Wood Craft Ben Wood

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Isle athletes deserve our praise, cheers

High praise goes out to the Waipio Little Leaguers for winning the Little League world championship Sunday by thumping the team from Mexico, 12-3.

The words "give up" are not in the vocabulary of these champions. And where else but Hawaii could a team be made up of players named Pikai Winchester, Iolana Akau, Christian Donahue, Kainoa Fong, Caleb Duhay, Khade Paris, Ulumano Farm, Jedd Andrade, Tanner Tokunaga, Keelen Obedoza, Matthew Yap, Jordan Ulep and Trevor Ling; and with a manager named Timo Donahue and coaches named Kiha Akau and Gregg Tsugawa? Hawaii's athletes continue to make our little state stand out. Our Olympics athletes created fireworks in China, especially Bryan Clay. The decathlon personifies the Olympics and Bryan, a young man who graduated from Castle High in Kaneohe, won it to become the "world's greatest athlete."

Few athletes ever earn that distinction. Congratulations, Bryan, and also to Hawaii's other gold medal winners Natasha Kai in soccer and Clay Stanley in volleyball and to all of Hawaii's athletes who made the 2008 Olympics teams ...

Halau I Ka Wekiu performs at U.N.

Earlier this month kumu hula Karl Veto Baker and Michael Lanakila Casupang took their Halau I Ka Wekiu to New York to share the art of hula and the Hawaiian culture with people there. One of the places they performed at was the United Nations as part of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People event. Event organizer Broddi Sigurdarson, Secretariat for the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, called the halau performance the "highlight of the event." The purpose of the event is to preserve the culture and language of the world's indigenous people ... Former Miss Hawaii Candes Gentry is planning a soiree to celebrate her engagement to Milan Drager ...

Kirby Chun, 50, who has been busing tables at Hy's Steak House for 26 years, claims to be the longest running bus boy in town. Is there anyone out there that can top Kirby's 26 consecutive years busing tables at one restaurant? Kirby obviously enjoys his work. He's always smiling and warmly greets guests, many of whom have known him for years. Kirby is also a sportsman. The Elks Club member is an avid runner, surfs, plays tennis and is an accomplished throw-net fisherman.

He also volunteers to paddle on canoes taking out ashes of people who have died that will be spread off the Elks Club. Audy Kimura, Hy's singer-guitarist for 21 years, said Kirby is the kind of guy that makes longtime customers, both kamaainas and isle visitors, feel warm and comfortable. The regulars are happy to see familiar faces working there when they come in, Audy said. "Some even bring us food gifts," he added. Now that's a happy guest ...

The Honolulu Design Center has held many varied events in its Cupola Theater and Friday it will present Risque Soiree from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. The "Cupola Before Dawn" event features dancing girls, drink specials and DJ Nick for dancing. No cover in the Cupola. In the VIP area in Stage restaurant, adjoining the Cupola, there will be a pupu buffet. Tickets for the Stage action are $25 in advance or $35 at the door. Drinks and bottle service will be available at additional cost in Stage. Call 237-5462 for reservations ... Design Within Reach is holding a Wine & Design art exhibition Sept. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. Doug Jago, well known here as a visual display expert for stores, will display his paintings on canvas and paper. Guests may sample American, Italian and Spanish wines, guided by Mani Schneider of the Wine Stop. The event also kicks off DWR's sale of dining chairs and tables. DWR is located on Ala Moana Center's top floor near Nordstrom ...