September 22nd – Kapahulu Bon Dance

On September 22, 2023, the Hawaii Kai Lions Club supported fellow zone club, the Diamond Head Lions
Club, and Kapahulu Center at the Annual Kapahulu Bon Dance. The Annual Kapahulu Bon Dance is the last major bon dance event on Oahu that concludes obon season.
Proceeds from the event (i.e., ticket and food sales) benefits the Kapahulu Center, which provides various
programming activities to seniors and the local JapaneseAmerican community. The Hawaii Kai Lions Club have assisted with the Kapahulu Bon Dance in past years and were asked by the Diamond Head Lions Club to once again support this annual event.

Our club signed up primarily to assist with set-up in the morning prior to the event. In a three-hour period, we set-up multiple canopy tents, chairs, and legs-stands to place the obon dance lights that will illuminate the dancing area in the evening.

In addition, the Kaiser High School Leo Club manned the game booths during the afternoon shift. Eleven Leos and Kaiser High School Leo Advisor Gordon Chun and wife, Cheryl came to help with the keiki game booths. Children, some dressed in kimono had a lot of fun playing the games and winning prizes.

Hawaii Kai Lions members who participated in this project included Jeanne Alices, Kendrick Chang, Ellsworth Fujii, Cynthia Chun, Kelvin Kaneoka, CIS Hedy Kaneoka, Tom Ono, Allen Umeda, 11 Kaiser High School Leo Club members and Leo Club Advisor Gordon Chun.
Also, a special acknowledgment to Ells Fujii for coordinating the presence and support of the Kaiser High
School Leo Club to manage the game booths.