TGIFr!day by The Garden Island Newspaper

Week of Friday, September 26, 2014 | Vol. 2, No. 39

Grinds & Da Kines For Your Weekend

‘Emma’s last dance’ opens tonight with three performances

‘THE MAZE RUNNER’ • KAUAI POWWOW • JAZZ AND WINE FESTIVAL Island Calendar and much, much more!

2 | TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014

IN THIS ISSUE: 2. OUT & ABOUT:

Top picks for the week

3. DANCE:

Kauai Powwow

4-5. DINING OUT KAUAI: North Shore General Store

6. MAGIC:

‘Insight’

7. ART & THEATER:

‘Emma’s Last Dance’

8. TUNES:

Jazz and Wine Festival

9. FLICKS:

‘The Maze Runner’

10-11. CHECK DA SCENE Make a Splash

OUT & ABOUT: TOP PICKS FOR THE WEEK FRI SAT SUN ‘EMMA’S LAST DANCE’ 7 P.M. KAUAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE, PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Women In Theatre’s production of “Emma’s Last Dance.” $20 advance, $25 at door. HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. KAUAI WAR MEMORIAL CONVENTION HALL HULA COMPETITION 6 P.M. KAUAI BEACH RESORT This is the second evening of hula competition and features ‘Auana, modern hula. $20 in advance; $25 at door. BOOK SIGNING 5 TO 8 P.M. TALK STORY BOOK STORE A book signing for Melissa Burovac, author of the travel book “Wandering.” Copies of Wandering will be available for purchase.

INSIGHT 6 P.M. LIHUE PARISH HALL An interactive variety show of inspirational proportions. $25 MOVIE ON THE LAWN 6:30 P.M. ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH A night out with movies and dinner, featuring dollar hot dogs and 50 cent popcorn. This double feature will begin with “Frozen” and end with “Godzilla.” KOKUA KOKEE 8:30 A.M. KOKEE MUSEUM Help beautify Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow and the museum area in preparation for the Emalani Festival. Wildlife artist Patrick Ching will be at the museum to teach painting (free, materials provided) and sign books. Call 335-9975, ext 0, or email info@kokee. org to sign up.

THU

SLACK KEY CONCERT 3 TO 5 P.M. HANALEI FAMILY COMMUNITY CENTER $20 KICKING IT FOR VOLLEYBALL 9 A.M. KOLOA BALLPARK Kauai High School kickball tournament. All proceeds to benefit the Kauai High School girls JV and varsity volleyball programs. $150 per team. corydot@ gmail.com, jeaninedot@gmail.com POWWOW 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. KAPAA BEACH PARK Celebrating the rich Native American heritage in Hawaii traditional drumming, street parties, live entertainment and more.

ZONTA MEETING NOON REGENCY AT PUAKEA, ACTIVITIES ROOM

Keri Russell, director American Red Cross Kauai Branch to speak at the meeting.

Kauai Mokihana Festival ends on Saturday. There is a hula competition 6 tonight at Kauai Beach Resort.

Photo by Joe Olivas

MON TUE WED FARMER MARKETS There is a Koloa Sunshine Market at noon at Koloa Knudsen Ball Park side parking lot off Maluhia Road and a Monday Market at 3 p.m. in the parking lot behind Kmart at Kukui Grove Center. HULA CLASS 5 P.M. HAWAIIAN CULTURAL CENTER, COCONUT MARKETPLACE Halau Hula O Leilani is having hula classes for ages 4 to 12 at 5 p.m. and teens and wahine at 6:30 p.m. 651-0682

PARKINSON’S DISEASE SUPPORT GROUP 5 P.M. REGENCY AT PUAKEA The Kauai Parkinson’s Disease Support Group will have Kevin Lockette, from the Hawaii National Parkinson’s Foundation as the guest speaker. Visitors and those living with a long term illness are invited. 212-1250 JOE & BLAINE KANEHOLANI 4 TO 6 P.M. ROB’S GOOD TIMES BAR AND GRILL

AEROBICS CLASSES 8:30 A.M. ALL SAINTS GYM Carol Yasutake is having aerobics classes on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Class fee is $12. 822-3817 QIDANCE AND QIFORCE 4 TO 6 P.M. KAPAA NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER New dance fitness and functional fitness workout classes. QiDance 4 to 5 p.m. and QiForze 5 to 6 p.m.

