Sports Leagues Will Be April’s Hot Topic
RPJ’s General Membership Meeting is set for Wednesday, April 8, 6:30 to 9:00 pm at the Moiliili Community Center. This meeting will be huge as important information regarding sports leagues will be discussed. Former Xyloh peeps are expected to attend, too. Thanks to Winston Chow for booking the room.
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General Membership Meeting Date Set
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More Details About Upcoming Duckie Race
Don't touch me, especially after I've been in the Ala Wai for two hours.
Volunteers Need to Register Early
According to Winston Chow, who’s in charge of RPJ’s volunteer round-up, folks will need to check-in at the McCully Shopping Center by 12:30pm. The United Cerebral Palsy Association (UCPA) will pass out nets, gloves, garbage bags, etc. Volunteers will also receive a “duck trainer” ballcap.
From what he’s gathered from past race workers, Winston believes volunteers will start taking the ducks out of the water by 5 pm. He will be giving the UCPA a list of volunteers on Friday compiled through e-mail, e-vite, Sportsvite and Facebook. “It makes registration easier,” Winston said, “but I’m not totally sure it’s necessary.” Unless of course the folks on the list get extra gloves. Then please Winston, MAKE THAT LIST!
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Release the Ducks!
Adopt me!
RPJ Members Prepare for 22nd Annual Great Hawaiian Rubber Duckie Race
by Winston Chow
It’s Rubber Duckie Race time. RPJ has been helping the United Cerebral Palsy Association (UCPA) with this event for over a decade. You’ve probably seen the commercials for it on TV. Chapter volunteers help tag the ducks two days before the race. On race day, we dump the ducks then take them out of the Ala Wai afterwards. Don’t worry, you won’t have to go into the water. There are festivities from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm at the McCully Shopping Center before the race, which starts at 1:22 pm. Retrieving the ducks will be a couple of hours later, probably at 5 pm.
We need about 20–25 volunteers to help tip over four large wooden crates of rubber ducks. Volunteers will need to show up at the McCully Shopping Center to check-in no later than 12:30pm. UCPA will distribute nexts, gloves, garbage bags, etc. to volunteers. Volunteers will also get a “duck trainer” ballcap.
Duck Tagging is Thursday, March 19th from 6 pm to 8 pm, and it will be done at Campbell Industrial Park. We only need about 4–5 volunteers for this so don’t worry if you can’t make the duck tagging.
Whether or not you can help at the race or tagging of the ducks, you can always put in a duck which is only $5 each. You may win a trip to Vegas or other great prizes (see brochure on the website). You will also be helping out a great cause. An entry form is available on their website as well at www.ucpahi.org. (more…)
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First-Year Chapter Member Shows Top-Flight Talent
Rebecca speaking at the 2008 TOYP Banquet
RPJ Member Earns Semi-Final Berths at National Convention
by Elvin Berzabal
A lot has happened to Rebecca Soon in her first full year with RPJ, and it came to a head today when she placed in the top five in the National Speak-Up and C. William Brownfield Memorial Award competitions at the United States Jaycees National Convention in Crystal River, Florida. Rebecca earned the right to represent Hawaii this past January at the Hawaii Jaycees’ year-end convention in Honolulu.
Rebecca has been a very active member in RPJ since she joined in 2007. She was last year’s individual development vice president, and she took the reins of 2008’s Three Outstanding Young Persons Award Banquet, which won a top project honor at the January state convention. Rebecca is back on board again this year as the chapter’s management development vice president.
The Brownfield award—named after the author of the Jaycee Creed—is a resume writing and interviewing competition sponsored by the US Junior Chamber and its state affiliate organizations. The competition is open to any new Junior Chamber member with less than 24 months in the organization. The competition includes an oral interview (50%) and a review of the competitor’s Jaycee resume (50%) or portfolio. Speak-Up is an individual development competition designed to provide Junior Chamber members with the opportunity to develop their verbal communication skills.
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Football: The Other Sport
Mark Kazunaga (right) hauls in a pass during the flag football game last Christmas.
Flag Football Game Draws Large Contingent of Non-Jaycee Members
by Elvin Berzabal
In RPJ, volleyball is king, but the 21 people who came out for the chapter’s coed flag football game Saturday, February 7, 2009 at Ke‘ehi Lagoon would beg to differ. Attendance was a concern since the game was being played on Pro Bowl Weekend, but thanks to the efforts of Dawn Martin, the new sports director for 2009, there were more than enough participants. In fact, 12 of the 18 players–many of whom were Dawn’s friends–were non-RPJ members who were experiencing a Jaycee event for the first time. Thanks also to the other RPJ members who made it to the park that day: Shane Akagi, Elvin Berzabal, Winston Chow, Eve Epitome, Anthony Higa, Plato Hsieh, Alan Kajiyama and Shane Sumida.
This was RPJ’s second flag football game at Ke‘ehi Lagoon. Last Christmas Day, Mark Kazunaga, the 2008 sports director, organized a game attended by 14 members and friends. Stay tuned for news regarding a potential flag football league in May.