WAIPI'O — Even a late-afternoon rain shower yesterday could not stop the Waipi'o Little League baseball team's magical ride of aloha, which began soon after members returned to Honolulu on Aug. 28 as world champions.

Fans of all ages, from kindergartners to retirees, formed a steady line around three folding picnic tables in the Waipi'o McDonald's parking lot from 4 to 6:30 p.m. to get their pictures, T-shirts, caps and bats autographed by the 12- and 13-year-old players and their coaches, who have lived a rock-star existence the past three weeks.

And despite the seemingly nonstop schedule of public appearances that has the team booked through the end of October, the players haven't tired of the celebrity life just yet.

"The attention's good," said Tanner Tokunaga, Waipi'o's second baseman/pitcher/shortstop who was a standout performer throughout the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.

The barrage of requests for media and public appearances began almost as soon as the team landed at Honolulu International Airport about 24 hours after routing Mexico, 12-3, on national TV for the World Series title. Radio talk shows, morning TV news, politicians, restaurants, supermarkets ... everybody, it seemed, wanted the Waipi'o players and coaches as their guests.

"A lot of people saw the players on TV (during the World Series), so now they want to see them in person," said Waipi'o manager Timo Donahue. "It's hard to say no, because a lot of the appearances are fundraisers. Plus, the kids enjoy it."

In conjunction with yesterday's appearance, McDonald's of Waipi'o donated 10 percent of the day's proceeds to the team and the parents.

"They need the money," said McDonald's Waipi'o owner Miles Ichinose, who also donated a $100 gift certificate to each player. "(The parents) are not only paying for this last trip, but also for trips in the future. Everybody feels good about these kids, so it's very important to help whenever we can do something. They help the community."

The activity continues, and tomorrow, Donahue and Waipi'o Little League president Lenny Fabro will speak at the Honolulu Quarterback Club's weekly luncheon meeting at the Pagoda Hotel. On Wednesday, the team is scheduled to visit Mayor Mufi Hannemann's office to be presented with certificates.

Saturday morning, the players and coaches are to appear at Times Supermarket in Royal Kunia, then that evening they have been invited to a private reception in Manoa, which includes limo service.

Also, the team expects to unveil and sell its official championship T-shirt sometime next week. Some T-shirts have appeared on the shelves of local retailers, but Fabro said those are not the official Waipi'o Little League shirts.

All proceeds from the official T-shirts, Fabro said, will be donated to the league.

Ichinose, for one, said he hopes others will do what they can to support the team given the statewide joy Waipi'o provided last month.

"Everybody was so excited for them," Ichinose said. "I hope everybody can kick in something and do their best to give back."

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com.