Iolani Alumni

The Iolani Boys Cross Country team claimed the 2008 ILH Championship this past weekend by placing five athletes in the top 10, led by freshman Troy Esaki (second, 17:31) and senior captain Tyler Mulloy (third, 17:38, shown).

Up next for the team will be the Honolulu Marathon Cross Country State Championships which will be held at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island next week.

The Iolani Intermediate Football team captured the 2008 ILH Championship on Saturday afternoon with a 23-6 win over Word of Life at Kozuki Stadium on the Iolani campus.

Iolani finished their season at 6-1 with their only loss coming against Kamehameha (14-13) in the opening game of the season. The Raiders are led by head coach Ivan Suzuki ‘89 and alumni assistants Kevin Manuel ‘95, Greg Young ‘91, Gary Young ‘91, Dean Young ‘89, Eric Perkins ‘96, Blaine Kiyuna ‘93, Nolan Nakamura ‘92, Clint Onigama ‘96, Reinaldo Pacheco ‘98, Kawika Nakoa ‘02, Keone Nakoa ‘04 and Chuckie Nakoa ‘70.

[Photo: Honolulu Advertiser]

Hank Wuh ‘77, the founder and CEO of local biotechnology firm Cellular Bioengineering Inc. (CBI), was featured on the cover of the August 29, 2008 edition of the Pacific Business News after his company completed its first set of clinical trials - successfully implanting artificial corneas into 10 patients in Europe. Head boys basketball coach Dr. Mark Mugiishi ‘77, the company’s medical director, was also shown.
Read the article »

Several pages in, Joy Nishikawa (wife of Jason Nishikawa ‘89), the owner of Pure Joy Day Spa, explained how she “mastered the art of friendly competition” in the growth of her small business.
Read the article »

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Event Date: Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union will host a fundraiser at its Hawaii Kai to help the Waipio Little League World Champions raise money for Paliku Winchester, the son of Kanoe and Rena (Duque) Winchester ‘89.

Paliku, younger brother of Waipio’s third baseman Pikai Winchester, was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in February 2008.

Aloha Pacific will be accepting cash and check donations from now through Saturday, Sept. 6 at all five branches. Checks may be made payable to Paliku Winchester.

Saturday’s on-site event will feature players from the championship Waipio baseball team. Attendance has been confirmed by the following players: Iolana Akau, Caleb Duhay, Kainoa Fong, Tanner Tokunaga and Pikai Winchester. The players will sign autographs for donation.

A specially priced lunch combo will also be sold for a donation of $3. The lunch combo includes a hot dog, drink and chips. The Hawaii Kai branch will also conduct games for keiki and an enter-to-win contest for adults. Free balloons will be given to keiki, while supplies last.

What: Fundraiser for Paliku Winchester
When: Saturday, September 6th, 10am - Noon
Where: Koko Marina Shopping Center

This fundraiser was created to help offset the increasing cost of Paliku’s medical bills. Five-year-old Paliku is undergoing chemotherapy for his cancer and is expected to need medical treatments for the next two years.

[Words and Photo: Honolulu Advertiser]

Pikai Winchester, the eldest son of Kanoe and Rena Winchester ‘89, has been swinging a hot bat for Waipahu at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Through three games in pool play, Winchester, the starting third baseman, is a combined 5-8 (.625) with 5 RBI, which includes two doubles and a home run.

This is just a week after he went 2-2 with two home runs and 3 RBI in the team’s 4-3 win over Paseo Verde (Nevada) in the West Region Championship to clinch their berth to the World Series.

Waipahu finished pool play at 3-0 and has advanced to the semifinals on Wednesday, August 20th at 2:00pm HST. The game will be televised live on ESPN.

For the first time since the event started 12 years ago, tickets for the Touch of Iolani SOLD OUT before the end of the discount period (which was June 30th)… So, if you don’t have tickets now… your outta luck.

The 13th Annual Touch of Iolani is brought to you by the Iolani Alumni Association and the Class of 1989 and will be held this Saturday, August 2nd.

This year’s theme is “The Red Event” and features food from the following restaurants:

• Big City Diner
• Sam Choy’s
• The Willows
• Sansei Restaurant
• The Beach House at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort
• Hawaii Prince Hotel
• Atlantis Seafood & Steak
• Roy’s Restaurant
• Tango Contemporary Cafe
• Bali by the Sea
• Great Harvest Bread Company

Drinks will be provided by Anheuser-Busch and Kai Vodka.

REMINDER: Don’t forget about the 3rd Annual Alumni Weekend Welcome Reception tonight hosted by Headmaster Val Iwashita ‘67 and his wife Cynthia for the reunion classes ending in 3 and 8.

Update: Tickets will be available at the door for $40.

Paliku Winchester, the 5-year-old son of Kanoe ‘89 and Rena ‘89 (Duque) Winchester, is in need of your kokua.

On February 21, 2008, Paliku was diagnosed with lymphoma, a fairly rare form of cancer that originates in the lymphatic tissues and, according to statistics, affects 1 out of every 100,000 children in the United States each year.

