Archives for Friends of the Natatorium

Natatorium backer, Friends leader Ron Yasui has died

08-Apr-14 | 4 Comments

A memorial service will be held this Saturday, April 12, for one of the Friends of the Natatorium’s first members and most dedicated activists, Ron Yasui. Ron died March 15 at age 78. A 1953 St Louis School graduate, Ronald Hiroshi Yasui joined the Marine Corps after high school and served in combat during the Korean War. After the war, he had a long career as an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration. “Ron was a gung-ho Marine and always for the underdog,” his younger brother Byron recalls. “He was that kind of guy.” Natatorium Activist Ron channeled
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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
Tags: obituary, Peter Apo, Ron Yasui, and Ronald Yasui.

The Wall Street Journal: Preservation and the Natatorium

11-Mar-14 | Comments Off on The Wall Street Journal: Preservation and the Natatorium

There was an important story in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend about a major challenge faced by historic preservationists nationwide. Among those facing that challenge are those of us working so hard to restore and reopen the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. And, in fact, the Natatorium gets a prominent mention in the Journal story. The focus of the piece is the recent scarcity of government financial support for historic preservation. Says the Journal: Save America’s Treasures, a federal grant program that provided more than $300 million to help preserve some 600 historic structures around the country since its
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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, News coverage, and Uncategorized.
Tags: historic tax credit, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Save America's Treasures, Waikiki Natatorium, and Wall Street Journal.

Veterans Day 2013 at the Natatorium: Photos and TV Coverage

12-Nov-13 | Comments Off on Veterans Day 2013 at the Natatorium: Photos and TV Coverage

Mahalo to everyone — everyone! — who took part in a wonderful 17th Veterans Day observance at the Natatorium! A standing-room-only crowd of active duty soldiers, veterans from all branches, Young Marines from Kaneohe and civilians came together just outside the War Memorial’s gates to pay tribute to all those from Hawai’i who have served. They remembered especially the 10,000 World War I soldiers and sailors to whom the Natatorium itself is dedicated. First Photos Here is a look at some pictures of the event, and links to some of the local television coverage. We hope you can see yourself
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Categories: Events, Friends of the Natatorium, Uncategorized, Veterans, and Veterans Day.
Tags: American Legion Riders, Friends of the Natatorium, Veterans Day, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8616, Waikiki Natatorium, and Young Marines.

Join Us Monday: The 17th Veterans Day Ceremony at the Natatorium

09-Nov-13 | Comments Off on Join Us Monday: The 17th Veterans Day Ceremony at the Natatorium

WHAT and WHEN: At 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, join Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8616, other veterans groups, the Friends of the Natatorium and the public for the VFW’s 17th annual Veterans Day Commemoration at the Natatorium. WHY: The armistice ending World War I was signed Nov. 11, 1918, near Compiègne, France, and went into effect later that morning, at what has become legendarily known as the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.” Originally commemorated as Armistice Day, the date has become known in the United States as Veterans Day. WHERE: In Honolulu’s Kapiolani
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Categories: Events, Friends of the Natatorium, Uncategorized, Veterans, and Veterans Day.
Tags: American Legion Post 17, American Legion Riders, Friends of the Natatorium, Veterans Day, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8616, and Waikiki Natatorium.

Veterans Day: 11-mile Ruck March to Natatorium Honors Those Who've Served

01-Nov-13 | Comments Off on Veterans Day: 11-mile Ruck March to Natatorium Honors Those Who've Served

This year’s Veterans Day observance at the Natatorium will be a very special one. A dedicated group of active-duty soldiers has planned a strenuous “ruck march” to the War Memorial in Waikiki, where they will join us to honor Hawai’i’s veterans. The soldiers are inspired to make the 11-mile urban hike to pay tribute to those from Hawai’i who served before them. They’ll muster early the morning of Monday, Nov. 11, at Hickam Field at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. They’ll move out from there and stomp along the streets of Honolulu, loaded down with 45-pound packs and gear. Once they
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Categories: Events, Friends of the Natatorium, Uncategorized, Veterans, and Veterans Day.
Tags: American Legion Riders, U.S. Army, Veterans Day, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8616, and Waikiki Natatorium.

