October 12, 2017 | Subscribe to win at mccsokinawa.com/spotlight
Photo courtesey of Neon Trees, ingimage.com
Kinser Festival
N
eon Trees has returned from a two-year hiatus. They are celebrating their new single “Feel Good,” as they take the stage once again. “Feel Good” is a song that is meant to reach out to those exhausted by a battle with anxiety or depression. Its upbeat rhythm encourages those who are struggling to find a desire to feel good again. This is not the first Neon Trees song that addresses a difficult topic with high hopes and energy. Their carefree alternative pop sound has danced around dark themes since they first formed in 2005. Neon Trees first stepped foot in the limelight when they were chosen to open for The Killers in 2008. They signed to Mercury Records the following year and debuted in 2010 with Habits. Such an album was the perfect introduction to a quirky band whose music is best described as fun. Their lead single, “Animals,” quickly rose to the top of the charts and led to several notable TV appearances. In 2012, they followed Habits with
inside
another playful album, Picture Show. This album featured platinum-selling song “Everybody Talks,” which may be best known for being in a Buick Verano commercial that same year. They later went for a more polished approach in 2014 with the release of Pop Psychology, which features the popular single "Sleeping with a Friend." In 2015, they decided to take a break. Now, they are back stronger than ever! Neon Trees has toured with numerous high-profile bands including Maroon 5, The Offspring, Thirty Seconds to Mars, My Chemical Romance, and Panic! at the Disco. The band is praised for their energetic live performances. They are perfect for a great night out! Neon Trees will perform at the Camp Kinser Festival on October 28 at 7:30 p.m. For more details and the complete festival entertainment schedule, visit mccsokinawa.com/entertainment.
Kinser Festival | 3 Okinawa Dance Event | 3 Island Adventure: Frights & Fights | 5 Japanese Phrase of the Week | 5
Kinser Festival is back with a Halloween twist! The much-anticipated fall festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, October 28 and 29 from 1 to 9 p.m. both days. Kinser Fest will have no shortage of food and drinks from local vendors as well as Bulldogs Burgers, Hickory House BBQ Brisket and Chicken, sizzlin’ pizza and Kanpai Lounge for adult liquid refreshment. As with all MCCS festivals, there will be plenty of game booths, prize giveaways and amusement rides including Fun Land! Fun Land includes loads of fun with a zip line, rock climbing wall, a bungee jump, Pirates Revenge, kid’s train, the whizzer and all sorts of bounce houses and slides. (cont. on page 3)
Pick of the Week: Kinser Family Fitness Center | 7 Halloween at the Clubs | 9 MCCS Tours+ | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11
2 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
3 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
livingatlarge Kinser Festival (cont. from page 1)
This event will also feature prizes and giveaways courtesy of Okinawa Grand Mer Resort Okinawa and Kafuu Resort Fuchaku Condo-Hotel. Those wishing for a bit of extra chills and thrills can stop at MCAS Futenma on their way south on Saturday night for a trip through the Single Marine Program’s FREE Haunted House. The Futenma SMP Haunted House will be held inside Bldg. 424 October 28 from 7 to 11 p.m. The theme is simple—scare you out of your socks and into a cold, cold sweat. Entry to the Futenma SMP Haunted House is FREE. However, this haunted house is not recommended for small children (kids under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult). Also, entry is not recommended for pregnant women or people with heart conditions.
Kinser Fest is open to all DoD ID card holders and Japanese. Please leave your pets at home. Do not bring any outside alcohol, bottles or coolers. If you choose to drink, please do so responsibly. There will be daiko and taxi services available.
For more information on Kinser Fest, call MCCS Special Events at 645-5828 or visit mccsokinawa. com/festivals. For more on the Futenma SMP Haunted House, visit mccsokinawa.com/smp.