LOVE AND RESPECT 7:30 TO 8:30 P.M. KAUAI BIBLE CHURCH Free marriage relationship building classes. Call 3327406 or register@ LoveAndRespectKauai.com KUGA DANCE CLASS 5 P.M. ISLAND SCHOOL Learn hip-hop, drop in fee is $10. kuga808.com BASKET WEAVING 3 P.M. KAUAI MUSEUM 90-minute basket weaving classes with Uncle Onio weekly on Thursdays. Class fee is $25 which includes admission to Museum. Reservations required. 245-6931

TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014 | 3

Kauai Powwow marks 16 years

ative American drumming, dancing, food and arts and crafts. It’s all on tap this weekend at the 16th annual Kauai Powwow at Kapaa Beach Park. “The powwow is a time when Native Americans come together to celebrate their culture. It is a cultural and educational celebration of Native American heritage sharing traditional dances, stories and drum songs,” Dr. Kani Blackwell, president of the Kauai Powwow Council, said.

This year’s theme continues as “Rejuvenate Your Spirit: Embracing Our Culture and Tradition,” which Blackwell says is “truly what happens” when people join in the dancing and participate in the powwow. “People need to experience this event firsthand to enhance their own knowledge and to understand what it means to people who were First Americans,” Blackwell said. Today, Kauai school children will take part in an outreach school

program from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Lydgate Beach Park Pavilion. Later this evening, the event moves to Kapaa Beach Park with the Indigenous Drum Gathering from 6 to 9 p.m. Gates open at 4 p.m. with vendors and food. The evening will conclude with a drum circle, and those who are interested in participating are encouraged to bring their own drum. On Saturday and Sunday, powwow festivities run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CHRIS D’ANGELO TGIFR!DAY

The Grand Entry begins at 11 a.m. with the Color Guard, Native American Women Warriors, representing all branches of the military throughout our nation. The Grand Entry is presenting the flags and honoring those who have served in the military and our elders who have walked the paths before us, states a release for the event. All Native Americans in their regalia participate in the Grand Entry. Blackwell said she is looking forward to having

an eagle dancer and singer for the first time from the Hopi Tribe of Arizona. “I get chicken skin just mentioning this,” she said. Throughout the powwow, there will be drumming, dancing, storytelling, traditional foods, silent auction, Native American and Hawaiian arts and crafts, and a keiki booth with games and activities. Admission is free. For more information call Kaplan Bunce at 6474285, visit kauaipowwow. Photo by Dr. Kani Blackwell com or email kauaipowBobby ‘Blue Eyes’ Dehmer wow@gmail.com.

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4 | TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014

A grand place to eat on Kauai’s North Shore TASTE OF KAUAI MARTA LANE

f you think eating good food at a gas station isn’t an option, the North Shore General Store just may change your mind. Darron White and the Chevron station in Princeville have been filling up tanks since 2006. Besides fuel for your car, you can fill up your belly with “healthy” food during breakfast, lunch or dinner. Breakfast includes Loco Moco ($8.49) with rice, two eggs, homemade brown gravy and a grass-fed beef burger. There’s also breakfast burritos, bagels and Spam with eggs. Espressos are made from Italy’s Lavazza Super Crema whole beans. “We make feel-good food,

Photos by Daniel Lane

The North Shore General Store crew from left Vinny DeVincent, Bob Dickinson, Keenan Woodward, Darron White and Cy O’Brien. Right: Vinny DeVincent hand-tosses pizza dough in front of the brick oven. but we try to make it so it’s at least a little bit healthy,” says Darron, who also offers vegetarian and gluten-free options. “Eating burgers, fries and pizza is not the healthiest way to eat, but we try to offer a healthier version of comfort food.” Darron owned several restaurants in Texas and was a professional tennis instructor for six years before he moved to Kauai in 2001 to teach at

i • One of a

n Kaua Handmade o

Hanalei Bay Resort. Darron’s brother, his mother, who was born and raised in Samoa, and his Missouri-raised father soon joined him. Darron bought the gas station and convenience store from Jeff and Karin Guest, owners of Princeville Ranch and partners in North Shore Kauai Beef. “All of our burgers and steak plates are made from North Shore Kauai Beef,” says