Since his diagnosis, Paliku has undergone numerous medical tests - bone marrow, various blood tests, spinal taps, scans, x-rays, and ultrasounds among others - and has begun the process of chemotherapy which will continue for the next two years. Three days a week he travels to Kapiolani Hospital for treatment and the remaining days of the week he is treated at home.

The Winchester family is accumulating a sizable amount of medical debt and Rena is not able to return to work on a regular basis. To help alleviate the expenses, please consider making a donation. This will allow the family to focus on Paliku’s fight against this disease.

What: Benefit Fundraiser for Paliku
When: Sunday, June 29, 2008, 9:00am - 1:30pm
Where: Pacific Beach Hotel (Changed from the Pagoda Hotel)
Cost: $40 (includes pupus and entertainment)

Email friendsofpaliku@yahoo.com for tickets

To make a monetary donation, stop by any Bank of Hawaii branch or mail a check to:
Friends of Paliku
c/o Winchester Family
P.O. Box 701366
Kapolei, HI 96709-1366

(Make the checks out to “Friends of Paliku”)

Features 5-11 standout Kanoe Winchester ‘89 (00:29 seconds, blue shirt). Fairfax’s Chris Mills (University of Arizona; Cleveland Cavaliers) won the title.

The Iolani Classic was televised back then. You can actually hear Jim Leahey’s voice on the intro. (Thanks, Brandon)

Event Date: Sunday, June 29th, 2008

Update: Tickets will be available at the door for $40.

Paliku Winchester, the 5-year-old son of Kanoe ‘89 and Rena ‘89 (Duque) Winchester, is in need of your kokua.

On February 21, 2008, Paliku was diagnosed with lymphoma, a fairly rare form of cancer that originates in the lymphatic tissues and, according to statistics, affects 1 out of every 100,000 children in the United States each year.

Since his diagnosis, Paliku has undergone numerous medical tests - bone marrow, various blood tests, spinal taps, scans, x-rays, and ultrasounds among others - and has begun the process of chemotherapy which will continue for the next two years. Three days a week he travels to Kapiolani Hospital for treatment and the remaining days of the week he is treated at home.

The Winchester family is accumulating a sizable amount of medical debt and Rena is not able to return to work on a regular basis. To help alleviate the expenses, please consider making a donation. This will allow the family to focus on Paliku’s fight against this disease.

What: Benefit Fundraiser for Paliku
When: June 29, 2008, 9:00am - 1:30pm
Where: Pacific Beach Hotel (Changed from the Pagoda Hotel)
Cost: $40 (includes pupus and entertainment)

Email friendsofpaliku@yahoo.com for tickets

To make a monetary donation, stop by any Bank of Hawaii branch or mail a check to:
Friends of Paliku
c/o Winchester Family
P.O. Box 701366
Kapolei, HI 96709-1366

(Make the checks out to “Friends of Paliku”)

The Hawaii version of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance?” will be coming to a television screen near you when “Destination: Groove Dance Hawaii” hits the airwaves early this fall.

Beginning September 16th, the show will air Sundays at 7:00pm on KHNL and will feature local dancers in a week to week competition where viewers will have the chance to vote online for their favorites to advance.

“Destination: Groove” is the brainchild of Iolani alumnus Christine Yasunaga ‘89 who recently returned to Hawaii after dancing professionally for many years in LA, New York, Japan and Paris. A graduate of UCLA with a BA in Dance, Christine has most recently appeared on Broadway as part of the original cast of “The Lion King”, “The King & I” starring Lou Diamond Phillips, the pre-Broadway production of “Flower Drum Song” with Lea Salonga and in Radio City Music Hall’s “Spring Spectacular”. She has also danced with Ricky Martin, Bernadette Peters, with the LA Contemporary Dance Company, Hawaii Ballet Theater, a hip hop dance troupe for NIKE and in numerous commercials and industrials.

Read more about the show in the Star Bulletin »

“Roll Call” is the latest addition to the Iolani Community to help promote the businesses owned, run or managed by Iolani Alumni. Each edition will focus on one particular industry with the hope of locating (with your help) every alumnus that earns their living within that industry. The “Roll Call” will begin with a few familiar names to get things started, but it’ll be up to you to help finish the list.

If you know of any alumni missing from the list… Please leave a comment with their name and class.

• Trevor Benn ‘92 - Principal Broker, Benn Pacific Real Estate
• Greg Andrasick ‘92 - Benn Pacific Real Estate
• Jason Nishikawa ‘89 - Vice-President, Marcus & Associates
• Kevin Nishikawa ‘88 - Vice-President, Marcus & Associates
• Chad Takesue ‘94 - Prudential Locations
• James Chan ‘98 - Prudential Locations
• Scott Fujiwara ‘88 - Principal Broker, Island Realtors
• Denise Miyahira ‘88 - Island Realtors
• Corey Kawai ‘88 - Island Realtors

(Note: Your first comment will need to be moderated, so it may not show up right away, but once one has been accepted, you’ll be able to post in real-time after that.)