Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 10, 1 October 1987 — Gulf Coast Hawaiians Elect Officers [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Gulf Coast Hawaiians Elect Officers

Tari Kehaulani Sortino, who was born on Molokai'i, attended Kailua High School on Oahu and graduated in 1967 from Hilo High School, is president of the Gulf Coast Hawaiians in Alahama and Mississippi. She succeeded Charles Krause who was born at Waialua and has lived in Mobile, Ala., for 18 years. He is the owner of Krause Jewelers in the Alabama city. The Gulf Coast Hawaiians will be participating in the fifth annual Mobile International Festival Nov. 5-7 at the Mobile Munieipal Auditorium. A brief story of the club was reported in the May issue of Ka Wai Ola O OHA during whieh time Sortino had asked Hawaii readers for pamphlets, brochures, posters and "anything else depicting our beautiful island state and our people" to be used in the exhibit. The main function of the festival is to promote respect and increase understanding among people of diverse cultures and national origins living in the Mobile area. Its purpose is to: • Develop an awareness of the many cultures that make up the community. • Strengthen friendships and understanding among people of different cultures. • Share in the uniqueness of eaeh heritage through music, food, dance and exhibits. • Share a vision of strengthening the bonds of the Mobile community as a whole. During the festival, many different countries present informational exhibits whieh highlight such things as language, culture, geography, costumes, customs and currency. Hawaii will be among some of the more than three dozen countries putting up an exhibit. Sortino said that the Gulf Coast Hawaiians will also present Hawaiian entertainment during the festival. As a result of the May story in this newspaper, Sortino reported she has received "A lot of help from Hawaii for our booth this year." "I want to thank everyone for their contributions to make this year's exhibit the best we've had. We want to show the people of Mobile what The Year of the Hawaiian is all about and how proud we are to be Hawaiians," she wrote. The latest contributions eame from Ho'olako 1987 President Thomas K. (Unele Tommy) Kaulukukui Sr. She also received newspaper clippings and posters from Harry Palani Elkins of Pahoa and brochures about Hawaii volcanoes from the Kiluaea Military Camp recreation headquarters. Others who serve as recently elected officers of the Gulf Coast Hawaiians are Nancy Huihui, vice president and public relations; Marcia Autterson, secretary; Mary Kalima, treasurer; Walter Bayer, historian; Cindi Heffner, public relations for Mississippi. Sortino's father was the late Gorge Mitchell and her mother Evelyn is now Mrs. Richard Hanson. Her husband was a former surveyor with the federal government who worked in Hawaii and returned to the mainland in 1969. Mrs. Hanson was originally from Pennsylvania. Sortino has three brothers and three sisters — Jarrell Long, Newnan, Ga.; Jeffrey Hanson, Rome, N.Y.; Rick Hanson, Scott Air Force Base, 111.; Molly Tengun, Moloka'i; Piilani Martin, Lake Placid, N.Y.: and Pualani Swartz, Baton Rouge, La. Sortino herself has three children from her first marriage. She and the children, after residing on Hawaii and Waipahu, moved to Texas in 1979 and settled in Mobile two years ago. Her husband, Tony Sortino, is originally from ltaly and is a self-employed painter. She reports that the club picked up several new mem-

bers as a result of the May story and that everyone is working feverishly in preparing for the November festival. Sortino also became a grandmother for the first time when her daughter, Drucilla, gave birth July 31 to Tareka Kahaulani. The Sortino family residence is at 7425 Gaynor Road, Mobile, Ala., 36613.

Officers of the Gulf Coast Hawaiian Club, from left to right, are Walter Bayer, historian; Mary Kalima, treasurer; Nancy Huihui, vice president and public relations for Alabama; Tari Kehaulani Sortino, president; Marcia Autterson, secretary.

Two of the 1986 outgoing officers are Charles Krause, president, and his wife, Carla, secretary.