Relay for Life at Kaiser High School a huge success

by JANICE JENSEN
Kaiser's Cougar Connection Co-Editor-in-Chief
*Archived May 2006 article

The night opened with the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner, Hawaii Pono I, and a Hawaiian blessing by Kumu Leolani Pratt, followed by Michael Hall, a cancer survivor who gave a brief speech on his experiences with the disease. He then joined his fellow survivors to walk the traditional first lap around the track as each team lined the edge of the field to encourage them with cheers and applause.

After the survivor's lap, everyone was invited to participate while enjoying the entertainment provided by Bruddah Dan and Aura until the luminaria ceremony began at 9:00 PM.

The luminaria (candles placed in decorated paper bags to create a soft, glowing effect) were arranged to spell a message on the stadium steps. The word chosen by the committee to represent the event was "HOPE."

"Sometimes they choose 'dream,' sometimes 'pure' and sometimes 'hope,'" said Mary Jane Feldberg, the event's chairperson. "[We felt] hope to be more forward thinking. It's a wonderful experience for the survivors."

The luminaria had to be weighted down with sand due to the strong wind conditions so they would not blow away or catch fire. When all the candles had been lit and the lights extinguished, the message glowed from the stands.
For the remainder of the night, each team tried to keep a member on the track at all times. Some teams even set up their own booths to raise extra money for the cause and representatives of the American Cancer Society sold luminaria for a five dollar donation.

As the first annual Relay for Life in East Honolulu, the event was literally an overnight success. The 21 teams that spent the night on Kaiser's track and field raised almost $38,000, nearly twice as much as organizers had expected.

"I was extremely proud of the Kaiser students and staff," said Rinda Fernandes, Kaiser's Student Government Advisor. "We exceeded our expectations for this event. Something like this takes a year to plan; we put it together in just a few months."

The support of the Hawaii Kai community was evident from the services and equipment provided by local sponsors, and by the many teams of students, community members and Kaiser alumni who signed up to participate.

"We didn't have a lot of advertisement," said Feldberg. "I think the success of the event was based largely on the fact that it was held at Kaiser. The students were very enthusiastic and got the message out through word of mouth."

The State of Hawaii holds about 24 Relays annually, 17 of which are held on the island of Oahu. Last year the state raised $1.7 million dollars for cancer programs and research.

The Relay for Life was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt decided to personally raise money for his local American Cancer Society Office by running a 24-hour marathon. That day he ran over 83 miles and raised $27,000. Since then the Relay has spread across the nation and internationally as well.

Event Awards

Top Individual Fundraiser - Karen Nakaoka - Joanie's Team - $2,664

Top Youth Fundraiser - Robyn Wolfe - Kaiser Class of 2007 - $610

Top Community Team - Joanie's Team - $10,263

Top Youth Team - Kaiser Student Government - $2,435

Most Spirited Team - Yogis & Aerobis - Sophie Shitanishi - team captain

Event Sponsors

Diamond Level

Bubbie's Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts
Kaiser High School
New Hope Hawaii Kai
Manpro Audio
NCL America
Outback Steakhouse Hawaii Kai
Referentia Systems, Inc.

Gold Level

Alaka'ina Foundation
Bank of Hawaii
Koko Marina Shopping Center
MC Architects, Inc.
Pflueger Cadillac Hummer GMC Buick
Voter Contact Services

Silver/Bronze Level

Mitsunaga and Associates
Sports Medicine Hawaii, Ltd.