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Darron of the grass-fed, locally raised and slaughtered product that is also vacuum-sealed and available for purchase. “It’s a healthier beef. There’s no antibiotics, steroids, or hormones and it comes from right down the street.” Unique and tasty 5-ounce burgers include Sombrero ($7.49) with ham, cheese, a fried egg, homemade salsa verde, onion and Kauai Fresh Farms lettuce and tomato. The Meanest Veggie Burger ($6.99) piles lettuce, tomatoes and onions on a freshly made falafel patty with a drizzle of tahini sauce. Recent

says. “I came up with that kimchi burger when we were in (Washington) D.C., last year. We went down a street that was all food trucks and one of them, which we saw on the Food Network, served a cheesesteak with kimchi and scrambled eggs with a sweet or spicy sauce.” I could write another article on just the calzones and pizzas, which are baked in a brick oven and include homemade marinara and homemade dough. If you like thin crust, ask for hand-tossed, but if you like cracker-thin crust, ask for “thin crust.” Pizza specials run every night and house pies include Pesto (with housemade pesto), The Works, Paniolo Chicken, Vinny’s Teriyaki Chicken and Bacon Mushroom Onion Cheeseburger. Holo Holo Burger ($5.99) lets you build your own by adding more than 20 toppings for 89 cents each. Sides include fries ($2.99) as additions include a Pizza well as crunchy homemade Burger ($6.99) with homebeer-battered onion rings made marinara, provolone and pickle chips. There’s also cheese and pepperoni as sandwiches, salads, all-beef well as a Chili Pepper Burger Kosher hot dogs, hot wings, ($6.99) with homemade chili chicken strips and fish and pepper sauce, homemade chips. honey-wasabi coleslaw, letPassion Bakery in Kapaa tuce, tomato and onion. was one of Darron’s first My husband, Daniel, is a suppliers. In the beginning, burger connoisseur with a owner Michael Sterioff, new North Shore favorite. made and sold cookies Braddah’s BBQ Burger ($7.49) at North Shore General is enormously delicious and Store. Today, he makes taro loaded with two strips of brioche buns for the burgers crisp bacon, two beer-batas well as large and chewy tered onion rings, barbecue cookies such as mac nut sauce and cheese. Kimchi chocolate chip, white chocoTeriyaki Cheeseburger ($7.49) late chip, mac nut cranberry — which won’t be on the oatmeal and peanut butter menu until next spring, but cup. Darron says you can order it “When you put good anyway — is a tasty bombquality food in someone’s shell with teriyaki sauce, stomach, and you see that cheese, kimchi, sriracha and a smile on their face, you fried egg. know you’re feeding peo“When my wife and I go on ple’s souls,” says Darron, who vacation, we always look for also sends the North Shore exotic places to eat,” Darron General Store lunch truck to

TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014 | 5

Anini Beach on weekdays. “If you’re going to come and get gas, you can grab some dinner, too. That way

you don’t have to go to the grocery store and then the gas station.” ••

December 1941, Oahu. Two magnificent women meet. Two cultures clash. Secrets are revealed and paradise is lost...

Women in Theatre presents

KCC Performing Arts Center

September 26-28, 2014 Friday & Saturday at 7 PM Sunday at 4 PM Tickets $20 Available in advance at www.womenintheatre.org $25 at the door WIT Hotline: 808-635-3727

Women in Theatre

Marta Lane has been a food writer on Kauai since 2010 and is the author of Tasting Kauai: Restaurants - From Food

Trucks to Fine Dining, A Guide to Eating Well on the Garden Island. For more information, visit www.TastingKauai.com.

6 | TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014

You gotta

BELIEVE

BILL BULEY TGIFR!DAY Thalyn Nikolau.

Ron Soderstrom leads show, ‘Insight: Unleash your imagination’

of something creative and fun. “I found something inside myself that moved me to create something that was here’s no denying Ron struction worker is adding more than just a show,” he Soderstrom is a man of director to the credits as he many talents. guides a cast toward “Insight: said. “I actually have intent and real emotional feeling Need a laugh? This guy Unleash your imagination,” behind this.” has performed with the im- presented by Soderstrom Soderstrom moved to prov team called “InsPirates.” and Navitan Circus Arts. Kauai from Seattle about 10 The Saturday interactive Need entertainment for variety show at Lihue Parish years ago. While he and his an event? This guy with the chiseled face and body is an Hall promises to be of “inspi- family love life on the small island, it does have its limitarational proportions!” It will aerial dancer. tions. But he’s not someone include different aspects of Need a little help with cirque arts, acrobatics, music, who believes in boundaries. how you’re feeling about It’s one reason he wanted to poetry with a comedic life? He has “Select Perforpresent a show for families mance: Mental Training and flair, and a band of roving to see there are endless opperformers. Little pleases Life Coaching.” portunities if they use their Soderstrom like being part Now, the former con-

