Garden Grove, CA 92845
Website: aokhcc.org
Date Organized: February, 1982
Date Chartered: November, 1982
Club Pua: Pikake
Waiho’olu’u: Peacock Blue, Seafoam Green, White
(The Culture of the Land is Preserved in its Youth)
Pelekikena: Charlene Kehaulani Kazner
Hope Pelekikena ‘Ekahi: Edye Hill
Pu’uku: Eric Kakihara
Kakau Mo`olelo: Jackie Judd
Kakau ’Olelo: Maggie Perry
Ho`opa`a Mo`olelo: Jackie Judd
Sergeant-at-Arms: Gil Kveen
Kahu: Paddy Kakihara
Immediate Past President: Barbara Analani Imbach
Na Alaka’i: Maile Hubbard, Joan Burgeson, Thomas Kalama,
Leilani Ryan, Maile Hill and Gil Kveen
'Ainahau 'o Kaleponi Hawaiian Civic Club 2012
by Charlene Kazner
'Ainahau 'O Kaleponi extends a Warm Aloha to all of you at our 53rd Annual Convention. On August 11th, we celebrated our 30th Annual Scholarship 'Aha'aina with over 300 guests. Our theme this year was “Our Message of Aloha.” We continue to encourage and support higher education and this year granted over $9,000 in educational and cultural scholarships. Seven of our founding members were honored at the lu'au.
In February, with grant funds from Hawai'i Maoli, we started a Community Garden, which we lovingly named “Uncle Likeke’s Kihapai” after one of our treasured kupuna who passed away last year. Our garden has brought members together to plant, cultivate and harvest kalo, sweet potato, tomatoes, cabbage and other vegetables. The huli used to start our kalo patch was taken from Uncle Likeke’s plantings. Members gather twice a month to weed, harvest and re-plant crops. We love planting and watching the vegetables grow. The vegetables are shared with all members. In April, our keiki celebrated Earth Day by pulling weeds, planting and watering the crops.
We continue to partner with Pacific Islander Health Partnership targeting Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health disparities through outreach activities, workshops, seminars and focus panels. In April, `Ainahau participated in and catered a Pacific Islander Cancer Survivor Luncheon for over 100 guests. Many enjoyed the Hawaiian food. It was a very rewarding experience to see cancer survivors and their 'ohana celebrating life and recovery.
Our annual community service performances at convalescent and senior homes were held in December and April. Following last year’s Convention, we visited Lunalilo Home in Honolulu. We look forward to sharing our hula and mele with them each year. We hosted Kamehameha, Kaimuki and Kaua'i Middle Schools serving them meals while they were here for band and music concerts. We enjoy serving our keiki from the islands.
The 21st 'Ohana Retreat was held in June at the University of California, Irvine. Families enjoyed sharing Hawaiian traditions, values, and engaged in activities for the entire 'ohana. The Keiki Program was facilitated by the Hawaiian Immersion Program of 'Aha Punana Leo. We learned the art of kapa making, poi pounding, hula, hula ikaika and lauhala and lei making. Each family completed and took home a kapa and lauhala 'ohana arts project. It was a weekend dedicated to the health, wellness and culture of Native Hawaiians.
In July we participated in the 34th Ho'olaule'a at Alondra Park. We have three booths; food, boutique and games. Many of our members came together and worked very hard throughout the weekend. We enjoy working and seeing friends, some we see only at this time each year.
We have had several fund-raisers to help defray the costs for this year’s Convention. We have had two Movie Nights and have encouraged our members to subscribe to MANA Magazine where we receive a portion of the subscription cost. We actively supported the Awaiaulu ‘Ike Ku'oko'a Hawaiian Newspaper Project.
We continue to enjoy working in our community, sharing our aloha and rich culture.