Cultural sports focus of event

Outrigger canoe racing and ancient Hawaiian makahiki games are among the highlights at the 25th Annual Ala Wai Challenge. Festivities will be held on Jan. 24 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ala Wai Neighborhood Park and Clubhouse. The cultural event is intended to demonstrate how Hawaiian people competed in various sports and games unique to the islands, including 'ulu maika (bowling a round stone through pegs), o'o ihe (spear throwing) and huki kaula (tug of war). The outrigger canoe race is a one-quarter-mile race along the Ala Wai Canal and is open to all skill levels. Participants can also make Hawaiian crafts, pound poi and make smoothies using a bicycle-powered blender.

This year's honorees are Hannie Anderson and Tay Perry.

Anderson is one of the founders and race director of Na Wahine o ke Kai; race commissioner of Hawaiian Canoe Racing and past president of OHCRA. Perry is a master builder and restorer of koa canoes.

He paddled 44 Molokai Hoe and is vice president of Hokulea and Hawaiiloa. Both honorees have perpetuated native Hawaiian canoe racing in the community.

The event kicks off with a double-hulled canoe procession with chanting and ancient hula and song. For more details, call 923-1802 or visit www.waikikicommunitycenter.org.

Recycle old phone books

Leeward Coast residents can start the new year with an act of greenness by recycling old phone books.

Books can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, 86-260 Farrington Highway.

Here's some extra incentive to bypass the trash can and take those old phone books for recycling. For each 500 books recycled, it would save:

» 7,000 gallons of water.

» 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.

» 17 to 31 trees.

» 4,100 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power an average home for six months.

More than half a billion phone books are printed and distributed every year in the United States, which amounts to nearly two books for every American. For more information, call 697-3516.