Waha Nui

Aidan Millar

Kailua’s Donna Festa, a volunteer with Hawaiian Monk Seal Response Team Oahu, has some good news. A seal just gave birth on Rabbit Island after much worry on the part of her human monitors. “We had an all-points bulletin about a pregnant seal in the Mokes,” she reports, “and we didn’t know what she would do, since it was her first time. It’s a huge relief to all of us that she went back to her birthplace for it. Seals do what they want to do.” For more on Donna’s work, see Page 11 …

All four Windward Hawaiian civic clubs were part of the Prince Kuhio Day Parade and Ho’ike last weekend, including Kailua club vice president Mina Elison and member Ryan Kalama, who emceed both events … Central Pacific Bank promoted Kaneohe’s Aidan Millar to senior vice president and director of strategy and project delivery. Aidan comes with London and Hong Kong banking experience …

You can get all you need to know about the Merrie Monarch Festival (March 31-April 6) from a new iPhone app, Ke Ao Hula, created by Kaneohe resident and WCC student Gabe Spencer and girlfriend Kim Shibata for $2.99 by going to iTunes, emailing info@keaohula.com or visiting keaohula.com. They are dedicating this huge labor of love to “connecting everyone passionate about hula and Hawaiian culture” …

Community Helping Schools’ Kathie Wells says Dr. Seuss books are in high demand for Windward special ed second- and third-graders; also a beanbag chair is welcome, and Kailua High art teacher Noni Floyd needs potters’ wheels and art canvas. Visit communityhelpingschools.org or call 263-6703. Meanwhile, here’s the response from readers to Kaaawa El. needs: Retired Kalaheo teacher Kathy Campbell donated several soccer balls, and Kailua swim school instructor Pat Lancaster wrote a check for sports equipment …

Think you had busy holidays? Julie Dugan reports that, among other things, students at the Waimanalo-based Job Corps Center cut out 500 Christmas trees for Life Foundation clients, baked 1,800 pieces of gingerbread for 350 “houses” for city parks, served drinks to 2,500 at Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving lunch, served appetizers to 400 at Honolulu Firefighters Foundation gala, catered pupus for 400 at a Kailua United Methodist Church party, raised $1,500 for breast cancer research, and marched 50 strong in the Waimanalo Christmas parade