events&happenings
Sarah Head, Thomas Alan Smilie
E
Okinawan Dance Exhibition
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER | Jim Casketbaum MANAGING EDITOR | Mike-nado Deadly ART DIRECTOR | Catherine Booquist CULTURAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST | Ayako Spookmitsu GRAPHIC ARTS MANAGER | Henry Goretega GRAPHIC DESIGNERS | Margie Screamabukuro, Lisa Murkyagi, Skeletor Nieves, Jongeun Slayer WRITER/EDITOR | Amanda Carveasquillo DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER | Tombmas Alan Smilie SOCIAL MEDIA | Shelbie Thilmummy PHOTOGRAPHER | Roderica Monstrous AD/SPONSORSHIP MANAGER | Roy Horrorster AD SALES | Yoshievil Shinzato, Yoriko Howlshiro, Angela Squeal, Trick-Or-Thena Garcia DISTRIBUTION | Kelli Kruger, Desiree Addams MARKETING ACCOUNTS MANAGER | Andrew Mangled ACCOUNTS & RESEARCH | Ashley Scareing, Kristen-O-Lantern Wong, Secoya Headless, Ashley Bites, Allison Eekxon BROADCAST | Kathlene Thrillette, Grave Archer, Zombie Komiya
Questions? Comments? Please e-mail OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. To advertise in Okinawa Spotlight, call 645-2245, fax 645-0975 or e-mail sales@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. MCCS is not responsible for designing and editing outside ads. No Department of Defense, U.S. Marine Corps or Marine Corps Community Services endorsement of commercial advertisers or sponsors implied.
njoy an enchanting facet of Ryukyu culture. Vibrant kimonos, carefully-painted faces and precise movements—traditional Okinawa dance is an experience that every person should have while living on Okinawa. Normally you would have to travel off base and pay to observe these dances traditionally performed for the Ryukyu royalty. A FREE Okinawa Dance Exhibition will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 28 at the Camp Foster Community Center Auditorium. Enjoy enchanting performances by local volunteer dancers and musicians, learn about the history of the intricate steps and take pictures afterward with the performers—including the everpopular shishimai (lion dog)! For more information about this performance, call 645-2104. This publication printed with
4 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
5 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
japanese phrase of the week
Zombi da! Nigete! There's a zombie! Run!
ingimage.com, Thomas Alan Smilie
For details about FREE Japanese language classes, please call Marine & Family Programs-Resources at 645-2104/2106.
islandadventure
T
Frights & Fights
his month, join Tours+ for some chills and thrills on their Uruma Bullfights and Spooky Sites tours. On October 21, travel to Uruma City to see some bull-on-bull action. Bullfights are similar to sumo matches in structure. The massive competitors lock horns and grapple for position as their handlers stomp and shout to spur the bulls into action. The bulls can charge ahead to push their opponent away or use their horn to flip the other off balance. The loser is the one who backs off or turns their tail. Matches can last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. The champion bull is paraded in a victory lap. The tour runs from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prices for adults are $20, $13 for children 3 to 11 and FREE for children under 3. From October 26 to All Hallows Eve, get ready to get spooked on the Spooky Sites Tours running from 6 to 10 p.m. Tours+ will explore local
haunts and ghost sightings around Okinawa. Many of the better-known ghost stories on Okinawa will deliver a frightening experience and some spooky insight about island superstitions and history. Prices for
adults are $20, $13 for children 3 to 11 and FREE for children under 3. For more information on these tours, call 646-3502. Visit Tours+ online at mccsokinawa.com/tours.
6 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
7 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
didyou know?
Ingimage
According to the American Heart Association, the top tip for parents to help their children develop healthy habits is to be a good role model. Parents don’t have to be perfect all the time, but if kids see them trying to eat right and get physically active, they’ll take notice of parents’ efforts. Parents will send a clear message to their kids that good health is important.
indepth
P
Kinser Family Fitness Center
arenting comes with as many challenges as it does rewards. One challenge that many parents face is staying in shape by maintaining a regular fitness regimen. As fitness centers prohibit children for safety reasons, the only alternatives for many is to hire a caregiver or take turns at the gym with the spouse. Beginning on October 13, residents of Camp Kinser will be offered another option—the new Kinser Family Fitness Center adjacent to the main fitness center. Now a parent can enjoy time on a treadmill or elliptical, build or tone on a cable machine or stretch out with some soothing yoga with their child safe and in view at all times. Children are provided a safe, protected area with a fully transparent Plexiglas barrier. The area will offer children’s books as well as a television and DVD player.
The Kinser Family Fitness Center is open from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m.—the same hours as the main facility. Parents no longer need to take turns at home with the kid while the other goes for an evening workout. They can now bring their child along and alternate between the main facility and the Family Fitness Center and neither need to miss a beat in their workout. The facility even features stroller park-
ing outside the main entrance! The Kinser Family Fitness Center is offered for parents of children 10 and under on a space-available basis. A parent must always be present with their child and no outside food or drinks, except water, are allowed. For more information, call 637-1869/1114. Visit MCCS Semper Fit Fitness Centers online at mccsokinawa.com/fitness.
8 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
9 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
indepth
halloween attheclubs
A Scary-Good Time!
