minute, weekly program aims to create a mellow and Zenlike cooking series, according to publicity materials.

It sounds a bit Haight Ashbury, and a trip to the Web site will confirm that suspicion. A photo of the street signs marking the famous San Francisco intersection that spawned the hippie movement graces the home page at www.hippygourmet.com.

"Every episode is filled with peace, love and family style recipes that are easy and fun to prepare," it says.