NORA MEIJIDE-GENTRY walked up to the Dalai Lama Sunday morning at the Kahala Hotel and shook his hand. Later she was among the large crowd that saw him at the Stan Sheriff Center, as she is among his great admirers. "I am still vibrating today from his energy," Nora said Monday. … Nora’s daughter, Candes Meijide Gentry, and Jonathan Lyau are spokespersons for the Second Annual Honolulu 5K. It will get under way at Frank Fasi Civic Center on April 29 at 6:30 a.m. The 5K will be followed by a 1-mile keiki run/walk at approximately 6:45 a.m. that will go around the Civic Center grounds. Adults are welcome for this one as well. Register by midnight Wednesday at www.honolulu5k.org. … Besides being a fitness queen, Candes is a former Miss Hawaii who can sing. She held a release party at for her CD "Love Game" at Bar 35 on her birthday, April 8, which was Easter. Her mom, Nora, did the photography for the CD jacket and her sister, Corin Gentry-Balding, did makeup. …
THE ISLAND of Lanai had a connection with the Dalai Lama on his visit. It began with fourth-grade teacher Sandy Patterson at Lanai High and Elementary School giving her students a poetry assignment. Through the creative energy inspired by the students’ writing about peace, the poems became lyrics, and with the help of Lanai music instructor and composer Matt Glickstein, the song "Singing to the World" was born. The children’s passion inspired ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro to accompany them in a music video. Jake just happened to be on Lanai when the video was being made. Event planner Mary Charles, who owns the Hotel Lanai with husband Tom Kiely, managed to have the video of "Singing to the World" played at two of the Dalai Lama’s events on Oahu Saturday and Sunday. …
FLYING HIGH: An award-winning documentary, "Keepers of The Flame: The Cultural Legacy of Three Hawaiian Women," produced by Eddie and Myrna Kamae, can be seen on "Hawaiian Skies," Hawaiian Airlines’ in-flight video magazine. Travelers on mainland flights during April and June will learn more about Hawaii’s culture and its people from the video featuring Kawena Pukui, Edith Kanaka‘ole and ‘Iolani Luahine, three of Hawaii’s most important women. …
MURPHY’S Bar & Grill raised $6,000 for the Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation through corned beef sales last month. Owner Don Murphy maintained the tradition of donating $2 for each pound of corned beef sold during March to the charity, which aids Hawaii families supporting a child with cancer. … Happy to learn that Matt Catingub is back to conduct the Hawai‘i Symphony Pops season. …
TOWN & COUNTRY magazine appropriately considers Hilo’s Merrie Monarch Festival a big deal. In its April issue it carries the hula extravaganza in its listing of 16 worldwide April events, with a picture of hula dancers. …
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Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
