Kailua tradition marches on
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
Lt. Charles Siedlecki of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, waves to the crowd while leading his platoon in Kailua's Fourth of July parade.
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
Hank and Ronaele Whittington met in a Kailua church in 1969 and got married a year later; they've since become annual sideline rooters at Kailua's annual Fourth of July parade, a tradition they cherish.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
"It's our parade," said Ronaele Whittington yesterday. "We walk over from our house on North Kalaheo." For the first time, they brought along granddaughters Heather and Kristin Salvador, 14 and 12, respectively, who have been visiting grandma and grandpa from their Moreno Valley, Calif. home, "so they could see and sample what their mother (Jeanie) grew up with."
Dani Lum, 15, of the Kokokahi Gymnastics Team, entertains the crowd with a flip.
"Very interesting," said Kirstin, as a band marched by. "I love the saxophones. All of them. But I play the sax."
Indeed, the parade had sax appeal — and lots more.
At times, a circus motif prevailed, with clowns — yes, with rainbow hair and oversized shoes — as well as gymnasts doing leaps and turns and somersaults along the Kainalu Drive route.
There were horse units — with red, white and blue ribbons accenting many manes — and floats decked out in patriotic finery.
There were freebies to be had, too, with marchers and riders tossing out or handing over everything from miniature flags to wrapped candy, from frozen ice sticks to bottled water, from miniature balls to pencils.
Kids rode bikes, rollerblades and scooters; one gent gyrated from a 6-foot unicycle.
All told, the sponsoring Kailua Chamber of Commerce said the procession involved 500 marchers, 70 vehicles, 15 floats and five bands, including two from the Mainland. Humvees were plentiful and mighty in hues, drawing occasional gasps of envy, and an ambulance and a fire truck occasionally sounded off sirens and horns.
"Great to be here," Gov. Linda Lingle said, waving to the crowd from a red Corvette convertible done up in a scintillating flag motif. Making her first appearance in the parade as governor, Lingle dressed in the expected red and blue, donning a yarn lei in blue.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
With politicos such as Mayor Jeremy Harris and Sen. Dan Inouye also riding in convertibles, the parade at times resembled a political rally, with another seven or eight legislators smiling and waving to constituents. One possible future mayoral candidate, Duke Bainum, was stumping by shaking hands along the way.
Members of the Sojourners of the Honolulu Masonic Lodge show the colors with George Theofanis, foreground, calling cadence.
Abraham Lincoln made an appearance, with top hat and black suit and beard. "The beard's real, though the hair gets darker and darker each year," said Paul Brennan, who annually impersonates Honest Abe. He's otherwise a pastor at First Chinese Church.
Ben Franklin, complete with colonial suit, half-frame specs and a tri-cornered hat, also marched. Turned out that he really is a Franklin — T. David Franklin, a computer industry sort who is retired.
War veterans and Marines got hearty applause, cheers and whistles of approval, but the day was a way to show pride in the nation for high school groups, parents of gays and lesbians, and even merchants.
Viewers lined Kainalu, from the 'Oma'o Street start to the Kailua Intermediate School finish, displaying the colors of the flags in baseball caps, shirts, vests, umbrellas and signs.
Umbrellas, tents and tarps dotted the route, with some folks making it a roadside picnic with refreshments suitable for the climate: hot dogs, soda and chips.
The parade was not without enterprise. Hawkers sold bottled water ($1) and soda (75 cents). As the marchers headed toward the finish line, vending prices had dropped (75 cents, 50 cents).
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.