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imaginations and pursue their life’s passions. “It can be in all kinds of different places. It’s not always right in front of you, but when you open yourself up to new possibilities, than the sky’s the limit,” he said. Soderstrom was a sponsored skateboarder and for 25 years skated the big ramps. He was in construction in Seattle, often working on skyscrapers. He operated a tile company here until moving full time into the business of mental training and life coaching, for which he uses hypnosis. “The quality of life I’ve been able to assist people with, it’s very heart rendering,” he said.”I love to be able to see people take a step in the right direction they want to go,” he said. He helps people “get rid of the not-so-good thoughts, the things that we get stuck in.” He’ll be performing a stage hypnosis act during Insight. “When it comes down to people unleashing their imagination and being able to get out there and do the things that they want, hypnosis is the perfect vehicle for it,” he said. Thalyn Nikolau, leader of InsPirates improv comedy, will be the show’s emcee and recite some not-so-serious poems — or at least he won’t be entirely serious, even if the poem is. “He’s got a wonderful way with words,” Soderstrom said.

Ron Soderstrom is directing “Insight: Unleash your imagination,” on Saturday. Soderstrom was part of a cabaret show four months ago at Lihue Parish Hall that sold out. He expects Insight to do the same. “It was a wonderful, wonderful evening,” he said. He assures those planning to attend the audience will not only witness something amazing, they’ll be part of it. “When we come to the point of people unleashing their imagination, I want the

audience to be part of the show,” he said. “I don’t want them just sitting. I want them to be able to engage and have fun and be the stars themselves.” The show starts at 6:30 and should wrap up about 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children. A VIP package is $45. Info: bit.ly/insightcirque on Facebook

‘Emma’s Last Dance’

TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014 | 7

Play documenting family before and after Pearl Harbor attack is this weekend

e happy with what you have because everything can change and paradise can be lost in a minute. That is the message at the heart of “Emma’s Last Dance,” a play from writer and director David Penhallow Scott, and produced by Women in Theatre for three shows from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Performing Arts Center at Kauai Community College. The story centers on Hawaiian society on the eve of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. This second of a quartet of plays is based on one family’s migration around the Hawaiian islands. The first play, “Bonsai Darling,” was set in 1930s Kauai and produced several years ago. “You learned that life can turn upside down in a minute,” Scott said. “That is one reason I keep using this as a theme.” The setting is the Aiea plantation overlooking Pearl Harbor. There was a plantation manager’s home and guest cottages in a time before the hotels and a visitor industry. Penhallow Scott is a fifth-generation kamaaina, and was just 7 years old when he witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor. He born on Oahu and lived in the Manoa Valley with his mother and sister. The story centers on a secret. Emma Kealoha is portrayed by Claudia Cowden. It his her story and her secret that permeates the subplots. Emma is a Native Hawaiian character who was created

TOM LAVENTURE TGIFR!DAY

Best friends forever, Miki (Kay Koike), left and Eudora (Lorraine Marshall). from a combination of the strong Hawaiian women whom Scott has known. “She is wise and teaches a lot about life,” Penhallow Scott said about Emma. The characters in the family were all born on the Kauai plantation before the husband manager is transferred to Oahu. It was typical to transfer managers around to the different islands. Penhallow Scott was not raised on the plantations but his uncle worked for Ewa Plantation, and his cousins worked on Waialua Plantation on Oahu. He visited the home of relatives and observed the daily lives of the workers and the manager’s family. “When I grew up there

was basically no tourism,” he said. “The ships brought the tourism, and after the Second World War the boom started with G.I.s who wanted to show their families where they served during the war.” The first two acts show a romantic Hawaii. It is before jets and hotels and the plantation life meant a lot of socializing. “They had to make their own pleasure in those days,” he said. “The parties were very much a part of life here.” The latter acts occur after Pearl Harbor, when the lifestyles changed overnight with martial law. There was a real fear that the Japanese were going to invade the islands and to break curfew mean you could get shot or

