Brown Bag Kudos, Exporting Aloha
Hi Pamela,
On behalf of Brown Bags to Stardom, we would like to thank all the volunteers, teachers, principals, schools, parents and students for making it possible to put on this statewide music event every year. With all the school budget cuts for student activities and assemblies, it takes a lot of dedication and commitment from these people to continue to have BBTS pack the school gyms and cafeterias. This is our sixth year since reviving this popular music program. It’s important that we send out a big heartfelt mahalo for their continued support to keep BBTS on its yearly schedule.
Johnny Kai
Executive Producer,
BBTS
Dear Johnny,
BBTS has sparked the careers of so many local talents. Mahalo for the 411 on how students can participate. The competition is open to elementary, middle and high school students. Deadline to register is April 10. Contact Kai at 951-6699.
Hello Pamela Young,
I am a senior at Germany’s University of Applied Sciences in Kehl. I am here for two months as a student intern with the City & County of Honolulu’s Department of Community Services. I have experienced the true meaning of “aloha.” One week after arriving here, I went to meet a friend at the airport. We caught TheBus back to Ala Moana and my wallet must have fallen out of my pocket. We ran across the center to TheBus supervisor’s station. He called the bus I was on, but the driver could not find my wallet. I had everything in there: my money, my credit card and my identification.
I reported to work the next day and was told to call TheBus Lost and Found office. Whether it was a Good Samaritan who works for TheBus or another passenger, I was blessed by their aloha spirit. Someone had found my wallet and nothing was missing. Thank you very much for finding and returning my wallet to TheBus office. I also want to thank Mayor Peter Carlisle, director Sam Moku, division chief Gail Kaito and the staff at the Section 8 office for giving me the opportunity to learn about the functions of a city office. I now live and breathe the aloha spirit every day and I will continue to do so in Germany.
Nico Herth
Breisach, Germany
Dear Nico,
Lucky for you, you’ve been adopted by your coworkers at the Community Services Department. “I think it is wonderful that someone found his wallet and turned it in. Whether it was a bus employee or a rider, we are so grateful,” says supervisor Jayne Lee. “I felt amazed to hear his story but afterwards he almost got lickins for not securing his wallet better.
“Nico’s major is in public administration. His university has study abroad opportunities for seniors to gain experience in a work environment. He is the first to come to Hawaii. Nico’s help has been a godsend especially at this time when we have had our federal funding slashed. He has helped us to update our waiting list for housing assistance by processing and purging more than 500 applications.
“I am one of his supervisors and yet the mother in me has to remind him to be careful because we don’t want him to get hurt or sick so far away from home. He has been shown lots of aloha, but he also knows how to give the aloha back.”
