A Cast of RPJ Members and Friends Serve It Up at Springtime Classic
Take one town, add over a thousand volleyball players, and then mix vigorously for a week. That in a nutshell is the Haili Invitational Volleyball Tournament. Held annually in Hilo, Hawai‘i, this year’s tournament featured 187 teams and over 1100 players, 12 of whom are RPJ members and/or have played in the chapter’s volleyball leagues and tournaments.
Summer Shimane’s (Sunday & Monday advanced leagues) HiLife Black team placed second in the women’s A division. Dionne Aiu (Sunday, Monday & Friday leagues) and her Help teammates took the top spot in their pool, but were ousted in the first round of the women’s B division playoffs. Michelle Isa (Monday advanced league) along with her HiLife Red teammates also made it out of their pool, but didn’t advance past the first round of the A-division playoffs. Anna Wong (Sunday advanced league and a former RPJ Director-at-Large) and Sarah Yi of the Lokahi VBC did not make it out of their respective A- and B-division pools. Na‘a Makekau (Sunday advanced), Gabe Hanohano, and Ryan Murabayashi of the Sandbaggers VBC won two games in their pool, but were denied a spot in the men’s B-division playoffs. Alan Kajiyama (Sunday advanced league and a 2009 RPJ Director-at-Large) and Thomas Takeuchi played in the men’s master’s division, but were also unable to gain a berth into the playoffs. Dave Engleman (one of the organizers for last year’s RPJ Summer Volleyball Tournament at Manoa and a coach for the Kaulukoa Volleyball Club) and his Lenny’s Place cohorts won the top spot in the Men’s Masters Division, ousting an Outrigger Master’s team made up of many former pro players, including former olympian Jon Stanley, the father of current Olympic gold-medalist Clay Stanley. Sam Kalingo and his Prolifik-Drinkers team defeated Big Island Roots for the men’s A division championship. Sam played in the 2007 Jaycee Jam Basketball Tournament and the 2008 RPJ Summer Volleyball Tournament, with his teams earning the championships in both tournaments.
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Where Volleyball Rules: The 52nd Annual Haili Invitational Volleyball Tournament
Dionne (#5) and her Help teammates. Di's team was tops in their B-division pool.
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To the Falls
Not the Falls
RPJ to Lead Hike to Pearl City’s Own Waterfall
This month’s hike is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, and it will take members and friends into Pearl City’s tree-laden backyard where they’ll find the Manana Falls. Winston Chow will lead the trek, and he says the whole trip should take around three hours, depending on how long the crew cares to linger in the water and ogle the majestic cascade (about 50 feet of it). Folks should be meeting around 11 am. Winston will have further details.
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And They're Off: The 22nd Annual Great Hawaiian Rubber Duckie Race
RPJ and Hawaii Kai Jaycees Work Together on Yearly Tradition
Fishing for ducks
Take one famous Waikiki waterway and add thousands of yellow duckies to it and you’ve got the makings of an annual spectacle that just might endear itself to an entire community. Luckily the folks at the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii thought of it 22 years ago. The Great Hawaiian Rubber Duckie Race has raised over $750,000 for the UCPA of Hawaii over the years, and it’s among the few events that has people throwing something cute and positive into the Ala Wai Canal. This edition of the race went off without a hitch thanks to a great mix of veteran race volunteers and eager young rookies from RPJ and the Hawaii Kai Jaycees. The volunteers were responsible for releasing the duckies to start the race and then retrieving them from the infamous Ala Wai at the finish line. Many thanks to all those who helped: Stan, Mike, Shaunte, Jon, Melyssa, Troy, Shelby Anthony, Lydell, Elvin, Shane, Winston, Charrise, Andy and C.A., and a special shout-out to Steven Antonio for wading into the canal and spear-heading the collection efforts. More pictures after the break. (more…)
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Duckie Race Update
Duckie Collection to Begin Around 2:00 pm, Not 5:00 pm
An earlier post incorrectly stated the duckie collection would begin around 5:00 pm. Actually, the collection will begin around 2:00 pm, about 30 minutes after the start. Boons will coral the ducks to the steps where Winston Chow and a couple of other volunteers will take the ducks out. The rest of the volunteers will form a chain to move the ducks into garbage bags, and the bags will be placed into wooden crates. The UCPA will provide nets, gloves, hand sanitizers/wetnaps, and garbage bags. The entire collection should finish around 3:30 pm and not 5:00 pm. Thanks to Gayle Takasaki for spotting the mistake, and to Winston for handling the heavy lifting (and for purchasing new collection baskets).
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Breaking News in Florida
RPJ Member Wins Major Awards at National Convention
Congratulations to Rebecca Soon who has won the top spot in the National Speak-Up and C. William Brownfield Memorial Award competitions at the US Jaycees National Convention. Rebecca had placed in the top five in both competitions and made her way into the second round of interviews held yesterday. Way to go, Becky!