sent to jail without a trial. “We carried gas masks, and they built air raid shelters that essentially became pits for centipedes,” he said. “It went from an idyllic life to a life of fear.” Nicole Cowan makes her Kauai acting debut in the role of Peggy. Her character is a troubled teen who is raised by her aunt, Eudora Whitney, the wife of the plantation manager portrayed by Lorraine Marshall. Carol, portrayed by Emily Goldbach, ran off to become a star in Hollywood and is returning to Oahu to visit her sister with her Mexican paramour Paco, played by Bard Widmer. The two work for Warner Brothers and the roles are drying up.

Eudora wants only to survive this visit from her sister. She is counting the minutes until Carol returns to California. Paco’s career is nearly over and he wants to marry another rich woman to support his lavish lifestyle. Peggy wants to return to Hollywood with her mother, Carol, portrayed by Emily Goldbach. Carol wants nothing to do with her daughter. “She doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body,” Cowan said. The plantation manager Whit Whitney, portrayed by John Bohling, only wants peace in his work and in his home. Miki, a Japanese plantation housemaid portrayed

Kay Koike, is Eudora’s best source of support in managing the house but also her family. “She is the most likable character,” Penhallow Scott said. “She is the one who tries to keep the family together.” All the characters need something, he added. Their imperfections, their relationships with one another, and of the culture of the time do not make them less lovable. Scott understands characterization is more than the script, Cowan said. He worked countless hours getting those details that help the audience appreciate a good story. “David is an ‘actor’s director’ who knows his characters inside and out,” Cowan said. “His heart is in it as an author, but he is also able to relate the characters to us.” The costumes by Barbara Green are beautiful period pieces, Cowan added. That, in combination with the sound and visual effects by Chris Wietser, make the story vivid and the attack surreal. Re-enacting the eve of the attack is intense and speaks volumes about the family trying to get past something so terrible and come out on top. “This is really just a story about a family who has skeletons in their closet,” Cowan said. “It is mainly about love.” The remaining two plays will take the family to Maui and the Big Island for the second half of the 20th century. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Info: 635-3727 or visit www.womenintheatre.org.

8 | TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014

Jazz, wine, cuisine

come together for a good cause

he pristine North Shore of Kauai will be the backdrop for The fifth annual Westin Princeville Jazz and Wine Festival on Saturday. Jason Sessions, the food and beverage director at the The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort and Villas, said they will be offering more than 20 different wines from some of the most sought-after vineyards around the world, including Italy, France and Australia. “We’ll have the Pinot Grigios, the nice bold cabernets, nice sparkling wines and champagne,” Sessions said. Attendees will be served extravagant fare, including lobster, lamb,

duck, New York Steak, beef short ribs and frozen dragon fruit, among other delights prepared by the island’s premier chefs from the Westin’s Princeville Nanea Restaurant and Bar, Wailele Bar and Kauai Grille, to name a few. The backdrop of the event will feature lively jazz music performed throughout the evening, with a headlining performance by Na Hoku Hanohano award-winners Hot Club of Hulaville. Additional performers on the schedule will include guitarist Amit Heri, a prolific composer and one of India’s biggest names in Jazz fusion the group, “Joyful Noise.”

Auctioned items will include hotel stays, airfare, activities and dining certificates. Proceeds will benefit the Kauai Lifeguard Association – part of The Westin Princeville’s year-long commitment to give back to the community. The resort has raised over $43,000 for the association through past Jazz and Wine events. “The money has been used to buy jet skis and tube lifesavers for the beaches,” Sessions said. “It protects and benefits, not only the tourists, but our local keiki as well.” Tickets are $95. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. on The Westin Princeville main lawn. Info: 827-8808.

