“American Flag Centered”
A couple of Hawaii residents who were present 47 years ago when
Hawaii was officially declared the 50th State, are expected to attend
tomorrow’s (Friday) citizen observance of Hawaii’s Statehood Day.
One, current Hawaii Air National Guard Recruiter, Sgt. Benjamin R. Ormita, was
11 years old on August 21,1959, and remembers catching the bus from Aiea
with his Mom, brothers and sister, to attend the exciting event. He will
share those memories tomorrow, between 10 and 11:30 am at Iolani Palace-the
same site he visited in 1959.
Citizen organizers of Hawaii’s 47th Statehood Day Celebration,
State Senator Sam Slom and Small Business Hawaii (SBH), will also honor
Hawaii’s men and women in uniform along with Hawaii’s admission to the
union.
Today, Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, released
an official Proclamation encouraging participation in Statehood Day. The
celebrated Kalani High School Marching Band, under the direction of Dennis
Kaneshiro, Aloha Petroleum patriotic soloist Tom Yamaguchi, Mayor Mufi
Hannemann’s representative Bill Brennan, Congressman Ed Case, uniformed
military and others are expected to join an anticipated crowd of several
hundred tomorrow.
SBH and Slom stepped forward last week to organize and sponsor a
celebration of Hawaii’s Statehood after years of non-observance. The event
is free and open to the public with all costs assumed by the sponsors, not
the taxpayers.
The event is planned as a proud recognition of being part of
America, enjoying the benefits of freedom, and honoring our American
troops. Individuals and families attending are encouraged to wear red,
white and blue and bring an American Flag.
”’For details, contact SBH at 808 – 396-1724, or Slom, 808 – 349-5438.