Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 11, 1 November 1988 — Civic Club Convention and Con-Con "Hold High The Light Of Knowledge" [ARTICLE]

Civic Club Convention and Con-Con "Hold High The Light Of Knowledge"

by Kenny Haina Contributing Writer A Constitutional Convention and the election of a president and other officers top an activity-filled agenda for the 29th annual Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs (AOHCC) convention Nov. 1619 at the Kona Surf Hotel. The AOHCC ConCon, the first in over two decades, willbeheld Nov. 16and 17whileproceedings of the convention itself will take up all of the 18th and 19th. Recreational activities traditionally are held on Thursdays and so it is that golf, bowling, cribbage, konane, kamau and Hawaiian games competition will go on as scheduled Nov. 17 while ConCon delegates go through their second and final day of deliberations in the Kamehameha Ballroom. A meeting of the Association board of directors is scheduled for 5 p.m. Nov. 17 with fun night activities slated for 5:30 p.m. For the first time in anyone's memory, there will be two declared women candidates vying to be

Association president. They are Jalna Keala, Govemment Affairs Officer, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Antoinette (Toni) Lee, widow of the late AOHCC president Benson W. K. Lee. Mrs. Lee is employed at Pearl Harbor. Mrs. Keala, who assumed the presidency upon Lee's death earlier this year, is from the Ali'i Pauahi HCC while Mrs. Lee is from Pearl Harbor HCC. She and her husband are among the founders of the club. Mrs. Lee is also the convention coordinator. This marks the first time in any veteran club member's memory that two women will be seeking the top Association post. Mrs. Keala made history by becoming the first AOHCC woman president. "E Pa'epa'e Iluna Loa I Ka Malamalama," or "Hold High the Light of Knowledge" is the convention theme. The convention itself is being dedicated to the memory of Lee, a product of homestead upbringing on the island of Moloka'i. It was his request to 'Aha Mele Chairman Nola Nahulu (Pearl Harbor HCC) before his untimely

passing that the contest song this year be of his island. The 1988 'Aha Mele song is Dorothy K. Gillett's (Princess Ka'iulani HCC) arrangement of "Moloka'i 'Aina Kaulana," whieh will be sung by competing choral groups on Friday, Nov. 18, beginning at 8 p.m. in the ballroom. The weleome address on Nov. 18 will be given by Hawai'i County Mayor Dante Carpenter and the only scheduled convention speaker is U. S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye who follows Carpenter at 9:35 a.m., following repiorts of the rules and credentials committees. Other important deliberations on opening day include reports by ConCon. Chairman Linda Kawai'ono Delaney (Prince Kuhio HCC); Resolutions Chairman Tomi Downey Chong (Waialua HCC); and Nominations Chairman Lila Medeiros (Pearl Harbor HCC). The afternoon will be devoted to resolutions assigned to one of 10 committees whieh then will submit results to the steno pool in preparation for floor action the next day. Committees and their chairmen are: Presidents', Mrs. Keala; Budget and Finance, Irma Farden (HCC of Honolulu); Constitution and By-Laws, Delaney; Historic Sites, Gard Kealoha (HCC of Honolulu); Na Mea Hawaii, Betty Kawohiokalani Jenkins (Ali'i Pauahi HCC); Education, Dexter Soares (Kalihi-Palama HCC); Legislative, Piilani Desha (Prince Kuhio HCC); Public Relations, Peter Ching (Pearl Harbor HCC); Resolutions, Chong; Health and Human Services, Anna Cariaga (HCC of Ka'u). Delegates may vote from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18 and from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19. Among other convention highlights are holoku and aloha shirt and muumuu contests, lei contest and naming of the Outstanding Hawaiian, non-Ha-waiian and Civic Club member. The social highlight of the convention is the traditional 'Aha Aina featuring this year an entertainment spectacular and surprise guests as well as a prime rib buffet dinner.