Kohala High '68 | 55th Reunion!

 

Rudy & Ernest

            Ernest & Gervin Jan Ken Po contest

Ernest & Marsha

Ernest & Gervin enjoying their

                 meal at Keokea

Bennie (Carlito) & Clyde 

                 Steven, Lydia, Bennie & Billy

                                Ernest & Andy

Ernest & Anita

  Clyde, Renee, Rudy, Dan, Frank, Crystal,                               Ryan, Linda Lehua, Laura

         Anita & Marsha Jan Ken Po Semi Finals

        Linda Lehua & Marsha Quarter Finals

Ryan & Ernest the "Think You Cute" Buddies

                       Alvin, Ernest and Anita

                       Laura, Billy & Ernest

                       Ernest & Sharon

                             Steven & Ernest

                    Andy & Rudy Golf winners

           Renee & Lydia Hanafuda Champions

Ryan, Renee, Steven & Lydia Finals match 

          Steven and Lydia on opposing teams

                           Ryan & Renee

  Pictures of ono food at Keokea & Kam Park

                            Anthony and Billy

              Benjamin Jessie Cuaresma & Suzy

                            Ryan and Diane 

                        Anita and Alvin

                           Gervin and Chris 

                          Crystal and Frank

 Bennie Carlito with his unique golf bag 😀

                  Andy, Rudy, Bennie & Diane

Planning for our 50th Reunion began back in March 2017.

Front Row, left to right: Edward Lewis, Renee Ito, Dan Sugiyama, Rudy Garcia, William Yamamoto

Middle Row: Sharon Pule, Laura Ann Souza, Laura Yamamoto, Clyde Nakashima

Back Row: Andy Oshita, Calvin Marquez

After the Golf tournament on Wednesday, June 6, the Bamboo Fishing tournament was held at Mahukona Wharf.  Devika, Benjamin (Carlito) and Patsy ready to begin.

Yoli and Vivian anxiously waiting as Renee realizes she's lost her favorite spot.

Friday tour of campus and presentation of check to Principal Janette Snelling

Left to Right: Calvin Marquez, Andy Oshita, Patsy Kaohu Niibu, Julie Ann Rocha Kaku, Ryan Tohara, Leonetta Ching Hoskins, Alvin Maeda, Renee Kinoshita Ito, Devika Follosco, Yoli Gonzales, Clyde Nakashisma, Laura Aiona Yamamoto, William Yamamoto, Benjamin Carlito Ricardo, George Kaitoku, Vivian Salinas Pope, Rudy Garcia, Sharon Pule, Principal Janette Snelling.

Hanafuda Singles Tournament Begins

Andy presenting Principal Snelling with a check in the amount of $1,968 that we had committed to.  She was then surprised with a second check of $2,267 for a total of $4,235 that the class of '68 had generously donated.

Laura not giving Sharon a chance in the Wahine's Singles Tournament.

Beyonce (Vivian) and  Pink (Devika) performing "Happy Just To Dance With You" by the Beatles

Leo, Patsy & Yoli singing and dancing to "It's In His Kiss"

Class (Laura, Alvin Maeda,William and Ryan)  performing a community service project by cleaning the louvered windows of the Kohala Intergeneration Center where our evening activities were held.  

Yoli joining Patsy & Leonetta who won the Hanafuda Doubles Championship

Class reunion cake ordered by Renee Ito

Andy, Anthony and Alvin (da 3 A's) discussing world issues. :)

Jesse, Linda, Billy & Calvin

Linda & Billy

Doubles Hanafuda Champions Patsy & Leonetta showing their crystal engraved awards for defeating Calvin and Carlito

Great dinner provided by Minnie's

John and Laura Ann Souza & Ryan

Katherine, Ernest, Jesse & Yoli

Marsha, is the food ono?

Same picture, minus Yoli :)

Class President Devika and VP Andy recognizing Reunion Committee members William  &  Laura Yamamoto, & Renee Ito. Clyde is on the side.  Laura is saying "I hope Andy doesn't give me a kiss"   You wish Laura !!!!  :) :)

Clyde was presented with the Class MVP Award for his volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity

Andy asking class not to forget classmates who have passed away. A Moment of Silence was held in their behalf.

Calvin presented with award for winning the Kane Singles Hanafuda Championship

Patsy and Leonetta were very humble in defeating the men for the Doubles Hanafuda Championship. Was wondering why Devika kept repositioning her chair. Da Photo Bomba.

