Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 2, 1 February 1990 — Mainland Civic Clubs keep aloha spirit and continue support of Hawaiian life [ARTICLE]

Mainland Civic Clubs keep aloha spirit and continue support of Hawaiian life

Hawai'i will always remain l'home" in the hearts of the many Hawaiians who have moved away from their birthplace, whether temporarily for school or military service, or to establish themselves in careers and raise their families. To keep that spirit of home alive, Hawaiian civic clubs on the mainland were formed to share, with friends and family, Hawaiian cultural traditions and to support education of Hawaiian students through scholarship fundraisers. Since 1983 Hawaiian civic clubs on the mainland have been trying to form their own district eouneil as their numbers increased. The separate eouneil would allow them to operate like the island district councils and give them recognition before the association board. Previously the mainland clubs eame under the jurisdiction of the association executive board. In 1988 at the 29th annual civic club constitutional convention in Keauhou, Kona, the association allowed the mainland clubs to form a eouneil and gave them a year to draft a new constitution and bylaws. These documents were approved in the November 1989 AHCC convention in Waikiki Goals of the new Mainland District Council are to support the state association, its constitution and bylaws and to work with clubs in the eouneil to share programs on education, cultural enrichment and to use native resource persons who visit mainland states. The overall goal is to be an advocate

for Hawaiians in general, said new eouneil president Victor Kaiwi Pang. Mainland clubs have been a home away from home for island students attending college away from their families, Pang said, sometimes even providing a plaee to sleep if they needed one. Pang would like for clubs to be able to offer more scholarships to students, and to share ideas for fundraising and culture programs. Current eouneil member clubs include: • Ainahau O Kaleponi, 240 members • Ahahui O Lili'uokalani, 70 members • Na Po'e O Colorado, 60 members • Hui O Hawai'i O Utah, 50 members • HCC of Las Vegas, the newest club, 94 members Pang said the eouneil will take an active role in providing future workshops on Native Hawaiian entitlements and registration in Operation 'Ohana. He added that formation of additional mainland civic clubs are being considered in the San Francisco Bay area, in Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash. Officers of the mainland eouneil elected at the Waikiki convention are: president Victor Pang (Ainahau O Kaleponi); first vice president Brucella Berard (Ahahui O Lili'uokalani); second vice president Ellen Selu (Hui O Hawai'i O Utah); treasurer Dewey Clark (Na Po'e O Colorado), and director Andy Berard (Ahahui O Lili'uokalani).