By Pam Woolway - The Garden Island | Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 12:00 am
The Kapa‘a High School Music Department presented the “Winter Wonderland” concert Dec. 16 at Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall.
Under the direction of Catherine Paleka, the winter concert featured the band, choir, Polynesian music ensemble, swing band, show choir, and percussion ensemble.
The Kilauea Parade
By Dennis Fujimoto - The Garden Island | Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2009 12:00 am
KILAUEA — “You want me to ride in what?” Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said when he realized he would be in the rumble seat of a 1929 Ford Model A, Saturday.
Driven by Pete Makarewicz, the Model A was the second unit in the parade that opened the Kilauea Community Picnic in the Park, coordinated through the efforts of the Kilauea Neighborhood Association.
“This is good, we have small kine events like this,” said Keli‘i Alapai, the parade leader who said he was standing in for one of the KNA leaders who could not make the event. “Every town on this island should have their little thing like this. It’s good when all the people can come together and have fun.”
The Kapa‘a High School Band under the direction of Catherine Paleka shook away the last vestiges of sleep from the quiet town with its drum cadence.
One of the leaders claimed the band couldn’t make the Friday night football game due to budget cuts, but was able to get a bus to participate in the Kilauea event.
Attempts to get confirmation on the budget cut effects on the band from Paleka were unsuccessful due to the start of the parade, but the leader said the budget cuts will prevent both Kapa‘a and Waimea high school bands from performing in “away” games due to the costs of renting buses to get the students to and from the games.
The presence of the Warrior band, complete with its drum majors, hula dancers and flag unit, made a definite impact on the parade as people streamed out of their homes along Kilauea Lighthouse Road to catch a glimpse of the event.
“As I passed along the route to get to the park, I could see people coming out of their houses in their nighties to enjoy the parade,” Carvalho said. “Having an event like the Community Picnic in the Park is what community is about, and Kilauea rocks!”
During the parade, a panel of judges comprised of members from the Kilauea Senior Center made their decisions for the Best Overall, Best Pet, Best Bicycle and Best Wagon with prizes being contributed by local businesses.
“This is the biggest one yet,” said Gwen Tamura, a coach with the Kapa‘a High School soccer program who lives along the parade route. “One year, they had a float. This year, there’s no float, but there’s an ATV. When they started, it was just a golf cart.”
Elisha Sawani Sanchez, riding a gayly decorated bicycle, caught the judges’ eyes as the Best Overall, while another bicyclist, Zylan “Ziggy” Pa-Conant, was described as a three-eared ti leaf bunny in earning the Best Bicycle award.
Pumpkin the dog became a hot dog with the aid of some pillows and yellow rope (mustard?) to earn the Best Pet award for Pumpkin’s owners Barbara and Christy Schweitzer.
“We’ve been to two Rose Bowl parades, but there is something about small town parades that can’t compare to those big parades,” said Aaron Furugen, one of the spectators in the park.
The event was coordinated by the Kilauea Neighborhood Association with support from the County of Kaua‘i.
Posted in Local on Sunday, September 13, 2009 12:00 am
Hula dancers lead the Kapa‘a High School band and its flag unit up the Kilauea Lighthouse Road during the parade that opened the Community Picnic in the Park coordinated by the Kilauea Neighborhood Association, Saturday. Photo by Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island
Veterans Day celebration parades through Kapa‘a
by Dennis Fujimoto - The Garden Island | Posted: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 12:00 am
KAPA‘A — Ed Kawamura spares no energy when it comes to parade participation.
That energy earned the Kaua‘i entrepreneur top honors in the Best Float category of the annual Veterans Day parade that unfolded in Kapa‘a town Saturday.
Kawamura is the commander of the American Legion Post 2 unit which featured a tram, similar to those used at the Smith’s Tropical Lu‘au, filled with veterans all waving American flags and pulled by a Kawamura Farm Enterprises pickup.
The Aloha Riders Equestrian Drill and Riding Unit led by Linda Antipala was announced as the runner-up in that category.
Ernest Vidinha’s 1961 Chevrolet Bubble Top was one of the classic cars and hotrods that preceded the parade and got the nod for top honors from the judges as the Best Classic Car.
Walter Yamaguchi’s immaculate black 1957 Chevrolet 2-door Bel Air Hardtop was the runner-up choice of the judges who had prime viewing from the reviewing stand, in front of the Kapa‘a Hongwanji Mission and anchored by KQNG on-air personality Ron Wiley who was joined by Hawai‘i National Guard Gen. Robert Lee.
The Sons and Daughters of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team topped the Best Walking Unit category followed by the Korean War Veterans under commander Royce Ebesu.
Dressed in their distinctive white shirts and blue caps, the Korean War veterans were not shy about greeting and chatting with their numerous friends and acquaintances along the parade route that spanned from the parking area of the Kapa‘a Small Boat Harbor to the Kapa‘a Beach Park.
The Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center’s Lifetime Stand had its own media vehicle accompanying it along the parade as it performed a series of marching maneuvers to the delight of spectators that lined both sides of the highway through Kapa‘a town.
That earned the group top honors as the Best Marching Unit, followed by the Kapa‘a High School Junior ROTC unit who performed a series of maneuvers in front of the reviewing stand during its passage.
Catherine Paleka and the Kapa‘a High School Warriors Marching Band earned accolades as the Best Band in the parade, with the group incorporating members of its chorus as flag personnel, rifle honor guard, and headlining a float featuring the homecoming royalty from its recent celebration.
Johnny Rabasa, the correspondent for the Kaua‘i Veterans Council, said the winner of the pickup truck was Clint Shiraishi. That drawing was done during the formal ceremonies that followed the Saturday parade.
