Clubhouse director Maureen Purington (back, left), with brothers Rick and Jesse Kiakona, shares a rich moment with Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii’s Windward Clubhouse members at the Boots & Kimo’s Jan. 16 check presentation. Photo from Maureen Purington.

The kids at Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii’s Windward Clubhouse are well-fed and well-funded, thanks to Rick and Jesse Kiakona of Boots & Kimo’s Homestyle Kitchen. The brothers donated $5,000 to Windward Clubhouse in December, and then followed up with a gift of 85 bentos for club members who attended more than 104 days in 2014.

“In 2011, my brother Jesse and I showed up at Windward Clubhouse unannounced to take a look around,” recalled Rick. “We liked what we saw, so we decided then and there to support the organization.

“We live, work and play in Kailua, so it’s important to us to support the Boys & Girls Club for all the good they do in providing a safe place for our keiki to go after school and during school breaks — and I’d like to challenge other Windward businesses to do the same.”

BGCH’s Windward Clubhouse has been based at Kailua Intermediate School since its inception in 2006, serving 600 kids annually.

For more information, call 263-0555.

Murray Visser (right), president of Rotary Club of Windward Oahu, presented this $10,000 check to Wind-ward Spouse Abuse Shelter executive director Avis Kalama. The club earned the Weinberg Friends grant through community service in order to give it to a charity of its choice. Photo from Murray Visser.

The Rotary Club of Windward Oahu put a recent focus on helping families, in partnership with Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

Last month the club presented a $10,000 Weinberg Friends grant to Hale Ola, the Windward Spouse Abuse Shelter. Rotarians earned the grant earlier by painting Kailua’s Family Promise Center. When a group project such as this is completed and meets the foundation’s standards, it is awarded the grant to give to a nonprofit of its choice.

Hale Ola was a natural pick, according the club president Murray Visser. For more than 20 years, the shelter has been a safe haven and recovery space for women and children fleeing domestic violence. But its budget gets eaten away by continuing needs big and small, such as roof repairs, furniture and appliance replacement, and child-proofing a screen door.

“The shelter needs funding so that it can continue its operation,” said Visser. It’s that simple.

Hale Ola executive director Avis Kalama said the grant will help pay its electric bill (about $1,000 per month) and insurance expenses.

Castle High School student Jacob Yamaguchi makes some ‘illegal dance moves’ as Ren in CPAC’s musical ‘Footloose,’ opening March 20 at Ron Bright Theatre. Photo by Aaron Rideout.

Castle Performing Arts Center turns back the clock — all the way to the ’80s — with its upcoming run of Footloose, opening Friday at Castle High School.

The musical is directed by Karen Meyer, and it runs through March 29. Curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays in Ron Bright Theatre.

Based on the 1984 movie, Footloose tells the story of city boy Ren, who moves from Chicago to the small town of Bomont and finds himself less than welcomed by the grim locals, who have banned dancing and rock music. Ren resolves to change this with the help of Ariel, the preacher’s rebellious daughter.

Hawaii-born Dean Pitchford wrote both the original film screenplay and stage adaptation. Castle students Jacob Yamaguchi and Caitlyn Bright star as Ren and Ariel, alongside 43 other Oahu students. Bright also is the daughter of Michael and Jade Bright, and granddaughter of former CPAC director Ron Bright and his wife Moira.

Tickets cost $15 general and $10 for students, seniors and military. To order them, call 233-5626 or visit showtix4u.com.

The best art from Windward students is on view this month at the chamber level of the state Capitol.

As part of the rotating exhibit in state Sen. Jill Tokuda’s Art Review (STAR), the March artists offer their creations in various mediums from Ka‘elepulu, Aikahi and Mokapu elementary schools, and Olomana School.

“The art of our Windward students serve as a positive reminder of why the work we do on behalf of the people of Hawaii is so important,” stated Tokuda, D-District 24 (Kailua-Kaneohe). “Our teachers and schools are to be commended for their commitment to educating the whole child and ensuring arts are part of our Windward curriculum.”

Since STAR began in 2007, it has displayed the artwork of more than 1,650 students, from both public and private schools. April’s exhibit will feature King Intermediate and Kailua High schools. Hours are 6 a.m.-6:30 p.m weekdays, and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. For details, call 587-7215.

Waimanalo’s Sea Life Park and its new general manager, Valerie King (holding the certificate), were honored recently by the City Council for offering residents and visitors a half-century of entertainment, education and marine conservation. Present at the Jan. 28 ceremony were (from left) Councilmembers Joey Manahan, Trevor Ozawa, Ann Kobayashi, Carol Fukunaga, Ron Menor, Brandon Elefante and Kymberly Pine. Photo from Ron Menor’s office.

