Kaimuki77.org

It was called the Honolulu International Center before it was renamed after Mayor Neal S. Blaisdell and featured the top artists of its time. Sometimes I still catch myself calling it the H.I.C.

Everyone from Elvis to America came to town to rock the HIC Arena. In those days, people slept overnight near the sweet smells of the koi pond to be the first to buy tickets when the box office opened the next morning. Now the pond is filled with tilapia and tickets can be purchased with a phone call or click of the mouse.

When a concert was happening at the HIC, two beams of light criss-crossed on the night sky like the Batman signal. Tickets were a little steep at $4.50, $5.50 and $6.50 but somehow we scrounged up the money for that priceless piece of paper. No bar codes or magnetic strips on these tickets!

Smoking was allowed in the 70’s and during a concert, whether it was John Denver or Grand Funk Railroad, the faint smell of cigarette smoke always filled the air. To bring the band back out for an encore, the crowd waved flames from Zippo lighters overhead. Now people wave cell phones!

The first concert I remember going to was with a Washington Inter. dude when we were in the 9th grade. Who did we see? The Jackson 5, baby! Stop laughing.

The Doobie Brothers AND Tower of Power? Now that’s a lineup I’d scrape up good money to see even today. Oh-oh, listen to the music!

In 2009, we’ll be too old to holler!

We are going to be 4 bits old in a couple of years. Half a century. Five decades. Our parents’ age when we were in high school.

Alas, we’re not the young pups we used to be.

We may be getting a little thin in some places and a little thick in others but the class of ’77 still knows how to party!

Kudos to our 1977 friends at McKinley High School who set the gears in motion for a 50 year old birthday bash in Las Vegas for 1977 grads across Oahu.

Tell your soon-to-be Five-Oh friends to look forward to a reunion in September 2009! Stay tuned by checking your email and visiting this website for news regarding this celebration.

Can ya dig it?

For those of us who had access to a car or knew someone who did, cruising was the thing to do in high school! At 62¢ a gallon, gas prices were so low, we could drive forever.

With my new driver’s license in hand my senior year, I was fearless! We’d cruise aimlessly in my dad’s car down Kalakaua Avenue and around Diamond Head, through Kahala and into Hawaii Kai at night. The fear hit me, though, when we eventually ended up on the pitch black winding roads at Makapu’u Point. Driving alongside the guardrails with white-knuckled hands at the wheel, my friends gave me the courage to get us past the cliffs! We parked at the blowhole lookout and sat on the wall talking story and laughing out loud. As for me, I was just relieved that we didn’t huli onto the crashing waves and lava rocks below!

What are your memories of cruising and hanging out with friends?

On Saturday, April 14, the Kaimuki High School Alumni Association held its annual fundraiser dinner at the school’s cafeteria. If you didn’t go, you missed out on a great time! Congresswoman Maizie Hirono (1966) said a few words and Kelly Boy Delima (1984) sang “Masese” and other hit songs with his talented children, Kapena and Kalena.

Present and former administrators were there and we took the opportunity to capture the moment with Principal Herbert Imanaka!
(l-r) Wendy, Mingy, Donna, Dene, Principal Imanaka, Joe, Nancy, Pam and Laura

Aren’t we cool in our diamond year reunion t-shirts? Donna’s other half recreated our senior year t-shirt to perfection!

Q: Which c/o ’77 classmate still has his lime green senior class t-shirt…from 1977….and it still FITS?!
A: Eddie Ogimi!

Proceeds raised from the alumni fundraiser will pay for classroom expenses and help defray the cost of various projects on the campus. It was a great way for us to give back to the school that gave us so much. Hope to see you there next year!

Happy Year of the Boar!In his life, the loyal and thoughtful boar will make lasting and beneficial friendships. He enjoys gatherings of all kinds, giving parties and hosting fetes, joining clubs and all kinds of associations. A quiet organizer who hates arguments and bickering, he is capable of bringing people of all sides together. His credibility and sincerity are his best assets.

We boars must live up to our reputation! As we ring in 2007, we also celebrate the thirtieth year since graduating from Kaimuki High School. Thanks to those who responded to our recent flyer and signed up to attend our reunion. Nearly 50 classmates and their guests will be in Las Vegas to party hearty and relive those happy days!

If you did not sign up for the reunion but are still interested in attending, you’re in luck! The reunion committee has extended the deadline to April 20, 2007. Get your friends on the line and tell ’em, “c’mon, let’s go!” Fill out the reunion form, send it in, then book your flight and hotel as soon as possible!

Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur
Invading armies, dancing maidens, jousting and fireworks! Join your spirited classmates for a rousing time as we all sit together and cheer for our king while eating with our hands!

Date: Friday, October 5, 2007
Departure Transportation: Leaves Mainstreet Hotel at 2:00 pm
Return Transportation: Leaves Excalibur at 10:00 pm
Dinner show (no transportation) meeting time: 5:00 pm in the Excalibur Hotel lobby
Cost of dinner show without transportation: $53.29
Cost of dinner show with transportation: $61.00
Transportation leaves early and returns late so we can enjoy some time on the Las Vegas Strip!

Class T-Shirts
Remember the bright green class t-shirt we wore our senior year? There’s a photo of it in our senior yearbook. The design has been professionally updated and will be printed on black or white t-shirts as a commemoration for our reunion! Women’s t-shirts are available in Hanes Her Way 100% pre-shrunk cotton and Men’s t-shirts will be Hanes Beefy T’s 100% cotton.

Tournament and T-shirts, Get ‘Em Here!
If you would like to order a groovy t-shirt and/or attend the Tournament of Kings dinner show at the Excalibur Hotel, fill out this form and send it in!

Photos, Please!
For our banquet in Las Vegas, we will be creating a slideshow of past and present snapshots. We need your photos! Send us photos of yourself including those from small kid time and today at work or play. Send digital photos to kaimuki77@hotmail.com. Photographs on paper may be sent to Nancy Yoshimoto (write to the kaimuki77@hotmail.com email for her address). Please write your name on the back of each of your photos so that they can be returned to you.

KHS ’77 Slot Tournament
We will be holding a private slot tournament for our class on Sunday, October 7, 2007. Details will follow at the reunion banquet. Plan on entering for an exciting time, another chance to socialize with your dear classmates and to win their money!