REHAB Hospital's sold out dinner at the Halekulani Friday netted $120,000. It's not easy pulling in that kind of cash but several people and companies made it happen. They include: Event chair Laurie Tom, presenting sponsor AIG Hawaii and Robin Campaniano, Warren Shon and Southern Wine and Spirits, honorary chairs Gene and Cecilia Doo, Rehab CEO Clair Jones, and the Rehab Foundation duo of Ko Miyataki and emcee Michael W. Perry. The Halekulani provided hors d'oeuvres and a martini bar and Louis Vuitton's Hawaii boss, Dale Ruff, auctioned off an LV watch. Guest chef was Pascal Olhats, who gained fame in France. He was a president of the French Chefs Association before coming to the United States. He owns a restaurant, cafe and epicure shop in Newport Beach ...

Laurie Tom

Danny Kaleikini

The economic disaster that's battering Americans is also slamming nonprofits, such as The Contemporary Museum that is forced to lay off slightly more than half of its 48-person staff. Some laid-off workers are showing their love for the museum and are coming back on staff as volunteers, according to the museum's Charlie Aldinger. They include the Administration Department's Jean Kimura and the Gift Shop's Christine Feldmann. Dixie Lindley, former Academy Shop assistant manager, has also offered volunteer time. And last week's “;Gems and Little Jewels”; event at the home of Thurston and Sharon Twigg-Smith, chaired by fundraising diva Cherye Pierce, raised over $100,000 for the museum. Job referrals are also coming in and being shared with departing staff, Aldinger said. There's lots of the Aloha spirit up there ...

More aloha was shown by Danny Kaleikini when he stopped by Denny's on Beachwalk with Linda Wong Saturday morning. Danny overheard restaurant G.M. Sheila Ikekai congratulating Michigan couple Ralph and Marianne Grafe on their 50th wedding anniversary. So he called the waiters and busboys together and led them in singing the “;Hawaiian Wedding Song”; for the pair. The Grafes said they will never forget the gesture ...

Amy Hanaialii will headline the Symphony Pops concert Friday and Saturday nights at 8 in the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Pops conductor Matt Catingub also has guitarist Jeff Peterson on the bill with the singer ...

When word came last week that Compadres was closing because of declining sales and rising costs, it came as a shock. The award-winning Mexican restaurant that opened in Ward Centre on Jan. 16, 1984, shut its doors Sept. 26. For publicist Lisa Josephsohn, who released the closing news, it must have been like losing a child. She was Compadres' owner Rick Enos' first hire in 1983, when he was setting up the eatery ...