It's work and play at Filipino center
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
What began two months ago as a little idea to get a few people to tidy up the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu got completely out of hand.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
"This was supposed to be this small weekend event with a handful of volunteers," said Luella Costales, executive director of the center, who explained that the year-old center wasn't in the financial position to "throw this big birthday bash."
World War II veterans of the 1st Filipino Regiment, from left, Pete Villafuerte, Domingo Los Banos and Marcelo Vendiola chat with Luella Costales, executive director of the Filipino Community Center, following the showing of the documentary "An Untold Triumph," the story of the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments, at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu, part of its one-year celebration.
But big birthday bash it turned out to be.
A whole throng of well-wishers showed up yesterday for a daylong anniversary celebration. There was ballroom dancing, a free showing of the award-winning documentary "An Untold Triumph" and a town hall-style meeting complete with political proclamations and speeches from local leaders.
But the real excitement occurred in the morning when an estimated 250 volunteers descended on the facility and began scrubbing windows and floors, steam cleaning walkways and spiffing up hundreds of ballroom chairs.
Some showed up at the door earlier than the 7:30 a.m. starting time.
"I came here at 5:30 this morning and grabbed a broom," said the area's legislative representative, Alex Sonson, D-35th (Waipahu, Crestview). "I got the maintenance man to let me in."
Stephen Callo, board treasurer, showed up a half-hour later.
"I don't even clean the bathrooms at home," he said with a sheepish grin.
But yesterday, Callo, a certified public accountant, was official chairman of the latrine detail — rolled-up sleeves, rubber gloves, toilet brush and all.
And yes, even the brush was donated.
"I'm having a lot of fun, actually," Callo said.
Glenn Liu was working the stage — as part of the group "Lost in Paradise," which provided free entertainment for the volunteers.
"We hope everybody will be dancing," Liu said. "Otherwise, they can whistle while they work."
Costales said things just accelerated once the word went out about the cleaning party. Organizations and businesses and churches contacted Costales and asked what they could do. Some donated cleaning supplies, others offered food to feed the dozens of volunteers.
The operating budget for the bash was virtually zero.
Roland Casamina, president and CEO of House of Finance, Inc., and the driving force behind the center's creation along with restaurateur Eddie Flores, said yesterday's turnout was typical of many "magic moments" associated with the center.
Sonson agreed.
"When the community calls, everyone comes together," he said. "You should have seen us when this place was an empty lot. It was the same thing. This is a community — Filipino and non-Filipino alike. Anyone is welcome here."
Among those who showed up after the cleanup crews had polished the last door knob at around noon were several of those involved in the making of "An Untold Triumph." The film documents the heroic story of how the men of the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments fought for freedom in the Philippines during World War II.
It was their bravery and love of their mother country that changed the way America as a whole came to view the Filipino people.
Yesterday's celebration was doubly memorable for Costales. It was the 98th birthday of her father, Manuel Costales — the oldest living veteran of 7,000 men who were part of the Army's 1st and 2nd Filipino Regiment.