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TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014 | 9

‘Maze Runner’ doesn’t find its own path

f you see one film about walled-in males this fall, it should be the savage and powerful British prison drama “Starred Up,” a superlatively acted father-son story played out behind bars and starring up-and-coming Jack O’Connell. Not many are likely to make that choice, though, as “The Maze Runner,” based on the James Dashner 2009 fantasy novel, will surely multiply the business of “Starred Up” many times over with a far more tame film barely distinct from the hordes of young-adult sci-fi adaptations sprinting through movie theaters. Has a cottage industry ever sprung up as fast as the YA land rush brought on

by “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games”? I’d like to use a mortal instrument to put an ender to this game. Please, giver me a break. But to be fair, there isn’t anything inherently wrong with “The Maze Runner,” directed by special effects-veteran Wes Ball. It’s just that it does so little to find its own path separate from its dystopia brethren. All of the recent youngadult formulas are adhered to here: the teenage rebellion against tradition, the coming-of-age metaphors, the heavy sequel-baiting. Dylan O’Brien, best known as one of the stars of MTV’s “Teen Wolf,” stars as Thomas, a newbie to a strange prison called “The

jake coyle associated press

Glade” — a pastoral park surrounded by a monolith concrete maze. The movie, with a neat lack of exposition, starts with Thomas being elevated into this world and dropped there without any memory of life outside or his identity. He’s quickly indoctrinated to the ways and order of the Glade, where several dozen other boys have also been plunked down like lab rats for the last three years. Under the leadership of the calm Alby (Ami Ameen) and the more questionable rigidity of Gally (Will Poulter), they make exploratory runs into the maze each day before the gate closes at sundown. “The Maze Runner” succeeds most in its “Lord of the Flies”-like collection of teenagers. (Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Blake Cooper are among the distinct faces in the crowd.) When a lone girl (Kaya Scodelario) is surprisingly elevated into the Glade, they, like proper adolescents, blink with astonishment: “It’s a girl.” There’s a pleasantly low-fi, bare-bones kind of storytelling here, at least before the movie’s mysteries are boringly explained — another apocalypse to parse. Thomas, curious and daring, quickly upends the routines of the Glade and manages to discover more about the concrete labyrinth, which is patrolled by weird, giant, half-robot scorpions dubbed “Grievers.” (That the only monsters “The Maze Runner” can summon are “weird, giant, half-robot scorpions” is surely a hint to its lack of imagination.) The maze, too, is a letdown. Given that it’s the central conceit of the film,

one expects more than domino rows of big cinderblocks. Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance, who so memorably stalked the snowy hedge maze of “The Shining,”

wouldn’t bat an eye at these drab corridors. “The Maze Runner” a 20th Century Fox release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for

“thematic elements and intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, including some disturbing images.” Running time: 112 minutes. Two stars out of four.

Shar Carillo

Saturday, October 4th @ 2:30pm

Kalapana

Sunday, October 5th @ 2:00pm

We are accepting reservations for booth space. Applications are available at: www.kbakauai.org or call 652-4988

• Delicious Foods • Coconut Pie Eating Contest • Keiki Games and Activities • Cultural Exhibits • Unique Crafts with some of the best crafters • Cooking • Butterfly Garden • Face Painting

If you need an ASL Interpreter, materials in an alternate format, or other auxiliary aid support, please contact Tricia Yamashita at 808-652-4988 or askrticia@gmail.com at least seven calendar days before the event.

10 | TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014

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TGIFR!DAY | September 26, 2014 | 11

Splashing in the rain

“T DENNIS FUJIMOTO TGIFR!DAY

his is Make A Splash,” said Bekki Malapit of the Department of Water. “It’s raining, and that is (Project) WET.” The Thursday morning drizzle did little to dampen the enthusiasm of 750 fifthgrade students who descended on the Pua Loke arboretum for the 11th annual Make A Splash water education program hosted by Kauai Department of Water. “This is the largest group we’ve had,” said Kim Tamaoka, community relations director for DOW. “We started with 270 students in 2003. To get to 750 students is historic.” The Make A Splash program is part of the Project WET Foundation which envisions a world in which action-oriented education enables every child to understand and value water, ensuring a sustainable future. “They are the pipeline,” said Peter Sapinoso, a DOW operations worker. “The students learn about water and go home to speak to their parents about what they’ve learned. It’s a good program. The kids enjoy learning and enjoy themselves at the same time. It’s all about the kids.”

Jane Asher, Anna Smithwick, Keone Tango, Laurien Hardwick, Melvin Cayabyab

Jennee Kanahele, Pualoha Kaleleiki Jennifer Tran Le, Keith Aoki, Laurie Ho

Lana Niau, Kahana Masuda, Jennifer Heu, Keawe Kanahele

Julia Evans, Leialoha Nakaya

Page 12 Friday, September 26, 2014

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