Kailua 45th Reunion in Kailua

Howzit  Everybody!

      As you know, we just had our 45th reunion Saturday nite. Ho!.... let me tell you, was anudda good one! We had it at Hiram Fong's Plantation in Kahaluu.   Pretty good place... kinda like a large patio... they call it a pavilion. Nothing fancy, but was nice. Since was a luau, we had Hawaiian food.   Kalua pig, lomi salmon, poi, haupia, and some other stuff. Hey, they even had pineapple upside down cake!... I haven't had that in years.   My Mom used to make that alot when I was little... and I remember that as being real ono.

    Good to see folks I hadn't seen since hi school... Walter Benavitz, Ronald Dalessio (Hilo), Dian Aurio, Clarence Pimental, and Gay Raven to name a few. Good to see some out-of-towners... Carlos Gulisao (Virginia), Marlys Doerflinger (Kansas City, MO), Gene Stanton (So Carolina), John Thompson (Irvine), Bill Watson (San Diego), Jean Chadsey (San Jose), Gail George (close to Dallas, Texas), Daniel Lai (Hilo), Bolo Miller (Hilo), Doug and Bernie Ross Fernandez (Big Island), Teddy Jones (Big Island), Frankie Dukelow (So Calif), Margo Santos (San Francisco), Al Keahi (LA), Mark Masuyama (Hilo), Robert Mundy (Maui),  and of course Erme Kauahi (Chicago).

    Remember Doug Fernandez in hi school?... he was Mr. Cool... I would say he was our "Da Fonz" of our class. Well, after retiring from the Fire Dept, he and wife Bernie Ross bought a ranch on the Big Island... way up on the mountain... his house didn't have running water, no electricity, no phone, no tv. I asked Doug if it was still the same. He says no.... they have battery-run electricity, water that they catch, cellelar phone, tv from satellite. He says it's great not to have to pay utility bills. He raises horses and cattle. Says has several acres... and to keep the grass down, they had to get some animals. Last time I remember Doug saying that he always wanted to be a rancher. He and Bernie just loves it. Says the road to their house is paved now... Sue Robinson can come up in her rent-a-car if she wants to now.

    I hadn't seen Albert Branco since the 25th reunion. Back then it was announced that he was a grandpa. So I asked him if he was a great-grandpa now.... Yep indeed he is!

    LCDR Walter Benavitz asked me where Samuel Lyman was... I said "Isn't he here?" Walter said no... he knows cause he and Samuel joined to Navy together back in the early '60s... and as you can tell, Walter made a career of it. So Sammy,... Walter is looking for you... says it's been a long long time. I remember Walter saying a few years back that he and Bernard deVeas were in the same art class back in KHS... and Bernard's talent showed Walter that he himself had no artistic talent. I had to laugh,... cause Bernard art work did that to a lot of people.

     Things didn't really go as planned. We were suppose to start eating at about 6:30... we didn't start eating til about 7:00. Figured we were suppose to start the entertainment at about 6:45... we didn't get started until about 7:30 pm. But when we got going, the program went pretty well. As you probably know, Erme came back for the reunion... came back on Thursday.  She stayed with Linda Hayes in Lanikai who has moved back from New York City after living there since the early 60s.  As you can imagine, they spent a lot of time catching up. Then on Friday after we had gotten together for late lunch at Cinnamon's in Kailua town, we went to Linda's to rehearse.  Couldn't have rehearsed at a nicer place. Linda lives on the hill in Lanikai... with a beautiful view of the Lanikai community, Lanikai beach, and the two islands.  Could spend hours just looking out at the Pacific. First time Erme practiced with us since we were in Vegas the last time. Practice went well... we'al got it down as to what we were going to do.  Erme, Linda, Marilei, and Clara are all "pro" hula dancers,... Marlys practice alot at home using the video tape I sent her,... Victor knows his music, Wayne has played in many a halaus around the country during his military career, Louie has spent many hours practicing on the bass. The gals are naturally great singers... Wayne's been singing Haw'n since who knows when, Victor used to sing in Waikiki.

    After Gary Muranaka passed away, I didn't know how we were going to play and sing Haw'n songs when the gals were doing hula. The gals could sing Haw'n... but they can't sing while they're dancing. I was resigned to just doing happa-haoli songs... ones whose words were in English.   When Wayne Cabana joined our group, was pleasantly surprised to find out that Wayne sings Haw'n just fine. So we put all the Haw'n songs back in.

     By the end of Sunday, I had already watched the video we taped of the reunion 3 times... I just love it! The gals really got into the hula.   You could see that they had a ball. They danced Hanalei Moon, Honolulu I'm Coming Back Again, Henehene Ko Aka,... the gals dancing together to Henehene was just awesome.... you could tell they were having so much fun!  Henehene I think that will be our signature hula... where we'll be doing it at every reunion. For Maunawela Boy  the gals went into the audience and dragged up some of the the guys... but you know, the guys were willing .   And the guys had a blast doing Maunawela Boy.   Al Keahi looked like an old hula pro.

    After we finished our part of the program, Bolo Miller got some classmates to do  "Old McDonald Had a Farm". And again it was hilarious. Had some of the same folks from the last time and some new... like Jack Robinson, Sue Robinson - Victor Valentin's wife, and Bernie Ross who is Doug Fernandez's wife. The new folks had a ball... and the old folks put on a show. Remember George Wright drinking two bottle of beer?... and Sharon George doing the cow? This time Norman Kauwe played the bull, Jack Robinson played the ram, and Dian Beckley played the horse.

    We started late but would you believe we were out of Hiram Fong's by 9:30?... and that included the cleanup. Everybody pitched in.

    One of the funniest moments was when Victor Gonzales mistook the gals restroom as the guys restroom. When one of the gals discovered Victor in there, she said "Get the camera!... get the camera!" And then Victor came out with a bashful look.

    We had over 100 classmates and companion (wife, husband, or otherwise) attending... and that included several members of other classes... like David Hanawahine who's married to Gay Raven. Several from the class of '62 came also. I think I can honestly say that everyone had a great time. I think members from the other classes were impressed.

     The next day, Sunday, Wei Wei and I went to the "I love Kailua" bloc party in downtown Kailua. I was surprised they had quite a few booths lined up on Oneawa street in front of Macy's. First time I've come to a the "I Love Kailua" bloc party. The entertainment was pretty good. The Kailua Alumni booth was manned by Louie Mahoe and Louise Iyoki and some KHS alumni that I didn't know. Spent some time there talking to Louie, Louise, and Carlos Gulisao. Bill Watson and wife who had flown in from San Diego was there also. John Thompson who lives in Irvine CA with his galpal from Sacramento came later. Earlier talked to Erme, Linda, and Clara Kaimi who were also walking around and shopping.

    I mentioned that we took video of the reunion... I'm gonna try and put the video on DVD... still gotta figure how I'm gonna do that. But when I get that done, I will let you know the cost. For now, you can let me know if you want a copy.and provide me with your address and phone number. I know you won't be disappointed when you see the video.      Hey, we're having our Vegas reunion on  Saturday Sept 30 same place we had it the last time we were in Vegas...  the Ohana room at the California hotel. We are planning to fly up to Vegas on Wednesday... getting there in the evening... but unlike the last time, we're gonna stay there Sunday and then fly back to Hawaii on Monday 2 October. So mark you calendar and join us again. We'll be there playing music and dancing hula again for you folks!    Let me know that you're coming so we can start figur'n on the head count.

Aloha!
Rodney