Waha Nui – 11/12/14

Army Staff Sgt. Tony Woods got a big surprise on his recent retirement, and you can see the whole thing this Sunday on the Food Network, HGTV and Travel channels in A Hero’s Welcome. Cable show stars Robert Irvine and Genevieve Gorder, along with Gary Sinise of Gary Sinise Foundation, worked tirelessly with the Woods family’s Hau’ula neighbors to renovate the family home before Tony (a Wounded Warrior from his Iraq service) arrived to see it. Tony and wife Joedi also take in foster children — as many as their house can hold, they say. There was a six-channel screening blitz Nov. 11 for Veterans Day audiences … Kaneohe’s Dawn Kot is now a senior loan officer for Honolulu HomeLoans, after a decade with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage …

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Elizabeth Kellam

Terry Olival says tickets are selling out fast for HPU’s Fiddler on the Roof (see calendar Page 9), which recently took in siblings from two talented Windward families: Chase, Chandler and Chance Bridgman of Kaneohe (who can do that Russian bottle dance) and Sofia, Marianne and Ryan Garcia … Part of Hawaii Opera Theatre’s recent school tour of The Pirates of Penzance were Kaneohe actors John Gruhler, Matt Walker and Marlise Ahuna, and Kailua’s Eric Schank as music director/accompanist. They’ll do it again in the spring …

Yes, the Fazio and Palmer golf courses remain open at Turtle Bay Resort, despite the fire in the cart barn last month, reports Kirstin Seal: “The courses are in great shape and are operating business as usual”… Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has hired Lanikai’s Elizabeth “Biz” Kellam as an independent agent in its Windward office. She brings 25 years’ experience in real estate, plus some competitive international skiing …

Mu’umu’u Heaven, the home of eco-conscious fashion, opened a sister store Nov. 5 close by, Hana Hou Vintage, at 35 Kainehe St. and will showcase the art of Heather Brown there Thursday (261-2100) … Ka’a’awa Elementary had an interactive health fair Oct. 14 that taught kids a few things. Besides exercise and a watermelon-eating contest, they shopped in a mock grocery store and earned points toward prizes if they chose healthy items & & & cchang@midweek.com