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2009

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Report from the Reunion Committee:

Aloha 59ers!

 

Magical June '09 reunion memories will linger for years!  Thanks to all of you who came; for those who didn't, you were missed.  We were blessed with perfect June weather including a full moon.

 

Some Housekeeping Statistics and Information:

 

Our  25 member committee was simply amazing and everything flowed perfectly. Our goal to make everyone feel welcomed was fulfilled.

 

Our numbers for the week were mind boggling! Nearly 150 of us '59ers attended; add spouses/guests for a total of about 1500 collective participants.  We hosted 8 events plus the school's 3 for 11 total events in 6 days.  In addition, the previous week a group  went to Maui, another to Kona.  Sprinkle in several smaller gatherings in between and it was quite a week!  Pleasant exhaustion required days to recoup. The glow continues!

 

Many thanks go around but some folks produce difficult parts of a reunion behind the scenes who are our heroes and without them we wouldn't  have the same success. Big kudos go to JEAN MATSUO, our mistress of organization with lists, lists and more lists of names and activities AND our #1  Name Tag Queen who kept us identified and sane!  Jeannie also assisted ALAN BUSH in the totally laborious, who wants to do that job, creation of our nifty Memory Book/Directory.  Huge thanks go to STEVE FOSTER, KARL POLIFKA and JAN COLLINS for their amazing and difficult research and Steve's computer work on updating the class list directory part of our book and finding lost classmates that even the school didn't have which gave us data to make us more up to date than most. T-shirt detail went to TEDDI LAM with the loving and able assist of her talented daughter, Donna Ching-Foster ('82) of Ching Foster Design, who both designed our very classy shirt and for Donna's help as well on the memory book. 

 

Now to our remarkable week:

 

Tuesday  Golf at Makaha Valley Resort  with "da guys"  began the week a la  ROY IMAI, CLINT JAMILE and BENNY SAMSON. They were graced by the presence and impressive ability of the only wahine golfer,  ROBERTA ROEHRIG,  who loved every minute. More wahine and guys arrived for the 19th hole party and breakfast the next AM before the final round.  Another perfect jump start on Tuesday  was the luncheon  beautifully hosted by MERRILL JOHNSTON and JACKIE LEMMON  at BOB LILJESTRAND's gorgeous home a top Tantalus. Cozy car pools enhanced the fun. 

 

 Wednesday, chair DANA ANDERSON coordinated the three Art Academy  trolley tours  to Doris Duke's  Shangri-La; an unforgettable tour for all who attended. That evening Punahou hosted a huge on campus Open House for all classes at which time class gift reports were announced. For our Class Gift Committee, BOB AKINAKA, CLAYDEN JIM and ANDRE TATIBOUET proudly presented a gift of $310,000 to the school representing 54% participation of '59ers as of that date, the highest number of participants of this year's reunion classes. Thus, we met our primary goal for the highest percentage participation  to remember Punahou and the needs of the kids, no matter what the amount. You continue to respond and we thank you for your amazing generosity! 

 

Thursday evening VICKY HOLLINGER, our hostess with the mostess, greeted us on board  the  beautiful Star of Honolulu for a perfect sunset dinner cruise along Waikiki.  "Our" private Galaxy Lounge dining room including musicians and  colorful polynesian dancers was superb.  ROBIN LUKE borrowed the electric guitar from the band and took us back in time including, of course, singing  "Susie Darlin' ",  a total kick!

 

Friday morning TEK YOON and his lovely wife, U'i, enthusiastically organized the Mai Tai Catamaran ride off the Sheraton Hotel. Perfect weather, mai tai’s for every one and back to basic Waikiki fun in the sun  highlighted the ride.  

 

That evening  at  the  beautiful Pacific Club we enjoyed a glorious buffet supper reception  hosted by HARLAN  CADINHA, LIZ  FEIRER, and our own faithful  drink- script- selling  '59 "bar flies".  Ladies were greeted with fresh orchid lei and JEAN MATSUO and committee were our unsung heroines at the entrance hosting table. 230 of us  filled the entire lawn and dining room as Vicky's group, Naluhoe, offered  old style Hawai'ian music at its best enhanced by impromptu hula  by the "Leahi Sisters" aka DENBY FAWCETT  and Merrill,  HULDA GODDICK and Joanie Albao (Cecil's beautiful wife). While Robin played several  jumpy '50's tunes on stage, Dana and LIONEL CRAVEN  danced  the classic '59-style jitterbug and Hulda's "jitter-swing"  with Joe Recca (Naluhoe) was like an unforgettable  ballet. Other  dancing feet joined in  and  we ended the perfect evening with "Strawberry Shortcake/Huckleberry Pie, V-I-C-T-O-R-Y...".!   (Remember that?)

 

The  Saturday 3:00  chapel  service was a moving  celebration for 50 (known ) of us who have passed.  TEDDI LAM Ching and her amazing committee of SALLY FLINN and RON IWAMOTO plus Teddi's family members created the unforgettable service. ANDRE TATIBOUET welcomed us; DIDI LEONG gave the invocation. As Dana  and Lionel read each name while picture(s) appeared on the screen 3 classmates each carried a long stemmed rose to place on the altar for that classmate, creating three beautiful bouquets of multi colored roses. Vicky's  vocal rendition of  "The Lord's Prayer" in Hawai'ian and "Aloha 'oe" closed the celebration.  

 

After the class picture on the chapel steps we proceeded to Pres. Jim Scott's nearby home  where he hosted a reception for us including  a bright yellow plumeria lei for each given by the school. As the honored reunion class we were then escorted down  to the luau on middle field with much fanfare. Preceeding us were the school band drummers. Appropriately leading us were JOHN MOORE,  student-body President, and JON LARSON, class president, carrying a big banner  "Punahou, Class of 1959, the Statehood Class". In between them was Denby wearing a  long 50 year old classic mu'umu'u (owned by Merrill's mom) with "STATEHOOD" in bold letters, American Flags, etc.  Behind them FRANK YOUNG carried the huge American Flag. There we were, 250 strong, some carrying huge flags representing the other 49 states (thanks ROTC), as folks cheered us on to the field  to our lu'au tables to enjoy the Hawai'ian celebration.  About 100 of us then moved to the wine tent for the post luau party to join other classes  for more Hawai'ian and Robin Luke's jumpin' '50s music; a rare treat for all!

 

Sunday's picnic at Kalama Beach Club was perfectly done by JIM HALEY and his amazing committee:  LYN  KNOX, TEK YOON, ALAN BUSH plus all of their spouses created a BBQ feast  to remember.  In addition, Cheryl Parker, JOHN PARKER's widow, brought in their famous Round Table Pizza and KATHY KANGUN and hubby Ben Bohach hand carried from Alaska just for us 50 lbs.of fresh salmon, cooked right there, adding to the sumptuous menu.  At one point, with us all on the beach and in a moving tribute to our departed '59ers, Jim paddled out beyond the shore break with the rose petals from the chapel, scattering them in the Kailua waters as Vicky led us in a final "Aloha 'oe" and SUSAN HATA danced a graceful hula on the warm sand. Heart-filled emotions ran deep  for us all when we bid aloha to each other  as the picnic ended. Although exhausted, we left  with friendships renewed and new ones formed. To sum it up: WOW and thank you for all being you. IMUA Class of 1959!  See you in five years!

 

Aloha, Diane Devereux Ackerson co-chair

            for Bob Akinaka, co-chair and the rest of your  50th reunion committee.  

 

 

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