Community Service Report
Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade Jan. 20, 2025
On Jan. 20, 2025, HI Betsuin BWA members participated in the Martin Luther King, Jr. parade once again. They rode the PBA bus to Magic Island and met up with folks from Jikoen and Windward Buddhist Temple.
While waiting for the parade to commence, they readied the bamboo peace poles strung with origami cranes and decorated the PBA bus with signs. A new feature for the Honpa Hongwanji parade contingent this year was the mobile kansho – a special cart (constructed by Albert Wong and Brad and Caden Fujino) on which was mounted a temple bell! Parade viewers applauded the ringing of the temple bell as it was wheeled along the parade route. Attendees were also delighted to receive the origami peace cranes that were passed out by Honpa Hongwanji parade participants. The parade ended all too soon at Kapiolani Park.
Nirvana Day Concert Feb. 15, 2025
A number of HI Betsuin BWA members attended the evening Nirvana Day Concert in HI Betsuin’s Main Hondo on Feb. 15, 2025
HI Betsuin’s Facebook posting summarized this event: “The concert featured Tibetan chanting/meditation by Lama Wangchuk, Udi Bar-David on cello, Steven Casano on shakuhachi, Erika Sato Bar-David on violin, and poems by Rabindranath Tagore read by Wendie Yumori. The concert was very well attended, including many from the community who were new to the temple. Thanks to the hospitality of our refreshment volunteers, many from our Buddhist Women’s Association, guests enjoyed fellowship over delicious food and beverages afterwards in the Social Hall.”
Dana Day Collection Feb. 2 – Mar. 2, 2025
HI Betsuin BWA members and Sangha members contributed to the BWA Dana Day collection from Feb. 2 – Mar. 2, 2025. Monies contributed totaled $5,087.04 (including two sizable donations) and will be added to the Honolulu United BWA Dana Fund, from which the annual HUBWA Dana Awards are drawn. The HUBWA Dana Awards support non-profit organizations that benefit youth, women, and the elderly.
Thanks to Spring Bazaar Chair, Cindy Alm, BWA President, Gayle Hirohata-Goto, BWA Rummage Sale Chair, Liane Wong, and many hardworking BWA members and friends, the BWA was quite successful in raising funds for Hawaii Betsuin. BWA received energetic assistance from Troop 49 Scouts in setting up the tables for the Rummage Sale and BWA partnered with enthusiastic Honpa Hongwanji Girl Scouts on Spring Bazaar day. Jan Nishihira assigned the Senior Girl Scouts/parents to the Rummage Sale to cashier, pack, and help patrons on the floor. Cadette Girl Scouts/parents were tasked with working the Clothing Sale, and the Junior Girl Scouts/parents were assigned to Will Call. When the Rummage Sale and Clothing Sale neared closing time on Mar. 30, the Scouts had a little time to pick out sale items they really liked before starting their clean-up duties.
Rummage Sale leftovers were boxed and Clothing Sale table and bin items were bagged – boxes and bags were picked up from the Annex Hondo on Mar. 31 by Community Clearinghouse.
Nicer clothing on the racks was bagged and picked up from Eshinni Room by Rick Tabor and Susan Hashimoto for the Salvation Army Thrift stores. Warmest mahalo to Diane Marshall, Claire Groom, and Rene Kimura for supervising the Clothing Sale Clean-up! Thanks to Gayle Hirohata-Goto for overseeing the pick-up of Rummage Sale and Clothing Sale boxes/bags. Items in the foreground of the photo, above, went to Helping Hands, Legos went to the Waikiki Public Library for its Lego Playtime, and water bottles were saved for Project HOME.
Hanamido Decorating April 12, 2025
Na Wahine Buda Kiakahi: The Legacy of Hawaiian Women Buddhists April 12, 2025
Many thanks to Blanche Shigeoka, Arlene Matsubara, Wendie Yumori, and Cindy Alm for amazingly varied contributions of flowers and foliage for hanamido decorating. With help from Rev. Kihara, the team engaged in a joyful creative process that culminated in a beautiful hanamido. The team took a break at 10:30 a.m. to attend the film screening of Na Wahine Buda Kiakahi: The Legacy of Hawaiian Women Buddhists, a wonderful work in progress. BWA members contributed refreshments to the post-screening gathering downstairs.
Eshinni/Kakushinni Day April 27, 2025
There was a very nice turnout for the BWA-coordinated Eshinni/Kakushinni Day service on April 27, 2025, including community college religion class students who learned of the legacies of Eshinnisama and Kakushinnisama. Co-MCs were sisters, Miyaka and Asami Nishihira, active in Dharma School and Girl Scouts. The guest lay speaker was Dr. Kaethe Kauffman, noted artist and author as well as BWA member and Betsuin Choir member. Service attendees remarked how much they learned from Dr. Kauffman’s inspiring message. Thanks to Dave Atcheson for preparing the video of Dr. Kauffman’s presentation to be posted on the HI Betsuin BWA website. At the close of the Eshinni/Kakushinni Day service, Liane Wong appealed to the in-person and Zoom Sangha for donations to HI Betsuin’s youth programs.
Submitted by Wendie Yumori - May 2025
