A Playful Celebration

By Kauila Ho, Fatherhood Coach kho@fsswh.org

On Saturday June 27, under clear skies and warm summer breezes in Kona the West Hawaii Fatherhood Initiative, “Na Makuakane Maika‘i O Hawaii” held its fifth annual conference. This year’s “Celebration of Fatherhood” focused on the positive cognitive, physical, social and emotional benefits received by fathers and children engaging in active play together. The conference was held at the “Swing Zone,” an outdoor venue near the Old Kona Airport Park. As with all the previous conferences, no admission was charged to the fathers as a token of appreciation for their import role in the lives of our communities’ children.  Click here for more photos.

The day’s program was hosted by Father Coaches Larry Ursua and Kauila Ho.  After the opening pule offered by Billy Freitas one of the program’s mentor fathers, Joann Bishop Freed, Executive Director of Family Support Services of West Hawaii announced that 2009 was the 30^th anniversary of Family Support Services, whose mission has been to support families and communities in providing love and care for our children. 

“I see the Fatherhood Initiative in its fifth year serving another great need in our community,” Freed acknowledged, “and I can see the day when it too will celebrate thirty years of service.”

Mayor Billy Kenoi read a Proclamation from the County of Hawaii acknowledging the designation of 2009 and the Year of the Family by Governor Lingle and the Hawaii State Legislature and June, 2009 as “Father’s Month in Hawai‘i County.”  The Mayor also acknowledged the West Hawaii Fatherhood Initiative, on behalf of the people of Hawai‘i County, for their commitment and service to fathers over the last five years.

“Many programs spend lots of their time and energy planning ways to engage the community,” commented the Mayor. “This program spends its time actively engaging fathers, and that’s one of the reasons I support this Fatherhood Initiative.”

The West Hawaii Fatherhood Initiative honored the Mayor with a traditional pahu drum crafted by Kala Willis of Drums of Keauhou in appreciation of his continued support, dating back to his time as the Executive Assistant under former Mayor Harry Kim’s administration.

Program coordinator Larry Ursua said, “The pahu is an appropriate gift for the Mayor. The drum was a form of communication the Hawaiians used to send important messages from one village to another.  The Mayor’s message of Healthy Families for Healthy Communities will continue to ring throughout our island.”

Several fathers received Certificates of Completion for their participation in the program and their commitment to providing a positive role model for their children and families.  The program concluded with a stirring hula performed by Kupa‘aina, a group of the mentor fathers and their families. 

Resource booths were available with information to families from Kona Community Hospital, The American Cancer Society, West Hawaii Community Health Center, and Malama I Na Keiki (a drug education program).  Bula Logan and his wife Miho Fukuda, MD, PhD. of Maui’s Malama Na Pua, a Native Hawaiian health and wellness center, were also there to display and educate families on the uses of traditional Hawaiian medicinal herbs and healing practices.

From then on the outdoor activities were opened to the attendees, which included mini golf, batting cages, Tsunami Waterslide, a climbing wall, and the Keiki waterslide. Laughter and joy filled the air the rest of the afternoon as wet fathers and children cooled off in the water related activities. Chili and rice, hot dogs, and lots of cold drinks to fight off dehydration, were available to everyone.

Music was provided through out the day by another of the program’s mentor fathers, Bryant Mock Chu and his band with guest artist Nephi Brown also on hand to entertain the participants.

The only negative comment was that many wished the event could have gone past the 1:30pm closing.  “This looks like the beginning of a new trend for us,” Ursua said. “We’ll be planning another event like this for next year, only better.”