Honolulu City Council recently recognized Sea Life Park for its 50th anniversary and also its new general manager, Valerie King.

“During its five decades in Hawaii, Sea Life Park has helped kama‘aina and visitors alike learn more about sea life in a hands-on way and remains as Hawaii’s premier marine conservation organization,” stated City Councilman Ron Menor.

The park, which opened in 1964, attracts about 350,000 visitors each year for its dolphin, penguin, sea turtle, sea lion and wholphin exhibits and shows.

The park also manages a Seabird Rehabilitation Center that cares for injured seabirds, and a Green Sea Turtle Breeding Program that annually sends 800 baby turtles into the wild.

King began work at Sea Life Park last year, after more than 25 years in Hawaii’s visitor industry, including stints at Kualoa Ranch and Atlantis Attractions.

For more information on park activities, visit sealifeparkhawaii.com.

Windward Community College will mark Women’s History Month this week with two film screenings and two speakers.

Tuesday’s agenda (March 17) features a screening of The Codes of Gender: Identity and Performance in Popular Culture at 10 a.m., followed by a presentation on the transgender experience at 11:30 by Kaleo Tevaitea Tanoa Ramos, an activist in LGBTQIA causes (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex and asexual).

Thursday will be a discussion with Brooke Conway on sexual violence, resources, statistics and prevention at 10 a.m., and the film Tough Guise 2: Violence, Manhood and American Culture at 11:30 a.m.

The Codes of Gender examines Irving Goffman’s theory that depictions of the male and female body in advertising reinforces normative ideas about gender, while Tough Guise 2 looks at the violent and sexist messages sent to young men and boys from every aspect of pop culture.

Ramos has worked with such organizations as Life Foundation, Pride at Work Hawaii, GSA Hawaii and more, and Conway is manager for education and community outreach at Kapiolani Medical Center’s Sex Abuse Treatment Center.

All events take place in Hale Kuhina 115 and are free to attend. For more information, contact coordinator Kathleen French at 236-9223 or email her at kfrench@hawaii.edu.

Hawaii Pacific University’s production of ‘You Can’t Take It With You’ opens April 3 on the Hawaii Loa campus. The cast includes (front, from left) Jan McGrath, Peter Clark, Melinda Maltby, (back) Allan Okubo, Stacey Johnson, Becky Maltby and Mary Ann Shirley-Gray. Photo by Malia Leinau.

For her 50th — and final — production at Hawaii Pacific University’s Paul and Vi Loo Theatre, professor of theatre Joyce Maltby is following in Broadway’s steps by producing You Can’t Take It With You, a 1930s play that recently wrapped a Broadway revival run.

You Can’t Take It With You is a three-act comedic play about an eccentric New York City family. When one daughter becomes engaged to a business executive from a rich family, she worries about how her new fiance and his parents will deal with her family’s baggage, which includes tax evasion, fireworks-building and snake wrangling. Written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama in 1937 and has since been adapted to film and various stage productions.

“(Maltby) wanted to leave with a comedy that is bound to make audiences happy, and this zany family will definitely leave them laughing,” explained the theatre’s publicity and box office coordinator Terry Olival. “(The play) has a message that is as relevant today as when it was first produced back in the 1930s.”

HPU’s production also includes a number of Windward residents, including Virginia Jones, Liz Stone, Patrick Torres, Tristan Williams, Ian Weiner, S. Rick Crump and Maltby herself.

You Can’t Take It With You runs April 3-26 at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. Tickets cost $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors, military, students and HPU faculty/staff, and $5 for HPU students.

For more information and for reservations, call 375-1282 or visit hpu.edu/theatre.

Should the Kalani-Kailua baseball matchup at 3 p.m. today (March 18) at Kahala Field turn out to be a low-scoring affair, it will be just fine with Falcon head coach Shannon Hirai.

Like everyone else in the prep baseball community, Hirai’s been keeping tabs on Kailua’s offensive exploits two weeks into the OIA East season.

“They (Kailua) must really be hitting the ball, and they usually put up big numbers anyway,” said Hirai. “They keep coming at you, offensively, and put a lot of pressure on you. They run well, so if you put them on base, they’ll steal bases. And they’re always pretty good hitters. If it’s a low-scoring game, I think it would give our kids more confidence.”

The outcome of the game won’t make or break either team’s season, but the winner will be better situated, as both are in the midst of challenging stretches in their schedules.

For the Surfriders, this Kalani road date is the first of a four-game stretch, when they also face league-leader Moanalua (away March 21), Castle (at home March 25) and Kaiser (at home March 28).