Op-Ed: Honor All Hawaii's Fallen at the Natatorium

09-Oct-13 | Comments Off on Op-Ed: Honor All Hawaii's Fallen at the Natatorium

The Star-Advertiser today published an opinion piece by Donna L. Ching, vice president of the Friends of the Natatorium. She salutes the efforts of the Memorial Task Force, now gathering input on how to honor Hawaii’s sons and daughters lost in Iraq, Afghanistan and the War on Terror. Donna suggests that the best course would be to locate a Gulf War Memorial at or adjacent to our Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, creating in effect a memorial park to honor Hawaii’s fallen from all wars. We urge you to read Donna’s piece on the Star-Advertiser website and leave your comments there.
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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, History, News coverage, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
Tags: Donna L. Ching, Friends of the Natatorium, op-ed, Star-Advertiser, and Waikiki Natatorium.

The Natatorium Bugle Corps: Enlist Now!

25-Aug-13 | 2 Comments

The Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium is many things: recreation facility, competition venue, gathering space, cultural icon. It is also, first and foremost, a memorial to those who served our nation, especially those from Hawai’i who served in World War I. It was built as a memorial to warriors, and opened as a memorial 86 years ago this month. The beautiful Beaux-Arts-style ocean pool still stands as a memorial, even though as a recreation facility it awaits preservation, restoration and reopening. A memorial is a living thing. Its meaning is expressed in the interactions between the place itself and the people
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Categories: Events, Friends of the Natatorium, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
Tags: bugle, Friends of the Natatorium, Taps, and Waikiki Natatorium.

Natatorium Big Band Benefit on Video

23-Aug-13 | Comments Off on Natatorium Big Band Benefit on Video

Our Big Band Benefit for the Natatorium was a huge success: Great crowd, great music, great dancing, and a great time for all. The Harry James Orchestra, led by the superb Fred Radke, was in terrific form. We know that so many of our off-island friends and supporters really wanted to be there. Since you couldn’t come to the show, now we’re bringing the show to you! We sent a camera out onto the dance floor and right up to the bandstand. Here’s an excerpt from the hugely popular “Take the ‘A’ Train:” httpv://vimeo.com/72510151 Mahalo Thanks to everyone who made
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Categories: Events, Friends of the Natatorium, Uncategorized, and Videos.
Tags: Big Band, Elks Lodge 616, Fred Radke, Friends of the Natatorium, Harry James Orchestra, and Waikiki Natatorium.

Natatorium Big Band Benefit: Swing Dance with Us on Aug. 11

15-Jul-13 | 14 Comments

The legendary Harry James Orchestra – the big band that gave Frank Sinatra his first big break – is coming to Hawai’i to play a benefit for restoration and reopening of the War Memorial Natatorium. Join us to swing dance — or just to listen — on Sunday, Aug. 11, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Honolulu Elks Lodge. NOTE: ADVANCE TICKET SALES HAVE CLOSED. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR FOR $45.
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Categories: Events, Friends of the Natatorium, and Uncategorized.
Tags: benefit, Big Band, Elks Lodge 616, Fred Radke, Friends of the Natatorium, Harry James Orchestra, Mo Radke, and Waikiki Natatorium.

Veterans Leader Michael Soucie Elected to FON Board

17-Jun-13 | Comments Off on Veterans Leader Michael Soucie Elected to FON Board

Veteran, VA manager and longtime veteran advocate Michael C. Soucie Sr. has been elected to the board of directors of the Friends of the Natatorium. Michael, who retired as a chief petty officer after 22 years in the Navy, returned to civilian life as a case manager and clinical supervisor in Kalaeloa for the United States Veterans Initiative, or U.S.VETS, the largest provider of services to homeless veterans in the country. He has since moved to the Department of Veterans Affairs, assisting veterans struggling with mental illness with their return to gainful employment. Michael now oversees all work therapy programs
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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
Tags: Friends of the Natatorium, Michael Soucie, and Waikiki Natatorium.