60 is 70 - The Birthday Party! |
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The Reunion Redux
A huge mahalo to all of you who traveled near and far to participate in our glorious 50th reunion Ka Ho’olauna ‘Ana gathering. By all accounts everyone had a wonderful time and were genuinely glad they made the decision to attend as many reunion week events as they could. Without a doubt, it was your participation that made our golden reunion a truly magical experience. Excitement and emotions were at a peak throughout the week. We laughed a ton, shed tears for classmates passed on, relived school-time places, experiences and relationships. We caught up with life after Punahou— college experiences, careers, marriages, kids, grandkids, travels. We oooed and ahhed when our time capsule was opened and its contents revealed after 25 years, and for those who had never attended a previous reunion, it was a time to marvel and catch up with all the changes around them. Again, my heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you whose participation contributed to the success and joy of our 50th reunion, to those classmates who made it possible to provide first class venues for our reunion events and to committee chairs and members who worked hard to plan and organize an exciting array of reunion events and memorabilia. Lastly, a monumental thank you to the 1960 Panini O Ka Punahou who rose to the occasion and contributed the largest 50th reunion class gift ever— $614,000 and counting! What do you think of them apples Dr. Fox! Be well and God bless. See you in 2015 Likelike Davis
The festivities continued on Saturday with touring and golf. The evening featured music and impromptu hula by a number of our talented classmates ... the sprinklers were turned off. Reunioning is hard work ... on to Oahu for a day of rest before continuation of festivities.
Actually, everyone was a winner and related their tales (mostly lies) of heroism at the 19th hole reception.
Thanks are also due to Jon Miho for making special arrangements at the Kahala, which was enjoyed and admired by all. This was the "dress-up" event but only one classmate took the bait and showed-up in a tux.
?Soccer? ... something just doesn't seem right with a game in which one of the primary objectives is to hit something with one's head. |
Post-Reunion Notes:
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| Answer: Ka Papa O Kanaono translates to "The Class of Sixty" |
Dear Kanaono classmates:
The 50th reunion began at Haleola, Jim and Honeybun Haynes beach house in Sprecklesville, Maui. Stories from the past among classmates have improved with time, greased by the prodigious amounts of food and beverages consumed.
New legends, however, were initiated. The gathering place was a large tent in the yard where the party continued late into each evening. The “Honeybun and the Coconuts” ukulele ensemble provided the entertainment Friday evening. This continued with a jam session that unfortunately came to an abrupt end at midnight when the automatic lawn sprinklers came on, soaking everyone. Concern arose at 03:00 when Nat Norfleet emerged from the haze ... convinced that he had peed in his pants because they were wet.
Ka Ho`olauna `Ana - A friendly gathering to reconnect or reunite
... and a friendly gathering it was, including significant reconnection and reunion. Organized and hosted by Dale Bachman, the Queen Bee at the Queen Emma Summer Palace, it was a dignified event that was a smooth introduction to the Oahu reunion events to come.
The Navy-Marine Golf course was the site of the 2010 Tourney. After a great deal of gripping-and-ripping, slashing, chunking, and Marine golf (left-right-left-right) winners emerged: 
Lani Willers Lofgren led the “Malihini māka`ika`i” on a special tour of Iolani Palace. Being Kamehameha Day, the “locals” avoided the event expecting massive crowds and parking problems. It was their loss because Lani was crafty in her scheduling, avoiding the crowds and allowing the group to participate in all the festivities … a job well done.
This was the "big" event that involved a lot of heavy lifting, admirably carried-out by Moana and her crew ... a large part of a tropical rainforest was harvested and transported to decorate the venue. 
An announcement made at the Luau identified Kanaono as having set a new record for size of class gift. Showing their modesty, it was observed that while most other luau celebrants were deeply engaged in the program, about half of the seats in the “60 section” were already empty. Because no seconds were served, it must have been time to move on.
The final event was a chance to relax on the beach. Thanks are due to Gaylord Wilcox for providing the site and Lynden Nishi for all the worrying to ensure that all enjoyed the picnic. The site, as expected, was spectacular and certainly enjoyed by all. There was no beach volleyball, pick-up soccer, or 3-legged sack races … just a bunch of geezers (and grannies) sitting back and enjoying the company of each other. A perfect end to a long and hectic reunion.