HALAWA — Even before Aloha Airlines shut down, Angel and Bernice Pablo saw the writing on the wall and downsized their life.

They sold their home in Kunia and rented a small apartment in 'Aiea. It made sense to them, since both husband and wife had been working for the airline for 19 years as flight attendants, and the company had filed for bankruptcy protection in February.

Now they're glad they acted when they did. They feel luckier than some of the 1,900 laid off workers who lost their jobs March 30. Still, the future remains unknown.

Bernice Pablo said she will be a full-time, stay-at-home mom. And, at a time when he should be bonding with his 10-month-old baby, Anela, Angel Pablo is beginning a new career. He starts at the Honolulu Police Academy July 1 as a recruit. For the next six months, he'll learn how to become a police officer.

"I thought for the financial security of our family that it would be wise to find another job and to sell our home," said the 42-year-old Angel Pablo. "We thought that the company would just cut back, we never thought it would actually shut down."

For now, the Pablos join about 50 other former Aloha Airline workers every Tuesday morning at the Wellspring Covenant Church in Halawa. That's when the storefront church turns into an employee lounge of sorts. They swap job tales and information about obtaining stop-gap health insurance over a plate of food. Some apply for aid from the Helping Hands charity and its Neighbors in Need fund.

The fund, sponsored by The Honolulu Advertiser, KGMB9 and First Hawaiian Bank, raises money to help pay the bills of recently laid-off workers at Aloha and other companies. To date, more than $42,000 has been donated plus food, haircuts, clothes and gift certificates, said Scott Morishige, Community Clearinghouse, project manager for Helping Hands Hawai'i.

"This place provides informal grief counseling for them," Morishige said. "We're trying to find grief counselors to come and talk to the workers here."

The Pablos have received help to buy gas for their car, and they've taken home baby food and other staples offered at the Tuesday get-togethers.

OPEN POSITIONS

For those looking for a new career, the top fields in Hawai'i seeking new workers are security, banking, healthcare, hospitality and technology, said Beth Busch, Success Advertising Hawai'i, which produces job fairs in Hawai'i. At the last job fair in May, 240 employers and 5,000 job seekers flooded the Blaisdell, Busch said.

"The community has been so good to us," said Bernice Pablo. "Every little bit helps. It's a transition, and it's hard emotionally."

Some have taken part time or temporary jobs, like Hope Garo, who worked for 13 years at Aloha and now has a job with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. She starts today and will be employed as an 89-day emergency hire.

Garo, nervous and still raw from the closure of the airline, said she's worried what the day will bring.

"It's a clerical job," she said. "I won't know anyone. I will be working, but it won't be the same. It won't be like working at Aloha."