Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 5, 1 Mei 1988 — Poor Attendance Marks Reception [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Poor Attendance Marks Reception

Only 10 Hawaii state lawmakers and two members of the City and County of Honolulu attended the annual legislative reception sponsored by the Hawaiian Civic Political Action Committee (HACPAC) Mar. 24 in the Von Holt Room at St. Andrews Cathedral. lt was one of the poorest attended receptions since HACPAC, political arm of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, decided several years ago to hold this "Meet Your Legislators" function. It was to be an "informal gathering of elected officials, Hawaiian agency administrators, eommunity leaders and friends to discuss issues impacting on the state and the Hawaiian eommunity." Except for a bare handful of Hawaiian Civic Club members, other club members were eonspicuous by their absence. Agency administrators and community leaders were even more noticeable by their non-attendance. The entertainment, however, by a trio called Native Pulse was most enjoyable. Dennis Wong,

Jamie Kawai and Julie-Ann Cachola, all graduates of the Kamehameha Schools, played for two solid hours. State lawmakers were led by Governor John David Waihee III who spent some time talking with several of those on hand. Others in attendance were Senators Mary George and Steve Cobb, and Representatives Andrew Levin, Samuel Lee, Whitney Anderson, Joan Hayes, Peter Apo, Robert Bunda and Henry Peters. Attending from the City Council were Marilyn Bornhorst and Leigh Wai Doo. The food was served by members of the Princess Ka'iulani Hawaiian Civic Club and its mother club, Pearl Harbor. There was so mueh leftover food that HACPAC Chairman Fred Cachola Jr. hauled them down to the Institute for Human Services (IHS). Invitations were sent to all legislators, eouneil members, Hawaiian Civic Clubs and most Hawaiian agencies. Tomi Downey Chong, Waialua HCC, was the event's coordinator.

Governor John David Waihee III poses with this trio after thanking them for the reception. These members of the Princess Ka'iulani Hawaiian Civic Club who helped with the affair are, from left to right, Karen Roldan, Kuulei Haina, Gov. Waihee, and Carol M. Anzai.

Rep. Whitney Anderson, also a member of the Kailua HCC, chats with Pearl Harbor HCC member Dahlia Kamalani.

mmm ■'■m Rep. Peter Apo is all ears listening to Dexter Soares, center, Kalihi-Palama Hawaiian Civic Club, and Chris Faria, president of Kailua HCC.