6th Annual OIA Athletic Foundation Dinner Honoring "Donald M. Takaki"

Tonight, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Athletic Foundation will be honoring Donald M. Takaki, Chairman and CEO of Island Movers at its sixth annual Education Through Athletics dinner at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, Hawai'i Ballroom. Donald M. Takaki has been a leader since his days at Maui High School. He was a multi-sport athlete and the quarterback of his football team. He went on to serve as a leader and role model to youth as a coach and later President of the Kalanianaole Athletic Club.

As Donald built his privately held and operated business into one of the largest transportation service companies in Hawaii, he continues to serve as a leader in corporate citizenship using his resources to support youth leaguers through high school and college level student athletes to give them the opportunities and exposure to enhance their life and athletic skills. For nearly 30 years, Donald has been the driving force behind Pacific Region Baseball and the Hawaii Island Movers team. Through Pacific Region Baseball, thousands of student athletes have had the opportunity to travel to the United States and Asia to learn about different people and cultures and be ambassadors for Hawaii.

Through these experiences, many of these players have gone on to become coaches and role models for athletes in our schools and communities. Donald's vision, drive and determination have touched many people throughout the world through sports, education and business. The above information provided by The Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) Athletic Foundation.

Mr. Rick Blangiardi was the Master of Ceremonies, special guests were Honoree Donald M. Takaki, Mayor Peter Carlisle, Senator Donna Mercado Kim, UH Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, Gary Cabato, Director of Parks and Recreation, and Skippa Diaz (representing Governor Abercrombie). On behalf of the Governor and Lt. Governor Brian Schatz, they hereby

proclaimed March 31, 2011 as Donald "Don" Takaki Day and a Certificate was presented by Senator Donna Mercardo Kim honoring Donald Takaki as a Patron of "Education through Athletics" and a Certificate of Appreciation, by Mayor Peter Carlisle.

Also, Meredith Maeda (photo right), Principal, Castle High School and President of the OIA Executive Council, and the Sports Commissioners were presented a One Hundred Thousand dollar check to OIAA from Hugh Yoshida, former UH Athletic Director. Also acknowledged were the past Honorees, Dr. Larry Price (not present), Dr. Edison Miyawaki, Calvin Say, Speaker of the House, Mitzi Lehano, VP of Programing Oceanic Time Warner Cable, Keith Amemiya, former HHSAA Executive Dirrector and special recognition to Charles Na'umu, Principal of Anuenue Pre-School who gave the invocation, the Nanakuli High School Performing Arts, the Moanalua Orchestra. I would like to thank Mr. Joel Kawachi, Athletic Director Moanalua High School, and Chairperson, Board of Athletic Directors, and also Mr. Richard Haru, Athletic Director, Castle High School for inviting me to this special event. Event photos "Click" here.

Benjamin Kealahou Naki Jr. - September 19, 1951 - March 3, 2011 - Family Stones Softball Club - "Benny Boy & Coaches"

Benjamin Kealahou Naki, Jr. also known as "Uncle Ben" passed away on Saturday, March 3, 2011. Ben spearheaded the most popular Family Stones Softball Alumni Tournaments which is held every summer here on Oahu. He was also one of the organizers of slow pitch tournaments in Hawaii. Ben graduated from St. Louis High School in 1969 and his first love for sports was basketball and volleyball. His good friend, Stan Mahelona said Ben liked to talk about softball and never took credit for anything he accomplished, instead it was his friends and players that made things happen. Stan felt honored because Ben always confided in him and made him feel like family.

Hawaii and the mainland softball community will miss "Ben" as he was a great father, coach, friend, player and an outstanding person with a big heart. For myself, as a sports reporter and photographer, I had the opportunity and privilege to get to know him at the LVSSA, Las Vegas Senior Softball Association Championship in 2009 and 2010. Ben was such a cool person throughout the tournaments in Las Vegas, even when the chips were down at times, he always encouraged his players, spoke of errors they made, but always came back with a lot of positive encouragement for his team. He never gave up and said the game wasn't over until it's over.

