PO‘IPU — There was no hesitancy on the part of the bon dance spectator on Friday evening, as Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa General Manager Michael Murphy announced that proceeds from the bon dance will go to help its sister properties on Maui.
“Many of our colleagues at Hyatt resorts on Maui have been directly impacted by the devastating wildfires, losing homes, family, pets, cars and more,” stated a placard which shared Murphy’s message welcoming hundreds, if not thousands, to the front lawn of the Po‘ipu resort.
“To help these Hyatt colleagues, we invite you to donate to our fundraising campaign by contributing. Your contribution will help bring relief and hope to those affected by the devastating fires.”
The spectator, garbed in happi coat in preparation for the evening’s menu of prerecorded obon dance favorites, jumped up in applause, her act triggering a wave of applause from the gathering of residents and visitors at the bon dance setup.
“I hope we get at least a thousand people,” said Arlene Yoshimori, of Stan’s Kaua‘i-Style Flying Saucers, which offered its unique bon dance offering. “Normally, we do this to raise money for the baseball team. But, tonight, everything is going to Maui.”
The Rev. Tomo Hojo, of the West Kaua‘i Hongwanji, offered the brief pre-dance bon aspiration, noting the wildfires had claimed a Jodo mission, a Shingon and a Hongwanji temple among the casualties of the wildfire. He was joined by the Rev. Kohtoku Hirao of the Waimea Shingon Mission, who presented a special piece among the string of prerecorded numbers.
Among the audience was a Japanese group that included three middle school students from Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, that was recently impacted by a tropical cyclone, and six high school students from Suo Oshima, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Also in attendance was a high school student from Waki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the students’ two chaperones from the Yamaguchi University English Department, Ariel Keith Sorensen and Mami Fujiwara, and the group’s host Kaua‘i Community College Distance Education Coordinator Kyoko Ikeda-Chun, the Kaua‘i Hui Alu with Jonathan Chun as president, and Kaua‘i Yamaguchi Kenjin Kai with Cheryl Shintani as president.
“These students just got here,” Ikeda-Chun said. “You want to check out the food? Or, if you’re not hungry, we can always go see the games and listen to Tsunami Taiko.”
Earlier in the afternoon, Kaua‘i High School girls volleyball coach Shyanne “Shy” Sadora and her 22 members of the combined junior varsity and varsity teams were impressed with the contributions collected in the school bus drive-thru at the team’s impromptu “Lahaina Needs Us!” donation drop-off.
“This is only our third day of practice after the teams were formed,” Sadora said. “We just formed the teams, and found out about this. The collection will be packed for Maui with Masaniai Construction, who already has a container that will be sent to Maui.”
Sadora said the Lady Red Raiders will be participating in a preseason McKinley volleyball tournament on O‘ahu during the Admissions Day weekend, and will have its first Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation game on Sept. 12.
Just down the street at the log cabin-style building on Rice Street, the United Public Workers Kaua‘i Chapter was wrapping up its two-day collection of relief supplies.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 ordfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
I’m shocked. One thing I like about Hawai’i is they’re always helping out each other. When I was growing up as a teenager in California, there’s so many people there, they every man for himself or herself. There’s no way anyone helps out each other like they do in Hawai’i. You have to make it out on your own. Wow. So that’s life in Hawai’i. I think that’s great. And what do they call this? Aloha or Shakka Bra…something like that. But I’ve seen this before.