Waffles for Wishes
Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i’s Young Leaders Board hosted its fifth annual Waffles for Wishes brunch February 29 at Aloha Tower Marketplace.
– Brandon Miyagi photograph
Make-A-Wish Hawaii grants life-changing wishes to children in Hawaii with critical illnesses. Many of our wish kids overcome their illnesses and lead long, healthy lives. Though they are part of the world’s largest wish-granting organization, they operate locally as an independent 501(c)3. Monies raised in our state stay in our state.
They are headquartered in Honolulu with a staff of 30, and they rely on more than 700 statewide volunteers to make wishes possible. Unlike most nonprofits, they are 100% privately funded, which means wishes are entirely backed by our community.
Make-A-Wish Hawaii are among the busiest chapters in the nation with the unique privilege of sharing our beautiful islands with more than 1,200 families on wishes to visit Hawaii each year. They engage more than 200 local businesses and community partners to fulfill these incoming travel wishes.
The onslaught of news related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and the following articles are of interest to Retiree News readers.
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is moving to cut back on cash purchases to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Instead, Exchanges are requesting customers complete purchases with credit or debit cards, gift cards, or a MILITARY STAR card, according to the Army & Air Force Exchange Service. Continue reading
Maui Quizon, President of Hawaii National Guard Enlisted Association (HNGEA), emailed a letter to Retiree News, requesting it be posted. HNGEA letter
National Vietnam War Veterans Day is observed every year on March 29 and is a way to thank and honor our nation’s Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice. There are 5 objectives with Vietnam Commemoration and the other four are:
– Highlight the service of our Armed Forces and support organizations during the war
– Pay tribute to wartime contributions at home by American citizens
– Highlight technology, science and medical advances made during the war
– Recognize contributions by our Allies.
From the Everyday Health website
When a sweet craving strikes, chances are that you, like many other people, reach for a piece of chocolate or dark chocolate. While both dominate the sweet and sugary market, we often take some of the facts for granted. For one, chocolate has a rich history but a much lower nutritional value compared with dark chocolate. Caffeine content, storage, and cooking uses are also helpful to know.
The novel coronavirus is causing more than just physical harm to some people. It’s also inflicting severe financial harm, as scammers try to bilk the well-intentioned or uninformed of their cash.
“This is a prime opportunity for hackers to exploit fear, isolation and uncertainty for their own gain,” says Tom Kellermann, head cybersecurity strategist at VMware’s Carbon Black.
Coronavirus scams come in many forms, but the upshot of all of them is that they want your money, or your information so they can get to your money. Even if – and maybe more so – you’re trying to help out those who have been hurt by the coronavirus, you’re not immune from these scammers, who are looking for any possibility to trick you into revealing your personal financial details.
The onslaught of news related to the COVID-19 pandemic continue, and the following articles are of interest to Retiree News readers.
REAL ID Update. The Department of Homeland Security has extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline (i.e., when driver’s licenses and State IDs must have a REAL ID compliant marking, such as the star in the gold circle, to be used for TSA clearance at airports and other federal properties) to October 1, 2021. Continue reading
Army Asks Retired Soldiers in Health Care Fields to Come Back for COVID-19 Fight. A message sent by Defense Finance and Accounting Services, which processes and dispenses retiree pay, asked troops who had previously served in specific health care specialties to consider “re-joining the team” to address the current pandemic crisis. It’s signed by Lt. Gen. Thomas Seamands, deputy chief of staff for U.S. Army Personnel, G-1. Continue reading
Thanks to Hubert Chang for emailing this information about the volunteer recall to Retiree News.
Attached is today’s COVID-19 update issued by the Joint Information Center.
COVID-19 Daily Update March 27, 202
There is a large amount of speculation regarding COVID-19, please rely on OFFICIAL sources for accurate information. We added a long term post on the maroon bar above titled “COVID-19 Information.” The post includes links to the Hawaii Department of Health, the CDC and the FEMA websites.
From the Hawaii Aviation website
Construction of the first phase of the long-awaited Reef Runway was scheduled to begin in September 1972. The first increment, scheduled for completion in mid-1974, was expected to resolve most of the air traffic noise and safety problems of current airport traffic by shifting all overseas commercial and military jet take-off operations more than a mile to seaward. The runway would also increase the airport’s capacity from 70 to 110 operations per hour.
The Reef Runway was the nation’s first major new runway to receive funding approval from the FAA’s 1970 Airport Development Aid Program and qualified for the biggest single ADAP allocation so far approved–$14 million, or roughly half of the expected cost.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website
Human beings like certainty. We are hard-wired to want to know what is happening when and to notice things that feel threatening to us. When things feel uncertain or when we don’t generally feel safe, it’s normal to feel stressed. This very reaction, while there to protect us, can cause all sorts of havoc when there is a sense of uncertainty and conflicting information around us.
From the Images of Old Hawaii website
Prince Kūhiō Day is an official holiday in the State of Hawaiʻi; it is celebrated annually on March 26, to mark the birth of Prince Kūhiō.
Born on March 26, 1871, Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Piʻikoi (grandson of Kaua‘i King Kaumuali‘i and the cousin of King Kalākaua and Queen Lili‘uokalani) was prince of the reigning House of Kalākaua.
He witnessed the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, took the side of the monarchy, was found guilty of treason for plotting a counter-revolutionary attempt and made a political prisoner. Prince Kūhiō was eligible royal heir to the Hawaiian throne, Delegate to Congress for ten consecutive terms (in 1919 he introduced the first bill asking that Hawai‘i become a state) and tireless worker for native Hawaiian rights. He was often called Ke Ali‘i Maka‘āinana (Prince of the People), restored the Royal Order of Kamehameha I and established the Hawaiian Civic Club.
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page
ATTENTION Hickam Commissary Patrons.
Beginning March 25, only 75 customers will be allowed in the Hickam Commissary at one time to prevent overcrowding.
Beginning Thursday, March 26, Operational hours will be as follows:
Monday – 11 to 11:30 a.m. (Open for Military in Uniform) 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (open for all valid ID card holders)
Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday – 9 to 10 a.m. (Open for elderly 60+ and disabled) 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (open for all valid ID card holders)
Thursday – 11 to 11:30 a.m. (Open for Military in Uniform) 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (open for all valid ID card holders)
Saturday – 8 to 9 a.m. (open for elderly 60+ and disabled) 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (open for all valid ID card holders)
Sunday – 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (open for all valid ID card holders)
Additionally, an employee will be at the commissary entrance conducting 100% military ID checks to ensure only authorized patrons enter the premises, as visitors will not be allowed.
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