Kailua was impressive in its first two outings in week one, defeating Kaiser on the road 17-10, and then beating Roosevelt 12-2 in its home opener. After that win, the Surfriders had a full week off before returning to action over the weekend against Kaimuki. Kailua’s offensive output has been off the charts so far in 2015, having collected 18 hits against Kaiser alone. Junior Dalton Kalama has been leading the charge from his clean-up spot, having batted .625 with three RBI and a home run in his first two games.

Lead-off hitter Matt Hanohano also has been stellar to date, driving in six runs in the rout of Kaiser, a game in which Kailua tallied at least one run in all but one inning.

For Kalani’s part, this Kailua game will be its second in as many days, as it was to battle the rival Cougars Tuesday. The Falcons beat Castle 3-2 in an epic opening-day battle March 4, then endured a 10-day layoff before facing Roosevelt last weekend. Kalani was to play Kaiser last Wednesday, but the game had to be postponed because of the sprinkler system flooding Kahala Field. That left Kalani with three games in five days.

“I’m not sure if it helped us or not,” Hirai said of the extra time off. “We’d been struggling, but we put a pretty good game together against Castle and we are hoping it can continue. This week will be exciting.”

Hirai was expecting to start ace Reece Kakugawa on the mound against Roosevelt, and Matt Beall was to get the call versus Kaiser Tuesday. He was unsure who Kailua would face today, but it will likely be Duke Fujii, Micah Kawano or Brandon Gatewood. “We’re not quite sure who will start — we’ll have to look at all three.”

Kailua won both games with Kalani last season, defeating the Falcons 2-0 on the road and 11-6 at home.

jackster.1969@yahoo.com

There’s an incentive to sign up for Ka‘a‘awa Elementary School’s sixth annual 5K Family Fun Run/Walk by Friday: a free T-shirt.

Race day is April 25 from 8 to 10 a.m. at Kualoa Ranch via Ka‘a‘awa Valley Road, with check-in starting at 7. Adults and students who register by March 20 pay $20 and $10, and receive a Ka‘a‘awa 5K Fun Run T-shirt. After that date, the fee increases by $5 — and you don’t get a shirt.

Leashed pets and strollers are welcome, and snacks and refreshments will be available for purchase. All participants will receive a free bottle of water.

The fundraiser benefits activities at the elementary school, like craft nights, story nights and family luncheons; and promotes student growth and community bonding.

To register online, visit active.com. Applications also can be downloaded from kaaawa.k12.hi.us, and turned in to the school office between 2 and 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, or 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays. They also can be mailed with payment to the school, c/o Alakai Manu, 51-296 Kamehameha Hwy., Ka‘a‘awa, HI 96730.

For more information, call 237-7757.

After a stellar junior year, much was expected of Naia Graham as he and the Surfriders entered the 2014-15 prep soccer season.

Despite missing the first four games, Graham delivered big once again for Kailua, scoring a state-leading 28 goals in 11 appearances. He scored in all 11 games he played, while tallying five goals each on three separate occasions (versus McKinley, Farrington and Kaimuki).

Graham was recently named an OIA East First Team All-Star. (All-stars are chosen in a vote of league coaches at season’s end.) He also was East’s Co-Player of the Year (shared with Kaiser High’s Christian Longnecker) in 2013-14 after scoring 13 goals.

Kailua finished 9-6 overall last year and captured the OIA White title, shutting out Waialua (1-0) and Waipahu (6-0), respectively. A pair of heartbreaking losses on penalty kicks to both Honokaa and Seabury Hall ended Kailua’s bid for a state title at the Division II soccer championships.

Kailua teammate Dustin Imanaka also was named to the First Team as a defender. Colin Kubota, Trevor Tam and Ripley Quebral earned Honorable Mentions.

In Division I, Kahuku had a pair of First Team All-Stars in Gabriel Pinheirol-Alves and Peter Hyatt. Senior attacker Pinheirol-Alves scored a team-high 14 goals for Kahuku. Hyatt is a senior midfielder.

Kahuku finished 11-5 overall and took fifth in the OIA Red post-season tournament. The team went on to the DI soccer championships and reached the quarterfinals with a first-round win over Baldwin before losing to eventual state champ Mililani.

The Red Raiders also placed midfielder Mikel Sodini and defender Stokes Nihipali-Botelho on the East’s Second Team, while Jurell Kai and Braxton Medeiros received Honorable Mentions.

Jhonah Felipe was named to the First Team from Kalaheo. A senior attacker, he scored 16 goals for the Mustangs, who finished 8-5-2 overall.

The Mustangs went 7-1-2 in the season to earn the East’s No. 2 seed for the OIA Red postseason tournament. A win over Castle lifted Kalaheo into the semifinals, where it dropped a heartbreaker to eventual OIA and state champ Mililani, in the second overtime. Kalaheo finished fourth in the OIA after a loss to Kapolei. The Mustangs moved on to the DI state championships the following week, but losses to Punahou and Moanalua ended their season.