The Kapa‘a High School Music Department presented the “Winter Wonderland” concert Dec. 16 at Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall.
Under the direction of Catherine Paleka, the winter concert featured the band, choir, Polynesian music ensemble, swing band, show choir, and percussion ensemble.
The Kilauea Parade
By Dennis Fujimoto - The Garden Island | Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2009 12:00 am
KILAUEA — “You want me to ride in what?” Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said when he realized he would be in the rumble seat of a 1929 Ford Model A, Saturday.
Driven by Pete Makarewicz, the Model A was the second unit in the parade that opened the Kilauea Community Picnic in the Park, coordinated through the efforts of the Kilauea Neighborhood Association.
“This is good, we have small kine events like this,” said Keli‘i Alapai, the parade leader who said he was standing in for one of the KNA leaders who could not make the event. “Every town on this island should have their little thing like this. It’s good when all the people can come together and have fun.”
The Kapa‘a High School Band under the direction of Catherine Paleka shook away the last vestiges of sleep from the quiet town with its drum cadence.
One of the leaders claimed the band couldn’t make the Friday night football game due to budget cuts, but was able to get a bus to participate in the Kilauea event.
Attempts to get confirmation on the budget cut effects on the band from Paleka were unsuccessful due to the start of the parade, but the leader said the budget cuts will prevent both Kapa‘a and Waimea high school bands from performing in “away” games due to the costs of renting buses to get the students to and from the games.
The presence of the Warrior band, complete with its drum majors, hula dancers and flag unit, made a definite impact on the parade as people streamed out of their homes along Kilauea Lighthouse Road to catch a glimpse of the event.
“As I passed along the route to get to the park, I could see people coming out of their houses in their nighties to enjoy the parade,” Carvalho said. “Having an event like the Community Picnic in the Park is what community is about, and Kilauea rocks!”
During the parade, a panel of judges comprised of members from the Kilauea Senior Center made their decisions for the Best Overall, Best Pet, Best Bicycle and Best Wagon with prizes being contributed by local businesses.
“This is the biggest one yet,” said Gwen Tamura, a coach with the Kapa‘a High School soccer program who lives along the parade route. “One year, they had a float. This year, there’s no float, but there’s an ATV. When they started, it was just a golf cart.”
Elisha Sawani Sanchez, riding a gayly decorated bicycle, caught the judges’ eyes as the Best Overall, while another bicyclist, Zylan “Ziggy” Pa-Conant, was described as a three-eared ti leaf bunny in earning the Best Bicycle award.
Pumpkin the dog became a hot dog with the aid of some pillows and yellow rope (mustard?) to earn the Best Pet award for Pumpkin’s owners Barbara and Christy Schweitzer.
“We’ve been to two Rose Bowl parades, but there is something about small town parades that can’t compare to those big parades,” said Aaron Furugen, one of the spectators in the park.
The event was coordinated by the Kilauea Neighborhood Association with support from the County of Kaua‘i.
Posted in Local on Sunday, September 13, 2009 12:00 am
Hula dancers lead the Kapa‘a High School band and its flag unit up the Kilauea Lighthouse Road during the parade that opened the Community Picnic in the Park coordinated by the Kilauea Neighborhood Association, Saturday. Photo by Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island
Veterans Day celebration parades through Kapa‘a
by Dennis Fujimoto - The Garden Island | Posted: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 12:00 am
KAPA‘A — Ed Kawamura spares no energy when it comes to parade participation.
That energy earned the Kaua‘i entrepreneur top honors in the Best Float category of the annual Veterans Day parade that unfolded in Kapa‘a town Saturday.
Kawamura is the commander of the American Legion Post 2 unit which featured a tram, similar to those used at the Smith’s Tropical Lu‘au, filled with veterans all waving American flags and pulled by a Kawamura Farm Enterprises pickup.
The Aloha Riders Equestrian Drill and Riding Unit led by Linda Antipala was announced as the runner-up in that category.
Ernest Vidinha’s 1961 Chevrolet Bubble Top was one of the classic cars and hotrods that preceded the parade and got the nod for top honors from the judges as the Best Classic Car.
Walter Yamaguchi’s immaculate black 1957 Chevrolet 2-door Bel Air Hardtop was the runner-up choice of the judges who had prime viewing from the reviewing stand, in front of the Kapa‘a Hongwanji Mission and anchored by KQNG on-air personality Ron Wiley who was joined by Hawai‘i National Guard Gen. Robert Lee.
The Sons and Daughters of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team topped the Best Walking Unit category followed by the Korean War Veterans under commander Royce Ebesu.
Dressed in their distinctive white shirts and blue caps, the Korean War veterans were not shy about greeting and chatting with their numerous friends and acquaintances along the parade route that spanned from the parking area of the Kapa‘a Small Boat Harbor to the Kapa‘a Beach Park.
The Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center’s Lifetime Stand had its own media vehicle accompanying it along the parade as it performed a series of marching maneuvers to the delight of spectators that lined both sides of the highway through Kapa‘a town.
That earned the group top honors as the Best Marching Unit, followed by the Kapa‘a High School Junior ROTC unit who performed a series of maneuvers in front of the reviewing stand during its passage.
Catherine Paleka and the Kapa‘a High School Warriors Marching Band earned accolades as the Best Band in the parade, with the group incorporating members of its chorus as flag personnel, rifle honor guard, and headlining a float featuring the homecoming royalty from its recent celebration.
Johnny Rabasa, the correspondent for the Kaua‘i Veterans Council, said the winner of the pickup truck was Clint Shiraishi. That drawing was done during the formal ceremonies that followed the Saturday parade.