Church group honors reporter

The local chapter of Church Women United will present its annual Valiant Woman award to Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter Mary Adamski on May 3.

The group will hold its annual May Friendship Day celebration at Joy of Christ Lutheran Church, 784 Kamehameha Highway, Pearl City.

The program begins with a 3:30 p.m. gathering followed by a 4 p.m. worship service.

Donations will be accepted for the Fellowship of the Least Coin, a charitable arm of the international ecumenical organization.

Art contest offers savings bonds

Youngsters in elementary, middle and high schools can win U.S. savings bonds as prizes in an art contest sponsored by the Hawaii Buddhist Cultural Society as part of its annual celebration of Buddha's birthday.

Contestants may depict the Buddhist values of compassion, giving service and love in symbols or sketches showing people enacting those virtues, said Shirley Lum, a vice president of the Buddha Light International Association. Entries may be in crayon, charcoal, oil or acrylic paint, on paper no larger than 24 by 24 inches. Prizes will be given in three age categories.

Next Saturday is the deadline for entries. Entrants need not be Buddhist. Call 545-1183 for applications and information. There will also be an oral storytelling competition on May 1 at the opening of the Buddha Birthday celebration at Chinatown Cultural Plaza. Students may tell stories from the life and teachings of Buddha in English or Chinese. Call for entry information.

The celebration will continue on May 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the traditional religious observance of “;bathing the baby Buddha,”; in which celebrants pour water or tea over a Buddha statue. A parade and community education and outreach events are also planned.

Actor portrays Father Damien

A one-man play that tells the story of Father Damien De Veuster in his own voice will be performed in several island schools and churches this month by New Jersey-based actor Casey Groves.

Groves has enacted the role in “;Damien,”; by Aldyth Morris, for more than 20 years, in two off-Broadway shows and on tour in several cities, including 2006 appearances in Hawaii.

Groves was invited by Hawaii Catholic Bishop Larry Silva to reprise the role here this year, which will see the 19th-century priest declared a saint. The free performances are open to the public. The play will be presented at 6 p.m. today at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 148 Makawao St., Kailua. The play will also be performed at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Church, 1701 Wilder Ave., and at 8 p.m. Wednesday at St. Jude Church, 92-455 Makakilo Drive, Kapolei. Groves will also perform the play at several schools on Kauai, Maui and the Big Island.

Organizations interested in booking a performance may call Leoda Shizuma, 553-5583.

Ceremonies to honor Bahai Faith

Members of the Bahai Faith will celebrate the founding of their religion with festivities beginning Tuesday.

The Honolulu Bahai Community will hold three public events to observe the Festival of Ridvan at the Honolulu Bahai Center, 2165 10th Ave., Palolo. The opening celebration at 3 p.m. Tuesday will feature a violin performance by Chandra Iolani Susilo. A multimedia show will be presented at 7 p.m. April 28 and May 1. The events are open to the public.

The Persian nobleman Baha'u'llah founded the religion in the mid-1800s in what is now Iran. Bahai members believe he was the latest in a line of messengers from God that also included Abraham, Moses, Christ, Buddha, Zoroaster and Muhammad. He taught that there is unity in all the world's religions and that their fundamental purpose is to promote harmony and peace. He was imprisoned and exiled by the Ottoman Empire.