HANAPEPE — Kauaians, visitors, veterans, and many others took time out on Veterans Day yesterday to reflect on and remember the sacrifices made by veterans, as several hundred people converged on the Hanapepe Kauai Veteran’s Cemetery for annual Veterans Day
HANAPEPE — Kauaians, visitors, veterans, and many others took time out on Veterans Day yesterday to reflect on and remember the sacrifices made by veterans, as several hundred people converged on the Hanapepe Kauai Veteran’s Cemetery for annual Veterans Day services hosted by the Kaua‘i Veterans Council.
Ed Kawamura, former council president, had his pickup laden with supplies of torch ginger to place on graves that would otherwise go undecorated.
Terry Reyes of the Kaua‘i Veterans Center located on Kapule Highway in Lihu‘e noted that it is only through the efforts of many hands that these veterans functions are possible, as Waimea High School music director Elizabeth Gullotta led a handful of Menehune musicians in selections of patriotic music prior to the start of the 11 a.m. service.
Donovan Travaso, cemetery caretaker, said members of the Kaua‘i Hongwanji Women’s Association, from all the Buddhist hongwanji island-wide, prepare marigolds for placing at graves through their Lonesome Grave program.
Travaso said the ladies do this both on Veterans Day and Memorial Day services.
Troops of Waimea High School JROTC under the direction of Maj. Victor Aguilar and 1st Sgt. Dan Glover practiced their routines as the color guard, saber unit, and bugle corps took up their respective stations.
Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts from Troop 83 in Lihu‘e had finished their task of placing American flags at each grave and, prior to the service, had time for a beach walk before changing from their “Class B” uniforms into their “Class A” outfits which they would wear while standing at attention through the service that saw the keynote address delivered by Kaua‘i Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste.
Aloha Breeze also provided musical selections between the program notes, with the Kaua‘i Veterans Honor Guard delivering the 21-gun salute at the climax of the service, followed by the haunting “Echo Taps” performed by Marissa Uyehara and Brian Martin of the Waimea JROTC bugle corps.
As the service adjourned, Glover went over to the contingent of Scouts, joined by Girl Scout Kelly Oride, the only Girl Scout in uniform, and shook as many of the young hands as he could find, congratulating them on their effort to attend the services.
Bill Honjiyo of the Vietnam Veterans association looked at the goings-on involving the many young people from many community organizations working together to remember the veterans.
All he could do was smile with approval and pride.
Staff Writer Dennis Fujimoto may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253), or mailto:dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
