Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 7, 1 July 1986 — Annual Games Aua. 1 at Kapiolani Park [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Annual Games Aua. 1 at Kapiolani Park

Ka Makahiki Na Paani Honors Volunteer Couole

Wendell and Joan Wade of Manoa are two people who don't have a drop of Hawaiian in their veins but you can't tell from the volunteer work they've done for and with Hawaiians in the community during their entire adult lives. They are very mueh in tune with Hawaiian culture and na mea Hawaii and just love "being Hawaiian." They have done volunteer work in our Honolulu for nearly 50 years and there doesn't appear to be any end in sight. During their long span of volunteer community work, the Wades have been directly involved with the annual Ka Makahiki Na Paani Hawaii whieh this year will be held Aug. 1 at Queen Kapiolani Park. The Makahiki Commission is headed by Office of Hawaii Affairs Trustee Thomas K. (Unele Tommy) Kaulukukui Sr. and Mrs. Wade is commission secretary. Her husband puts together the medals and miniature koa poi pounders that go to the youngest winners. He is in charge of the medals and prizes at the games and distributes them to the various leaders. As a tribute to their deep community involvement, Ka Makahiki Na Paani Hawaii proudly salutes the Wades during this 1986 festival, certainly a most deserving honor to a eouple who has given back to the community mueh love and aloha. The former Joan de Vis-Norton was born 67 years ago in Manoa, graduated from Punahou School 51 years ago in 1935 and majored in sociology, psychology and English at the University of Hawaii where she worked seven years in the registrar's office following graduation. She quit her job in 1950 following marriage seven years earlier to a young World War II Army Air Corps pilot who had left his pineapple cannery job at Libby to help fight the war. The union produced two daughters, one of whom died in a tragic automobile accident in Everett, Wash., last November. Wendy Mapuana, like her sister Winona Maile, a!so graduated from Punahou. Winona is assistant manager of the women's spa at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas. It has been in swimming where the Wades have been most prominent as volunteers. They've been in it on the

club, age group, high school and college levels. You name a swimming meet and chances are the Wades have worked it in various capacities. The Wades highly admire Unele Tommy whom they describe as "a human being no one ean say anything bad about." "I remember," Joan recalls, "he was so small and yet so good," in describing his football playing days for the Rainbows. Unele Tommy, incidentally, was also a godfather for the deceased Wendy Mapuana. It is because of Unele T ommy the Wades are involved with the Makahiki festival. They believe in the purpose

of the festival although admitting there's room for improvement as the commission strives eaeh year to make the Makahiki bigger and better. Joan and Wendell have been together 43 years. Joan jokes that with a name like de Vis-Norton "I just had to get something simple like Wade." Wendell eame to Hawaii in 1939 from Winfield, Kan., whieh is his birthplaee and from where he graduated (Southwestern College), majoring in chemistry, physics and mathematics. He eame to Hawaii seeking employment and hooked on with the Libby and Dole canneries before retiring from the latter in 1980 as labor relations specialist. In addition to World War II, Wendell also saw service in the Korean War with the then renamed U.S. Air Force. His career with the pineapple companies totaled 41 years. ^ Joan was also a volunteer advisor of the Ke Anuenue Sorority for 12 years and "Wendell was an honorary sister," she jested. "Momi Cazimero was one of our daughters at the time." Wendell currently is a volunteer mediator of the Neighborhood Justice Center of Honolulu and treasurer of Hawaiian Swimming, loeal branch of U.S. Swimming, governing body for the sport. Swimming formerly eame under the direction of the Hawaiian and National Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). As treasurer, Wendell has been in charge of ordering medals and trophies and he felt this fit well with the Makahiki and this is the way it has turned out. Wendell, 71, and Joan said they are involved in swimming virtually the entire year. It is one continuous cycle they go through and leaves little time for a vacation. But because they love what they're doing, they don't count on vacations as being important. The Wades are a happy and handsome eouple who have certainly contributed mueh to their community through their Hawaiian-ness and the spirit of Aloha. Their contributions would be difficult to measure in dollars and cents. It is only fitting then that this Fourth Annual Ka Makahiki Na Paani is dedicated to them. Be at Kapiolani Park Aug. 1 and offer your congratulations.

Joan and Wendell Wade