Families showered with aloha
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
WAHIAWA — Wearing mustard from their hot dogs, balloon hats and holding balloon swords, the children of military men and women away from home this holiday season were bathed in the aloha spirit yesterday during the Holiday Ohana Day 2004 at Wheeler Army Airfield.
Andrew Shimabuku • The Honolulu Advertiser
Families from all branches of the military and members of the Hawai'i National Guard hung around the hangar and kept busy with food, drink, shave ice, inflatable jumping booths, games, face-painting and a visit with Santa. Some families opted for a photo with Gov. Linda Lingle, who rustled up more than three dozen state workers to participate in the first festival for all the branches of the military inside one hangar.
Drake Ota, 8, spins around on the Whirly Bird ride while his father, Maj. Duke Ota of the Hawai'i Air National Guard, enjoys the show. The ride was part of Holiday Ohana Day 2004 at Wheeler Army Airfield, intended as a show of appreciation to Hawai'i's military families.
More than 14,000 Hawai'i-based service members are deployed or preparing for deployment. One of the latest units called up consists of more than 2,000 members of the Hawai'i Army National Guard's 29th Brigade Combat Team.
Yesterday was about showing military families that the community cares and supports them, said Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona.
"It's all about the fellowship of the families getting together," Aiona said. "Getting together is important at periods like this. It's a boost for them."
This was the second Ohana Day the state has held. The first was in May, but did not include all the military branches, said Maj. Chuck Anthony, Hawai'i National Guard public affairs spokesman.
Event organizers were able to handle more than 4,000 people, but only several hundred showed up and a couple hundred more were volunteers. Many donated their Saturday to participate, Anthony said.
"We'll be making DVDs and videos of this to send to the troops to show them that people are taking care of their families," Anthony said.
Destiny Marshall, whose children were eating hot dogs and chips supplied by donations, said the event was a great way to pass the time.
"It keeps us occupied," said Marshall, whose husband is in the U.S. Army and has been stationed in Iraq since January. "We're not stuck in the house. This will be our first Christmas without him. It's been hard for us."
Ame Frey, a wife of a Marine stationed in Afghanistan, has been doing her part while her husband is away to make life better for families in the military. She has been raising money to help fly members of the Hawai'i National Guard's 29th Brigade Combat Team home for R&R during the holidays. The soldiers are in Fort Bliss, Texas, training for their upcoming deployment. Many of the military members couldn't afford to fly home; she got donations to fly 74 people home and is working on raising money so 18 more can make the trip.
Yesterday she was recognized by Gov. Lingle for her work. Contact Frey at mfrey1@hawaii.rr.com.
On the tarmac outside the hangar, children and adults got to climb aboard fire trucks, see a helicopter and propeller plane up close, and visit with a Hawaiian Santa, who sat under a tent on a sofa in aloha attire.
Tracy Risso said Ohana Day was a treat for her and her children, who got to walk around, eat, play games and jump in the inflatable jumpers.
Her husband, who is training at Fort Bliss, was even on the cell phone with her during the event to find out what he was missing.
"I can let them go and run loose," Risso said. "The Ohana Day kind of makes you forget."
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.