Some of our fun classmates who attended all 3 days of reunion activities

50th Reunion Group Photo

Front Row-Lt. to Rt. Renee Ito, Norma Baker, Vivian Pope, Leonetta Hoskings, Yoli Gonzales, Laura Yamamoto

Second Row: Laura Ann Souza, Ryan Tohara, Clyde Nakashima, Julie Ann Rocha Kaku, Katherine Aruda

Standing: Linda Schmidt, Patsy Niibu, William Yamamoto, Devika Follosco, Calvin Marquez, Benjamin Carlito Recardo, Rudy Garcia, Frank Santiago, Gervin Victor, Ernest Valenzuela, Jesse Cuaresma, Glenn AhSam, Anthony Obina, Alvin Maeda, Steven Santiago, Andy Oshita

Same picture as above but with Julie Ann not blocked out.  However, Alvin bit into a sour Ling Hing Mui.   Sorry Alvin, but Julie made me do it.

Five Friends had time between activities for lunch at Minnies. Great Picture.

Display of classmates who have passed away.

Display of where our classmates reside.  Odetta has moved to Maui

Our Senior Class Presidency - 1968

Our Senior Class Presidency - 2018

Vivian and Yoli

Our Great Classmates Moe, Larry & Curly Joe, aka Patsy, Vivian & Devika

Alvin & Rudy discussing the big ones that "got away"

Laura "eyeing" the food that's left

Carlito, put your arms down. Wind blowing towards Devika and Vivian

Andy and Aaron "Butchie" Ayoso, class of 70, enjoying the ono lunch after the conclusion of the Fishing Tournament

Terry Tohara, front right, joined our Hanafuda tournament

Yoli meditating on how to defeat Laura.  But it didn't work. 

Rudy and Calvin checking on how others are doing.

Laura being niele;  who's winning between Patsy and Vivian

Laura on her way to the Wahine Singles Championship

https://youtu.be/HdaB8YMW7v0

The Supremes (Leonetta, Patsy &Yoli) performing "It's In His Kiss"

On our Friday tour of the KHS campus we were surprised with these two posters that Principal Snelling had some former students make to welcome us back to campus.  

George directing Clyde and Carlito on the placement of a banner

Classmates decorating hall for our evening activities. Like we were back in high school.

Our 50th reunion t-shirt

These 3 paid to have another picture of them included again. :)

Marsha Valenzuela filling Jesse and his wife in on some good stuff about Ernest. :)

The Reunion Committee consisting of Renee Ito, Laura & William Yamamoto, Clyde Nakashima and Andy Oshita would like to thank our class of '68 classmates for their attendance and generous contributions to our gift to Kohala High School.  Also to those who were unable to attend but still contributed to help us meet our goal.  We had set a goal of $1,968 representing the year we graduated but were extremely pleased when our final total ended up at $4,235 !!!  The class voted to have these funds used to purchase a milk dispenser and meat/vegetable slicer for the school cafeteria.

REUNION ACTIVITIES

Golf Tournament - 1st Place Andy Oshita, Runner Up Benjamin Carlito Bado

Trophy will be given to Mrs. Janice Ishiara, wife of our late classmate Dale.  Janice won the tournament during our 40th reunion and Dale won it at our 45th reunion.

Bamboo Fishing Tournament - Winners in various categories: First fish caught - Benjamin Ricardo, Largest Caught - Benjamin Ricardo 15 inches, Smallest caught - Alvin Maeda 31/2 inches (umbilical cord was still attached :), Most caught-Laura Yamamoto.  Tournament Winner with most total points - Laura Yamamoto.  But it is pending since a few protest have been filed with the County since her husband Billy was the Tournament Chairman and has been accused of placing more "palu" where she was fishing from thereby attracting more fish her way. :)

HIGHLIGHTS: First caught could have gone to Yoli who caught her hook in her blouse even before the tournament started.  She also could have won the largest caught when she appeared to have snagged a monster and had the tip of her pole almost in the ocean.  We all thought she had a whopper on her line when we realized she had hooked on to "Maui" or a rock.  Boy, her Academy Award performance sure had us fooled.

Presentation of Class Gift and Campus Tour - At 10:00 a.m. Friday morning we met in the cafeteria parking lot and discussed the 4 projects that our funds could be used for.  We fondly recalled how great meals were prepared every day in the cafeteria and the "fun" time we had when we were assigned to help prepare, cook and serve these lunches.  So our classmates unanimously voted to use the funds to purchase a milk dispenser and meat/vegetable slicer for the cafeteria.

