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December, 2023
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
– Toby Kravet – 808-224-1065
Vice President - Anita Hodges
Treasurer -
Jonathan Carr
Secretary - Nelson
Dang
Michiro Iwanaga
Alan Teramura
Caroline Sluyter
Mike Tsutsui
Carl See
Sandra Robbins
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Newsletter
Editor
Toby Kravet
(Click on Contacts for e mail addresses)
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Every Monday evening (except on holidays and, of course, during Hawaii Ski Week), at 4:30 PM, a group of ski club members and their friends play tennis at Keehi Lagoon Courts, off Lagoon Drive. Stay in shape and enjoy a "careful social hour" afterwards.
November 23 (Thanksgiving) 9:30 AM - The Ski Club has had a tradition, for many (except for the pandemic) years of having a contingent of members assisting the Salvation Army with serving a morning Thanksgiving meal to the needy at Blaisdell Center with a tailgate (just for us "Ski Clubbers") before the serving. All Club members, not just those volunteering, are invited to the tailgate for a little early partying. Please contact Wanda, wanda10s@aol.com if you are interested in volunteering. Also, all volunteers and those just coming to the tailgate are asked to let her know what you are bringing for the potluck.
December 16 (Saturday) 5:00 PM - Annual Christmas Party again at the Esplanade in Hawaii Kai with "Major Mahalos" to "Sam" Wright for her hospitality. In addition to the usual gift exchange, the ono food, and the ability to view the boat parade, we will have more club tee shirts for sale (Mahalo to Caroline).
January 4 (Thursday) Time TBA, probably 5:00 or 6:00 PM - Our annual Hawaii Ski Week pre trip party as well as a General Membership Meeting for the entire club, is returning to the lovely home of Jeff Lilley and Judy Sobin (thanks guys) in Hawaii Kai, just "down the street" from where we had our Christmas Party. See below for details.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
If this Newsletter seems a bit early, it's not your imagination: I will be having Thanksgiving with some of my family on the continent, as I do every year, and I'd rather get it out early than late. I'd like to publically welcome new members John Yee (whom I forgot to welcome last month) Phillip Yung, David Tsubata, Nelson Tan, Scott Lindstrom-Dake, Marlena Magdalin, and Bob and Kim Hutchings. Hope I got everyone. The Hutchings live in Australia making what may be a first for us. We do have members living in California, Washington, Colorado, and Nevada, but I can't remember a member from out of the country. Several months ago, when I wrongly announced our first member from Maui, as I remember it, I got an upbraiding from another member reminding me of whom I forgot. If you know of a past member from out of the country, let me know. The "Holiday Season" is just about here with our Thanksgiving volunteer effort next week, our Christmas Party, just 3 weeks later, and then, just when we get a bit used to normal (whatever that is), our Pre-Trip Party for Steamboat less than 3 weeks after that. Whew! We need to make sure we have enough plates, tableware, etc. to cover everything. As of this past Wednesday, we were up to 18 volunteers for Thanksgiving, and I wish to thank all of you who did and might still pledge your efforts. Mahalo to Wanda Sowell who is taking over this year for Anita and Mike, who would, otherwise, be coordinating things on Thanksgiving morning, but will both be off island this year. I would also like to thank Mike for his work in getting our volunteer activities back on track this past year with additional opportunities next year, maybe as early as April, after the ski season of course. Steamboat, where we will be headed on January 19, is slated to open for the season on November 22 as is Big Sky where we went last year. Alta, in Utah, was supposed to open on November 17 but cancelled because of warm weather and not enough snow which, I have read, is the case for a number of Utah resorts. I hope there is enough for Albert Miral who told me that he is heading up there, I think, over or just after the holidays. I am planning to go there myself, right after Steamboat. The first ski area in the USA to open, would you believe, was a tiny day area I never heard of (and I grew up in Massachusetts), named Ski Ward, just 40 miles west of Boston, which started their lifts running, on man made snow no doubt, on October 22. Just like Anita and Mike, I will be out of town on Thanksgiving, as I already mentioned, but I hope to see a lot of you at our Christmas party next month.
TOBY
UPCOMING SKI CLUB ACTIVITIES:
TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY
SERVING AN EARLY THANKSGIVING DINNER TO THE NEEDY
AND PRE-EVENT POTLUCK
Blaisdell Center
777 Ward Ave.
November 23 (Thursday)
9:30 AM-Tailgate, 11:15 AM Volunteering
This is the 49th Annual Salvation Army Thanksgiving Day
Dinner served at the Blaisdell Center ) is, at least, the 28th year that the
Hawaii Ski Club has joined with over 1000 community members from a variety
of civic groups and schools volunteering to make this event special for
those people who are less fortunate. This is an event where “it feels better
to give than receive.” You’ll enjoy your family Thanksgiving dinner more
after you have served meals to the elderly and poor of our community.
Although our club volunteers for only 1.5 hours on Thanksgiving morning,
we have a pre-event tailgate potluck outside
the auditorium, in the grassy area between the parking structure and the
arena, for all club members. This is an annual
tradition where we enjoy the fellowship of other ski club members before we
serve dinner. Every club member is invited to join this tailgate even
if you are unable to volunteer inside the auditorium. Contact Wanda
Sowell, wanda10s@aol.com if you
wish to volunteer. Also, if you are volunteering or just coming
for the tailgate, please email Wanda to let her know what you are
contributing to the potluck. Parking will be free in the structure.
