Smiling faces abound and good vibes are contagious at Kick Start Karate fundraisers. Last Sunday’s event at Hawaii Kai Towne Center was no exception. What’s not to like when there is nonstop music, heavy on Hawaiian favorites and other local hits, served up with a wide variety of food and beverage? The "good eats" just kept coming, brought to tables mostly by young servers in the Kick Start program that combats juvenile delinquency. Former Police Chief Lee Donohue is the driving force behind Kick Start and he has strong support. The goal this year was to raise $30,000, and upward of $50,000 was pulled in, Donohue said Monday.
Among "names" at Sunday’s party were Police Chief Louis Kealoha, Deputy Chief Dave Kajihiro, Assistant Chief Greg Lefcourt, Fire Chief Manny Neves, Webco Hawaii owner Greg Gomes, entertainer Kimo Kahoano, Dr. Edison Miyawaki, Kaiser football coach Rich Miano, McCabe, Hamilton & Renny owner Tim Guard, former Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Ron Moon, attorney Mike Green and his wife, Estelle, Chaminade athletics director Bill Villa, popular Midweek publisher and columnist Ron Nagasawa and Richard and Sooze Mirikitani, owners of the Bayer Estate, where Kick Start fundraisers were held before last year, when crowds grew too large.
Politicians who showed up Sunday included U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, City Council Chair Ernie Martin, council members Ikaika Anderson and Stanley Chang, state Sen. David Ige, state Rep. Mark Hashem and former Mayor Mufi Hannemann. Danny Kaleikini took the stage to sing with Par 5, a talented group made up of Rory Souza, Kevin Lapenia, Richard Peralta, Kainoa Delo and John St. Onge. Par 5 was followed by another solid group, Pineapple Jam — Bernard Kalua, Alika Odem, Ryan Tang and Barry Kimokeo. Raelyn Tang danced hula. Randy Luna was emcee …
THE ONE AND ONLY Frank De Lima came on strong as Imelda Marcos at the wedding reception of Andrew Lin and Marilyn Mariano Aug. 25 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Ballroom, after the nuptials at Central Union. The reception was a gala affair with a 16-piece orchestra and Kimo Kahoano as emcee. Deborah Gandolfini, the groom’s sister and widow of James Gandolfini, attended with baby daughter Liliana. Speakers included U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, the bride’s dad, Abraham Mariano Sr., and the groom’s mom, Ruth Lin, who also danced hula as Kahoano sang the "Hawaiian Wedding Song." Among guests were Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi, former Mayor Peter Carlisle and Ron Moon …
MAJ. GEN. Dr. Joseph Caravalho Jr., commanding general of the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and a 1975 Saint Louis grad, was an organizer and key speaker at the 2013 Military Health System Research Symposium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Aug. 12-15. Advancements in research and health care developments in the areas of combat casualty care, military operational medicine, clinical and rehabilitative medicine, and military infectious disease programs were covered. Caravalho has served with Ranger and Special Forces units and has been deployed to Iraq twice. He has served as chief of cardiology at Tripler Army Medical Center …
FORMER ISLE restaurateur Bernd Smeisser, 73, died in Cabanatuan City in the Philippines July 19. He held managerial positions at Michel’s, Sergio’s, Palfy’s, Angelica’s and La Trattoria. He left for the Philippines in the 1990s and went into the hotel biz there … A celebration of Sam Polson‘s life will be held at The Actors’ Group at Dole Cannery Sept. 22, 3:30 p.m. Polson, 80, died Aug. 9 in the Community Living Center’s hospice unit of the VA’s Center for Aging here. He spent 13 years in the Navy and seven in the Air Force, covering wars as a photojournalist and was also an actor …
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Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
