Led by Lifeguard Captain Kawika Eckhart, Waimanalo Neighborhood Board chairman Wilson Ho and his wife Rosina, we joined Dave Goto and other hang glider pilots to work on the bath house and surrounding area. There were also community members and job corps kids helping out as well.
Local pilots on the job included Reaper, Dave, Mad Dog, Jorge, Alex, Maui Doug, Thom, Brazilian Ray, and Bonnie, as well as hang glider pilots Dave Goto, Joe, and Walter. I was very impressed with all the hard work you guys did. I am humbled to call myself part of this group!
I was also very impressed to see four visiting pilots there: the Jackson Hole crew (Cade, Loren and Becca) and Jase from Vancouver (Washington) spent the day in the trenches with us. On a day when they could have been flying during their limited vacation time here! Not sure I would have done the same thing in your shoes. Thanks again, guys!
Afterward, we celebrated the end of a hard day's work in our usual way. Let's just say it involved lots of flying and cold refreshments. The wind was light enough for Cactus launches and a great direction for toplandings. Joey, Jim and Ginny joined us for some flying and celebrating at the end of the day as well. Some of us made our way around Puu O Kona to Greenwalls, though it was too light to stay there for long. At the end of the day the parapark turned on briefly for us to enjoy buzzing (and toplanding and relaunching) the lookout area. A beautiful huge full moon rose over the lighthouse to illuminate the last of the airborne crew who were up for the twilight session.
4 comments:
Alex, it was fantastic doing the Cactus & Para Park top landing rotations with you. To bad too light for progression at Puu Okona, but the moon was outragious!
I, too, was impressed with the turnout of people who came to help volunteer; especially the visiting pilots on a FLYABLE day, that was cool! Thanks, guys. One thing I love about this "family" is that I know everyone else would have been out there helping too, if they could. I like the fact that we are always all there for each other, no matter what.
Great day of roofing, whew!
Got a note from Wilson Ho, the Chairman of the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board:
Alex and the Hawaiian Paragliders,
Thank you so much for your participation, hard work and staying power to help us repair the restroom roof on December 1st. We send our gratitude to the roofing crew, Pete, Chris, Joe and Jorge. Also, special thanks to Fireman Dave, Maui Doug and Handi Tom for the paint and powerwash crew and all of the rest of the groundwork crew.
You guys were the foundation of the work force and had a large effect on the first view of people coming in to Waimanalo, with their first sights on the restrooms. As a community, we are so thankful for your help. We will always pray for your safety in the skies.
Alex, I also have your green machete casing and the next time you are flying, I can bring it to you. For my wife and I, it was a special experience to actually meet and personally know the paragliders we see every day.
Thank you again,
Wilson and Rosina Ho
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