ANITA, TOBY
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY
The Esplanade, 500
Lunalillo Home Road
December
16 (Saturday) 5 PM
Sylvia "Sam" Wright has come through yet again to get us the recreation room/terrace at her condo, The Esplanade, on Hawaii Kai Drive. This is both pot luck and BYOB. Also, if you want to participate (almost all do) in the traditional gift exchange, bring a grab bag gift with approximate value of $20.00 (I know I said $15.00 last month, but that was a mistake). You will be given a raffle ticket, and when your number is called, have the option of choosing a gift from the "pile" or one that has already been chosen, thereby forcing the original chooser to choose from the pile again: This can get pretty funny, satisfying, or frustrating depending upon whether you are victor, victim, or spectator----at that particular moment. and victors can turn into victims at the next ticket pulled. Also, (Trumpets, please), this is the same date as the annual Hawaii Kai Christmas Boat Parade in which boats, adorned like Christmas trees, sail through the waterways, and we should be able to view it from outside the building. Also, we will have more new Ski Club tee shirts available for sale as well as the older ones at a cut price. The formal "festivities" will probably be starting at 6:00 PM, but we may want to get there earlier, which is why we say 5:00 above, due to others looking for parking to view the boat parade: To get to the Esplanade, turn left off Kalanianaole Highway at Lunalillo Home Road, the last traffic light before the highway goes up the hill towards Hanauma Bay. drive in the mountain direction approximately .8 of a mile, and look for the looming white building complex on the left. While parking is limited at the building (eleven guest stalls in the circle at the entrance) there is normally plenty of street parking available on the other side of the street and on side streets off the other side. The recreation area is right on the ground level beside the lobby.
TOBY
PRE-TRIP PARTY/GENERAL
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
748 KALANIPUU ST.
HONOLULU, HAWAII
96825
JANUARY 4, Thursday, Time TBA
Mucho Mahalos to Jeff Lilley and Judy Sobin for inviting us again to their home in Hawaii Kai for the Hawaii Ski Week Pre-Trip Party. As this also serves as our January General Membership Meeting, everyone is invited whether or not you are going on the Steamboat trip. The Club will provide the food but beverages are BYOB. To get to Judy's and Jeff's house at 748 Kalanipuu St., turn off Kalanianaole Highway onto Lunalillo Home Road and drive approximately 1.5 miles (about .7 past the Esplanade where we had our Christmas party) where you will find Kalanipuu St. crossing over Lunalillo Home Rd. Take a left, towards the water, and follow Kalanipuu, which curves back to the left, in the direction you came from, for another .16 miles and you'll see the house on the right with a bear holding a surfboard on the left of the garage. You're there. Please RSVP to me, pres@hawaiisnowskiclub.com if you are coming as we need a headcount for the food.
PAST SKI CLUB ACTIVITIES:
PAU HANA
AT
PAU
HANA PLACE
CORNER OF ALA
MOANA BLVD. & HOLOMANA ST.
October 27 (Friday) 5 PM
I counted 18 Ski Clubbers who found there way to Pau Hana Place on October 27 with their BYOB beer and wine. So many of us seem to be bringing wine these days that I'm thinking maybe we should organize a wine tasting some evening, but that's just "wine for thought." Anyhow, there was ample parking on site, two take-out counter establishments serving plate lunch, nacho, and pizza type fare rather than the food trucks I expected, a plugged-in musician, and plenty of tables, including longer ones, to sit around and talk story. It was a fun and comparatively inexpensive evening, seemingly enjoyed by all.
TOBY
SKI TRIPS FOR 2024:
November, 2023 HSC trips updates.
Please note that all trips are now SOLD OUT and
reservations are closed. Steamboat Springs has 46 registrations and the two
Japan trips have 85 reservations. 20 HSC members are going on both Japan
Trips and 7 HSC members are going on all three trips!
Steamboat Springs, January 19-27, 2024. Both the
Welcome Reception and Farewell Dinner will be at the Gravity Haus. We have
arranged an optional midweek trip to a local, natural hot spring for an
additional fee.
Furano,
Central Hokkaido, Japan February 10-18, 2024. 38 HSC members have registered
for this trip. It’s the first time the Ski Club has gone to Furano and we
will be there during the week of Chinese New Year. We are planning on an
optional day trip to the nearby resorts of Tomamu or Kamui Ski Links for an
additional fee.
Rusutsu,
Japan, Southwestern Hokkaido, Japan February 17-25, 2024. The last few rooms
were booked this week and we now have 47 HSC members registered to go. We
are planning on an optional day trip to nearby Niseko or Kiroro for an
additional fee.
Please
contact Alan, Trip Coordinator at
alan@hawaiisnowskiclub.com
if you are interested in going on an optional day trip. Transportation and
lift tickets estimated to be $100-150.
ALAN
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
HAWAII SKI CLUB IS ON FACEBOOK
Facebook is the best way to keep current on the Hawaii Ski Club. On your Facebook page on your computer, type "Hawaii Ski Club" into the search box on the top left. On your mobile device, tap the magnifying glass at the top to get the search box. Pictures from Ski Club activities and other items are posted as they are submitted. You can submit your own Ski Club pictures and other items you wish posted by emailing them to anita@hawaiisnowskiclub.com
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Contributions from the membership to future newsletters are encouraged and will be greatly appreciated: Please e mail them to Toby (see Contacts) no later than 9 calendar days from the end of the month. Thanx much.
Updated club info available at http://www.hawaiisnowskiclub.com and on our Facebook page.