On Peace Day, Sunday, Sept. 21, Honokaa is doing it “Island Style,” with Hawaiian music legend John Cruz in his first-ever Honokaa concert. This is a very special celebration of Peace Day and a fundraiser for the Honokaa People’s Theater.
On Peace Day, Sunday, Sept. 21, Honokaa is doing it “Island Style,” with Hawaiian music legend John Cruz in his first-ever Honokaa concert. This is a very special celebration of Peace Day and a fundraiser for the Honokaa People’s Theater. At only $15 per ticket — with discounts for seniors and students — you won’t want to miss being part of the music! On Sunday, join in with the Peace Day Concert at 7 p.m.
The Peace Day Concert will follow Sunday’s Peace Pole Installation in Honokaa as the grand finale to a series of arts, music, education and community-building events.
Following this weekend’s Peace Day start-up venues, these are the following events. On Monday, Sept. 15, at 3 p.m., it’s the “Read for Peace” activity at Hamakua Youth Center, sponsored by Friends of the Honokaa Library and Spark Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution. For more information, contact Connie Fay, seejfay@hotmail.com or 987-8166.
Exciting news is that the Friends of Honokaa Library and “Read for Peace” initiative have a suggested reading list of peace-themed books for children, compiled by Tahirih Foster and displayed at the library throughout September.
On Wednesday, Sept. 17, it’s the Peace Movie Night at the People’s Theater, featuring Robin Williams in “Dead Poets Society.”
Then come and “Walk to Prevent Suicide,” on Saturday at 8 a.m. This community event sanctioned by the AFSP, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and supported by the Peace Committee, to support families and shed light on the subject of suicide. Participants raise awareness, connect with others and enjoy music by Life in Pursuit. To sign up, call 494-1829, email walktosave.lives@aol.com, or visit http://www.afsp.org/news-events/event-calendar/honokaa-community-walk.
The original signature event, the “Peace Day Parade,” is a “moving stage” of marching bands, taiko drummers, hula, bon dancers, cirque performers and multicultural music and entertainment with a message is Saturday at 4 p.m., on Mamane Street in Honokaa.
The “Peace in the Streets,” celebration from noon-3:30 p.m. throughout Honokaa Town, with music, cotton candy, a treasure hunt, bouncy house for our keiki and fundraiser for the People’s Theater.
The Peace Day Festival is from 5-8 p.m. at the Honokaa Sports Complex. There will be food booths, silent auction, live music and entertainment including a community bon dance. Plus, an exciting Kendama Tournament sponsored by Hawaiian Island Creations, with special appearance by Kendama pro Nui Wong. Admission is free and all are welcome.
The Peace Pole Installation is on Sunday, Sept. 21, with special guest John Cruz.
However you participate, become a part of the “199,000 Cranes Project.” The Peace Committee, in collaboration with the Family-Community Education Group and the Honokaa Buddhist Women’s Association, is collecting origami cranes in memory of the casualties of the nuclear bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Cranes will be sent as a combined “flock” to peace centers in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Cranes from groups and individuals everywhere are welcome. To participate, please make cranes no larger than 7” square. Cranes may be dropped off at the Honokaa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple or mailed to P.O. Box 1667, Honokaa, HI 96727. (Groups or individuals with 1,000 cranes can inquire about participation in the Peace Day Parade; info@peacedayparade.org.)
For more information, to participate in events or make a donation, visit www.peacedayparade.org. The eighth annual Parade &Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace, and “Peace Week” events are presented by the Peace Committee of the Honokaa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in cooperation with the United Nations and numerous community organizations, including Hamakua-Kohala Health Center, Waianuhea Bed and Breakfast and the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.
The Peace Committee continues to seek volunteers to work on planning, additional support, sponsorship, and contributions (including for the Silent Auction). Information is available at www.PeaceDayParade.org, info@peacedayparade.org,www.facebook.com/peacedayparade, and Twitter @PeaceDay_Parade.
Hawaii Preparatory Academy is having their Open House events for their prospective day students entering grades 9-12 and their parents can register for one of six that will be held on Sept. 16, Oct. 13 and 22, Nov. 13 and 18, and Dec. 3. All high school events begin at 8:45 a.m. and end at 11 a.m., followed by an optional 30-minute question-and-answer session. Guests will receive an in-depth look at the school’s academic, athletic, visual and performing arts programs, and more. Each high school event is limited to 20 guests. To register for an event, visit www.hpa.edu/openhouse.
For more information, contact the HPA Admission Office at 881-4321 (e-mail: admissions@hpa.edu).
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The Honokaa People’s Theater is moving into a new era. Let’s help them raise funds to buy a Digital Cinema Projector and build a nonprofit! Aloha, all you people of the People’s Theater out there in Honokaa, on the Big Island and the world over! 2014 is a year of changes for the People’s Theater, as the owner/funder has retired and the theater is up against a major hurdle in converting to digital cinema as the industry demands. They need your help to raise $60,000 to buy a digital projector to keep the movies going! The days of 35mm are over and they cannot continue to show movies unless converted to Digital Cinema.
They are trying everything we can think of to raise money to purchase a DCI compliant Digital Projector, they need your support, either by direct donations, connections to donors or performers you may have, suggestions and volunteer time, auction donations, or simply by coming out to the shows!
The Honokaa People’s Theater is a historic building that has been at the heart of Honokaa small town life since 1930. Almost 30 years ago, the current People’s Theater family, the Keeneys, decided to carry on the legacy of the original Tanimoto family, taking on the operation and funding of the theatre.
It’s now 2014 and they’re up against a challenge with the need for a digital projector, as 35mm films are no longer available. The theater has stood through thick and thin for the Big Island community, weathering the closing of the plantations, keeping prices low during the housing bubble, and generally providing families and friends something to do every weekend. We try to do it in the most economical and pono ways possible, doing most work ourselves from painting to plumbing and all sorts of renovation and upgrades, going solar, beaming free internet, using eco-friendly products and organic, local items wherever we can, and most importantly donating the space to many wonderful community and cultural events. We’ve never made any money doing it, we simply love to do what we do and believe that it can and should be done, but at this time we need a little help.
Contact the theater at honokaapeople.com and find out everything. Or send to Honokaa People’s Theater, P.O. Box 248, Honokaa HI 96727. Tax-deductible contributions can be made out to Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Council (http://www.bigislandrcd.org/home.html) whose nonprofit umbrella the checks can be made out to (but mailed/dropped off at the theater)
To submit items for Kokua Way, email Carol at waiukahenutz@gmail.com.