S
ingimage
For more information on Halloween events at MCCS Clubs, call the nearest participating facility. Visit MCCS Clubs and Restaurants online at mccsokinawa.com/clubs.
care up some buddies and head to your nearest MCCS Club for a Halloween bash! Kinser Surfside will be offering spooktacular fun October 27 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. On MCAS Futenma, head over to Thirsty’s Enlisted Club for a Halloween Party October 27 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. On October 28, Chesty’s SNCO Club and the Globe & An-
chor Enlisted Club will be hosting scary fun. The Globe & Anchor will be opening its doors at 8 p.m. and Chesty’s at 7 p.m. Both events will run until 2 a.m. On Camp Courtney, Legends Officers’ Club will host a Thriller Party October 27 from 6 p.m. until midnight and the Bayview Enlisted Club will throw their All Hallows Bash October 27 from
7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Hashmarks SNCO Club will be having a Halloween Party October 28 from 6 p.m. until midnight. There will be Pandemonium at The Palms on Camp Hansen October 28 from 8 to 11 p.m. and the BeachHead on Camp Schwab will be throwing a Halloween Party in the Landing Zone Enlisted Lounge October 28 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
10 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
11 | OKINAWA SPOTLIGHT | October 12, 2017
tours+
adventure begins here Battle Sites Tour* October 14, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $28, Children (3–11) $18, (under 3) FREE Visit Hacksaw Ridge, the Battle of Okinawa Historical Society Museum on Camp Kinser, explore the Japanese Naval Underground Headquarters and end the day at Peace Memorial Park in Mabuni. Bring dollars for lunch and yen for admission. Kerama Islands Snorkeling Tour* October 22, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $73, Children (4–11) $41 Grab your fins and get ready for some fun! Tour includes a boat ride to two snorkeling spots in the Kerama Islands.
Japanese Tea Ceremony & Kimono Dressing* October 20, 3:30–9:30 p.m. Adults $53, Children (3-11) $38, (under 3) FREE Take part in a traditional tea ceremony and dress in a traditional Japanese kimono. Afterwards, we will travel to Naha Main Place for dinner and shopping. Spooky Sites Tour* October 26, 27, 28, 29. 30 & 31, 6–10 p.m. Adults $20, Children (3–11) $13, (under 3) FREE Get into the spirit of Halloween on Tours+ annual haunted excursions. Many well-known spooky sites on island will be visited in the dark of night. How brave are you? Bring a flashlight and several pounds of courage.
*Bring yen for additional food, drinks and/or purchases. For more information, contact MCCS Tours+: Camp Foster 646-3502 | Camp Hansen 623-6344 | Camp Kinser 637-2744
Sarah Head, ingimage.com
upcoming semperfitevents Open Softball Tournament October 27–29 Camp Hansen Softball Fields Register by October 23 (1 p.m.) at any MCCS athletic facility for $120 per team. This event is open to participants island wide. A group trophy, as well as individual awards, will be given to first, second and third place teams. Bylaws and a tournament bracket schedule will be e-mailed to team representatives October 23. For more information, call 623-5569/5558.
Bench Press Competition October 28–29 Camp Foster Gunners Fitness Center Register by October 23 (1 p.m.) at any MCCS athletic facility for $20 (early) or $25 (same-day). This event is open to participants island wide. Individual awards will be given to the top 3 finishers in each weight class, based on amount of weight lifted. Bylaws will be provided upon request. All participants must weigh in October 28 and attend a mandatory lifting brief. For more information, call 645-4866.
6-on-6 Soccer Tournament October 27–29 Schwab Field 2 Register by October 23 (1 p.m.) at any MCCS athletic facility for $100 per team. This event is open to participants island wide. A group trophy, as well as individual awards, will be given to first, second and third place teams. Bylaws and a tournament bracket schedule will be e-mailed to team representatives October 23. For more information, call 625-2654.
Open Ocean Swim October 21 Camp Schwab Oura Wan Beach Register by 8:50 a.m. on the day of the race. This event is open to all ages. All participants must attend a safety brief at 8:50 and wear a provided swim cap during race registration. Races include 250M, 750M and 1500M. Certificate presentation will be held after the race concludes. For more information, call 625-2023.
classof theweek
Turbo Kick Turbo Kick LIVE class is packed with real kickboxing moves, calorieblasting HIIT training, and bodyweight exercises. Sculpt your upper and lower body and burn major calories with rhythmic boxing and kickboxing combinations. For a full group fitness schedule, visit mccsokinawa.com/groupfitness.