LIVES SAVED

ORGAN DONORS GIVE GIFT OF RENEWED HOPE

This holiday season, many families among us will not be joyously celebrating. This holiday may mark their first without a cherished loved one. Families like the Fays, who must endure this season without their sister, daughter and mother, Sarah.

Sarah has left an incredible legacy. She gave life to her baby boy, Josiah, and then to three strangers through organ donation.

It is my hope that Sarah's family will find some comfort knowing she has given these incredible gifts. This holiday, I wish a gentle Merry Christmas to Sarah's family and to all Hawai'i families who have looked beyond their own pain and sadness at the time of the death of a loved one and have said yes to organ and tissue donation.

They give a gift whose value cannot be measured. They give the gift of renewed hope, the gift of life, sight and mobility. By their willingness to donate, they ensure that other families can have another Christmas together.

Thank you for caring, thank you for sharing and for donating life.

FORBES CAVE

IT'S NOT ESTABLISHED ARTIFACTS ARE MOEPU

The artifacts from the Forbes, or Kawaihae, Cave cannot be moepu until it can be determined that they were interred at the same time as the bodies with which they are said to be associated.

If the objects were placed in the cave before, or after, the human remains were placed there, they are not moepu.

KAKA'AKO

RESTORE RESIDENTIAL POD TO A&B PROPOSAL

I looked at A&B's latest development plan for Kaka'ako. A&B responded to public comments with several changes. The biggest winners are the surfers; the biggest losers are the homeowners.

Surfers are a legitimate part of the public, and their sport is a part of Hawaiian history. Their numbers, considering the universe of the Hawai'i population, are not large. The biggest losers are Hawai'i homeowners. Homeowners are a substantial part of Hawai'i's population.

Let me try to speak on their behalf. True, many residential buyers will be out-of-state investors, but certainly not all. Many and probably the majority will be Hawai'i residents. Twenty percent of the units will be affordable, most probably all will be for Hawai'i residents. I question removing one of the residential pods, 20 percent of which would be affordable units.

Kaka'ako belongs to all Hawai'i residents. Kaka'ako will generate substantial real property taxes. Anyone who owns property understands what I'm saying. We all took a big hit this year by the increase of real property taxes. Real property taxes generated by Kaka'ako will reduce the need to increase my taxes. Kaka'ako will also generate substantial revenues to the state's gross excise tax, again reducing the need to raise taxes.

Living close to work absolutely makes sense. With high gas prices, living close to work reduces fuel consumption, with its many benefits.

I have two sons who joined to buy a home. A third son and a daughter have no hope of owning their own homes given the price of homes in Hawai'i. Please accept this letter as testimony to restore the third residential pod.

KAIMUKI

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US CHRISTMAS TREE

Each evening during the holiday season, East Honolulu residents enjoy seeing the lighted Christmas tree on the pu'u above the Kaimuki Fire Station.

Last year the community struggled to purchase supplies and get the tree rebuilt. Thanks to HECO, the Greater East Honolulu Community Alliance, the Kaimuki Business and Professional Association, Kaimuki Playground, the Kaimuki Fire Station, the Kaimuki Lions and many Kaimuki donors and volunteers, the tree was ready for the 2004 Santa parade.

This year we did not have to rewire the tree, but two people should be singled out for getting some repair work done. Mahalo to Marcie Mitchell of Kaimuki Playground and her son Mitchell Pinkerton. You've made our holidays much brighter. Mele Kalikimaka, East Honolulu!

SPORTSMANSHIP

SPORTS BETTER OFF WHEN ATHLETES SELF-POLICE

On page D8 in the Dec. 15 paper in the column "Rules of the Game," there is a rhetorical question: "What other sport requires the players to call a penalty on themselves?"

The sport of sailing is very similar to golf in regard to the rules. In the Racing Rules of Sailing, the basic principle is:

"Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule, they will promptly take a penalty, which may be to retire (from the race)."

I think more sports should use these types of expectations instead of encouraging athletes to "play to the foul." Teaching competitors to police their own behavior goes a long way to encouraging sportsmanship.

'OLD HONOLULU'

CREDIT NANCY BANNICK FOR PRESERVATION WORK

Thank you for the article about Chinatown's history and the efforts for preservation made over the years. As an active participant in those activities in the 1970s, I find it rewarding to see that past efforts are appreciated and still standing in Chinatown.

I would also like to re-emphasize how important Nancy Bannick has been to the preservation of "Old Honolulu." Without her vigilance and determination, very little of the historical scale and meaning of Honolulu would still exist. Mahalo, Nancy!