At tonight's service, music was provided by The Waimanalo Sunset Band. The opening song was sung by Liann Collazo and opening prayer by Pastor Ka'ala Souza. Aunty Kehau shared her memories of Ben as a very simple and humble person. He used to claim his granddaughter got her looks from him. She still recalls when Ben started his first all female softball team. You know how women always need the time to look good, Ben used to say, "no need comb hair, just get out there." Bottom line, this was his first and last female softball team he coached.

In closing, it was a great gathering of "friends and family." Ben III said his dad loved softball and could always count on his dad being safe at the ball park with all his friends and players. At times it was sad, and I had a hard time taking the photos. Listening to Ben III and Janeen (Winston), (photo bottom right) I felt lucky to have known such a great person. It was an honor to be present and do the photos for the Naki family at this very special gathering. Will miss you "uncle Ben." Event photos "click" here.

7th Annual "Maile's Dream" - A Celebration of Differences

Today was a very special day for a very special family who has gone through a lot of pain with their most precious daughter "Maile." They will be celebrating her 7th Annual Maile's Dream, a fundraiser for Easter Seals hosted by the Washington Middle School students, family and staff. At this event, the goal is to educate kids on what it is like to be different with activities like blind bowling, wheelchair basketball, obstacle course, etc.

This is a very touching story and at times very hard to write as you read on. I spoke with Maile's mom, Cindy Ogata (top photo Cindy, Maile and Ernest Ogata), and she related to me that Maile was born with Apert's Syndrome (click here), fused fingers/toes, cleft palate, midface, skull and bones in her feet fused. Maile underwent skull surgery when she was only nine months old. Post-surgery her arms were strapped down for the next five days. When she was released from the hospital, they had to teach her how to roll over and crawl again. By her third birthday, Maile had undergone six surgeries, five of them done in California. She has gone through a lot of pain over the years, but she has a very strong spirit, character, and the determination that is a part of every child's dream to just have fun.

Cindy further related that she was on leave of absence for two years without pay from Washington Middle School as a counselor/teacher. With no income and the tons of medical bills for Maile, her coworkers stepped in and started a fund to raise money for their medical expenses and trips. After she returned to work, she asked to earmark the funds to some organization and came up with Easter Seals. They were a blessing and a big help for Maile. They provided occupational therapy for her fine motor skills (fingers), physical therapy as she couldn't hold her large head up for months, and taught her to learn to walk again.

At her third birthday, Maile graduated out of the Easter Seals Intervention Program and into the Special Education DOE system. By kindergarten, she graduated out of the Special Education system and into the real world of regular education. Maile is now a fifth grader at Aliamanu Elementary School.

"A Mothers Dream"... "I have a dream...that one day my child will not be judged by her physical difference but by the content of her character" (Martin Luther King Jr. revised by Cindy Ogata). This is how this event came about and is named "Maile's Dream - A Celebration of Differences" Family Fair. I have to say that Easter Seals (click here) was like family to me as I had no one else who could understand what it was like to have a "special child." We needed them and we're grateful that they were there during Maile's developmental years.

Michael Harano, Principal at Washington Middle School, who received the 2010 National Distinguished Principal Award, related that "today's event is a great event and I'm really proud of our student leaders who choose every year to support this event; and it's not something we make them do, it's something that the students themselves feel is important and want to do. It's about looking at diversity. One thing about our school is we have a very diverse population. What I try to tell the kids is that initially it's the similarities that draw us together, but really it's the differences in us that adds the spice to life and makes life worth living. Celebrating these differences in this event is important for our kids.

Special thanks to Easter Seals Dawn Williams, Program Manager; Andrea P. Oka, Communications Coordinator; Tunui's Royal Polynesian Dancers; Kanani Dias, Mrs. Hawaii Filipina 2010; and to all the participants that made this event a special one for Maile and her parents, Ernest and Cindy Ogata. See more photos "click here."