Two large posters were on the walls outside the Library that Principal Janette Snelling had some KHS Alumni make to welcome us that morning.  It was a wonderful surprise and everyone was very appreciative and touched by what they had done for us.  Something we'll never forget.  The two checks totaling $4,235 were presented to Principal Snelling and she was very appreciative and surprised as were some of our classmates who had not been apprised of the total amount donated by our great classmates.  

We had fun touring the campus and reminiscing fond memories of our 7th - 12th grades at KHS.  However, the main reason for our tour was not realized which was to learn whose idea it really was to sneak out of a school dance one night by climbing out of the second story window facing the elementary classrooms only to have VP Mr. Morikawa waiting to "bust" them.  Patsy and Vivian could not come to an agreement, or could not remember,  as to which of them made the initial suggestion so it will remain as one of our class's best kept secret.

After lunch we met at the Kohala Intergenerational Center to decorate the hall, much like we did in high school for our dances and banquets.  It brought some fond memories and emotions.  The louvered windows were so dirty that they appeared to be frosted.  So Renee suggested we perform a service project for the community by cleaning the windows.  Kudos to our classmates who got to it right away and as a group cleaned the windows so they looked super clear.   What was funny was that of all the fun activities we participated in during our reunion, the hall decorating and window cleaning brought the most satisfaction and warmness of heart for the "togetherness" we felt and the act of providing a service.  So Mahalo to all those who were able to be a part of these two activities.

Friday Night Classmates Pot luck -  we had so much fun and the highlights were the Karaoke Performances to songs from the 50's  60's.  

The Supremes (Leonetta, Patsy & Yoli) doing "It's In His Kiss" The Shoop Shoop Song Betty Everett

Beyonce (Vivian) & Pink (Devika) performing "Happy Just to Dance With You" Beatles

Pussycall Dolls (Leonetta, Patsy, Yoli, Vivian & Devika) "The Locomotion) Little Eva

It was unanimous, the winners were the Pussycall Dolls who were given a standing ovation by our classmates.  They won the $50 grand prize ($10 each, glad I took SMSG math from Mr. Hunt) so they are now considered professionals and can no longer audition for American Idol or America's Got Talent which are for amateurs.  Sorry Gals.

Saturday night Dinner.  We had a great dinner catered by Minnies, who are of the Lim Family.  It consisted of a traditional Hawaiian luau menu along with prime rib and sushi Renee got from Waimea.  Alvin Maeda also brought sashimi, poke and opihi for all three days that was much appreciated.  Even the hinalea caught during the fishing tournament tasted great, Ha, Ha.

Another fun activity we took part in that is usually done at reunions but since we are not the "usual" kind of class, we added a different twist to it as follows:

Special awards were presented to:
- Fishing Tournament Winner - Laura Yamamoto
- Hanafuda Tournament Winners:
  * Kane Singles - Calvin Marquez
  * Wahine Singles - Laura Yamamoto
  * All Singles - Laura Yamamoto
  * Doubles - Patsy Kaohu & Leonetta Hoskins
  * The Team Hawaii ( Calvin, Rudy, Laura & Patsy) defeated Team Mainland (Leonetta, Yoli, Vivian & Andy) in a thrilling one game playoff after regular tournament ended up in a tie score.  Patsy and Andy's names were randomly selected to represent their teams in a one hand sudden death playoff.  Patsy won by a mere 5 points!!!!  However, Team Mainland displayed good sportsmanship, stomped out but returned a couple hours later in good spirits. :)
- Reunion Committee members Clyde Nakashima, Renee Ito, William and Laura Yamamoto were presented with awards for their countless time, and personal funds used to plan and organize all 9 of our class reunions.
- Class of '68 "Good Guy" Award to Ryan Tohara for the many "behind the door" acts of service he quietly performs
- Class of '68 MVP award to Clyde Nakashima for his many hours volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.

In fear of inadvertently leaving off someones name, we will not list names but you know who you are.  We sincerely thank all those who attended or contributed to our gift to KHS, who contributed wonderful door prizes, helped with the decorations and have continued to be great classmates of the Kohala High Class of '68 which continues to be one of the best classes to graduate from Kohala High.  Our fondest Mahalo and Aloha to each of you and your spouses and guests who joined us in our recent celebration of our 50 years since graduation.  Have a wonderful life and continue to serve in your communities and minister to those you come in contact with to help make our communities a better place in which we live.  Let's all make a difference.

Aloha from your Class of '68 Reunion Committee