No, that wasn't Sam Choy working his stir-fry magic on the wok last night.

It was Campbell High School athletic director Sam Delos Reyes — a Choy look-alike — and the shrimp plate tasted great just the same.

The feast of good food, live music and fun times lasted from pau-hana throughout the evening at the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association "SOS" (Save Our Sports) Downtown ho'olaulea.

Scrip for food and drinks were sold for $5 each or $20 for a book of five, with all proceeds going toward the SOS campaign to assist public school athletic departments strapped by a 36-percent cut to their budgets compared to 2008-2009.

Hundreds of people showed up at the blocked-off corner of Nu'uanu and Merchant streets and enjoyed the sunset as coaches and athletic directors like Delos Reyes prepared, cooked and served up dishes like laulau, shoyu chicken and Kaua'i smoked pig. Waipahu football coach Sean Saturnio and baseball coach Milt Takenaka handed out plates of Tanioka's spicy ahi on rice.

McKinley football coach Bobby Grey served plates of ono corned beef and cabbage with mashed sweet potato. 'Aiea girls basketball coach Mike Yen scooped up fish and chips onto plates.

And for dessert ... "Mrs. Murphy's bread pudding" donated by Murphy's Bar and Grill and manju from Home Maid Bakery on Maui.

Yum.

On an entertainment stage set up in a nearby parking lot, Darren Benitez belted out "Hawaiian Cowboy," followed by Brother Noland singing his signature "Pua Lane."

HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya, who has coordinated the SOS campaign that has raised nearly $1.1 million since late July, said last night's turnout was strong and corporate sponsors guaranteed over $80,000 would be raised before the first scrip was sold.

"What a great night," said Don Murphy, owner of Murphy's Bar and Grill and coordinator of the SOS ho'olaulea.

All proceeds will go toward the SOS Fund, which the state's Department of Education will distribute to Hawai'i's 55 public high school athletic departments according to a set formula based on student participation. Each public high school athletic department recently saw its state allocation for supplies, equipment and transportation slashed by 50 percent compared to 2008-2009, part of an overall reduction of more than 36 percent for sports.

To show their gratitude for the public's support during the SOS campaign — as well as County Parks and Recreation Departments for helping provide facilities for practices and events — public school athletic staff and athletes will be participating in a collaborative beach clean-up Saturday morning on O'ahu.

The effort is in conjunction with National Make-A-Difference Day.

These beach parks will be cleaned by respective schools:

• Ala Moana — Farrington, Kaimukí, McKinley, Roosevelt, Änuenue, 'Aiea, Moanalua, Radford and Pearl City;

• Oneula — Campbell, Kapolei and Waipahu;

• Ma'ili — Nänäkuli, Wai'anae;

• Hale'iwa — Leilehua, Mililani and Waialua;

• Kokololio — Kahuku;

• Sandy's — Kaiser and Kalani;

• Waimänalo — Castle, Kailua, Kaiser and Kaläheo.

To make a straight contribution to the SOS Fund, make a check payable to "HHSAA SOS Account" and send it to HHSAA, P.O. Box 62029, Honolulu, HI 96839, or visit www.sportshigh.com or any First Hawaiian Bank branch (checks only). Contributors at First Hawaiian Bank branches willing to be recognized in The Advertiser's weekly list of donors are asked to contact the HHSAA office at 587-4495.