HILO—Hawaii Division does it again, winning another Hawaii Island United Way (HIUW) Gold Award. The award is presented on the basis of both a high level of giving and high level of participation in the workplace. But winning the award is nothing compared to helping those in need, and the satisfaction of helping others is what Hawaii Division and the ILWU are all about.
HIUW is dedicated to building healthier communities by bringing together labor, business, and government to assist people in need. Many dedicated volunteers—including ILWU full-time officers and members—help to make its programs a success. “We give freely and generously to the people of Hawaii County,” said Division Director Richard Baker Jr. “It is a longstanding union practice to ‘pass the hat’ to help any sister or brother who needs help. HIWU allows us to continue that practice.”
“When we give, we know that ninety-eight cents out of every dollar stays here on our island to help our ohana,” said Wallace Ishibashi Jr., the Hawaii Division Business Agent assigned to community services.
Baker added, “We understand that we cannot solve all the social problems in our communities ourselves, but with everyone working together, we can make a positive difference. Working together in solidarity is also union practice—and we pledge to continue our support to HIUW.”
The Hawaii Division team that won the award—Richard Baker Jr., Roy Jardine, Isaac Fiesta Jr., Greg Gauthier, Richard Kaniho, Elmer Gorospe, and Wallace Ishibashi Jr.— expressed their heartfelt thanks to former HIWU President and Chief Professional Officer (CPO) Helen Hemmes for working with them and wished her well in her retirement. “We also want to welcome our new Big Island CPO Darla DeVille,” said Ishibashi.
“We know that working with Darla and with our Labor’s Community Services Liaison Steve Querobin, the ILWU and HIUW partnership will continue to grow stronger,” said Ishibashi. ◆
ILWU takes part in Filipino Centennial Celebrations
ILWU members on Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai took part in Filipino Centennial Celebration parades held in honor of the sakada—contract workers who came from the Philippines to labor in the sugar and pineapple fields of Hawaii. The 100th anniversary celebration is of great importance to the ILWU, because many of the union’s founding members and great leaders were sakada.
The Honokaa Filipino Fiesta was held on the Big Island on April 29 at the Honokaa Recreation Complex, and included a parade through the town. In a special ceremony, Hamakua Coast sakada were recognized for their contributions to the community. Former ILWU Division Directors Yoshito Takamine and Eusebio Lapenia Jr. marched with ILWU parade participants, which also included current Division Director Richard Baker Jr. and full-time elected officers. The ILWU won both first and second place in the parade.
Kauai held its Barrio Fiesta on May 6-7, 2006 on the grounds of Kapiolani Community College in Lihue. The dates were chosen to coincide with popular spring festivals held in the Philippines. Featured events included a parade through Lihue town, ethnic food and cultural activities. ILWU officers, active members and pensioners marched proudly in the parade.
On May 26 the “friendly isle” kicked off its Maui Barrio Fiesta with a huge parade through Kahului from Maui Community College to the War Memorial complex. Residents and visitors alike enjoyed two and a half days of traditional Filipino food, music and culture. Over 20 Maui Division members, pensioners and staff worked hard on the parade float, which depicted the union’s planation roots as well as Filipino culture. Riding atop the float were pensioners John Arisumi, Fely Corpuz, Joe Adzuara, and Connie Villanueva, who were dressed in traditional sugar plantation clothing. Also on the float were Unit 2505 - The Westin Maui members Peter Santiago, Lourdes Rivera and Alex Ajolo. Santiago performed the traditional Filipino dance tinikling, hopping between the poles Rivera and Ajolo clacked together to keep time.
Pensioners dressed as sugar workers and Westin members performing tinikling rode on the Maui Division float.
Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. (HC&S) worked with the union to make the parade entry a success, providing a flatbed truck and driver for the float, which bore the banners “ILWU Maui Division” and “HC&S.” “We appreciate Human Resources Director Jozette Montalvo’s help in putting together a float that honors the sakada,” said Maui Business Agent Jerrybeth DeMello. The float, which was featured on the front page of the Maui News, won third prize. ◆
ILWU members and retirees with State Representative Mina Morita (center with lei.)
Maui pensioners bundle together stalks of sugarcane to be used as decoration for a parade float.