Mustang goalie Jack Bell was picked for the Second Team, while teammates Tommy Capllonch, Thomas Focht, Jaimes Geren, Jonathan LeVine, Kai Morgan and Triston Thulin received Honorable Mentions.

DJ Chinen made the Second Team from Castle. A senior attacker, he scored 11 goals for the Knights, who finished 5-8 overall. Earning Honorable Mention were Devin Gaspar, JP Linhares, Micah Moon, Alex Tovar and Kai Zimmerman.

jackster.1969@yahoo.com

Send Windward items to cchang@midweek.com by March 18 to be considered for the March 25 edition, or call 529-4850.

• TRYOUTS Lanikai Mortgage Players has tryouts at 7 p.m. March 16 at Lanikai Community Center for Filthy Riches, or, You Cad, Your Three Minutes Are Up. The show will run May 15-17 and 22-24. Call James Duca at 263-0965.

• CHEMISTRY Molecular biology professor Peter Hoffman discusses “Selenium as a Regulator of the Immune System” at 1 p.m. March 16 at WCC’s Hale ‘Imiloa 111 in the college’s Chemistry Forum series. Call 236-9210.

• NATURE HOUR Ho-‘omaluhia Botanical Garden hosts its preschool Nature Hour at 10:30 a.m. March 17 on “The Sun.” Bring walking shoes, bug spray, rain gear, a snack and a parent. Call 233-7323.

• OLDIES The Grumpy Old Men sing oldies-but-goodies at 7 p.m. March 17 at Pohai Nani auditorium. Call 234-6639.

• FILM NIGHT Kahuku Library screens The Lego Movie at 5:30 p.m. March 17. (The Lego Club meets at 2 p.m. March 16.) Call 293-8935.

• BLOOD DRIVES Hawaii Blood Bank has donor drives from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 17-18 at WCC’s Hale Akoakoa rooms, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 19 at Castle hospital, 4:15-7 p.m. March 19 at Kailua Town Center loading bay, 7 a.m.-noon March 21 at Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center, and 7 a.m.-1:15 p.m. March 22 at Kailua Town Center parking garage. Call 848-4770.

• BARIATRICS Dr. Steven Fowler and the bariatric surgery team at Castle Medical Center hosts a weight-loss surgery seminar at 6:30 p.m. March 18 in the Wellness Auditorium. Register at 263-5400.

• MATH FUN Kahuku Library hosts “Bedtime Math” with games and crafts from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 18. Call 293-8935.

• CAREGIVERS Ohana Caretakers support group meets at 9 a.m. March 18 at Queen Liliu‘okalani Children’s Center on Haiku Road. Call 234-2207.

• PRENATAL Waimanalo Health Center has free ongoing classes in prenatal education at 2:30 p.m. March 19 and (and every first and third Thursday). Call 259-7948 to register.

• FARM TRAINING GoFarm Hawaii has a training session from 5:30 to 8 p.m. March 19 in Hale Akoakoa 105 at Windward CC for those interested in sustainable and organic farming. RSVP to windward@gofarmhawaii.org.

• TAX HELP Trained AARP volunteers help lowand moderate-income residents with their tax filings from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 19, first come, first served, at Kahuku Library. Call 293-8935.

• NEIGHBORS Kaneohe Neighborhood Board meets at 7 p.m. March 19 at Ben Parker Elementary cafeteria. On the agenda are Hawaiian Memorial Park expansion, a Kawa Street transit center, Kahekili traffic, Pahia Road safety measures and more. Visit the board’s blog at kaneoheneighborhood-board.blogspot.com.

• UKULELE MUSIC Ka‘imi Hanano‘eau plays at 7 p.m. March 19 (open mic night) at Surfer, the Bar at Turtle Bay Resort. Call 293-6000.

• HAIKU MUSIC Harry Koizumi entertains from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. March 20 at Haleiwa Joe’s on Haiku Road. Call 247-6671.

• KAILUA MUSIC The Saloon Pilots play bluegrass from 8 to 10:30 p.m. March 20 at Big City Diner Kailua. Call 263-8880.

• ORCHIDS Windward Orchid Society hosts its orchid show and plant sale from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 20-21, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 22 at King Intermediate gym, with daily classes, club displays and booth sales. Admission is free but donations are welcome. Visit windwardorchidsociety.org.

• HOOPS CLINICS Kailua Community Basketball League has its Spring Skills Clinic for those born between 1998 and 2008 (high school seniors as of September 2015 also are OK) from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. March 21 and 28, and April 4 and 11 at Enchanted Lake Playground. Players also can sign up for the 2015 season: Bring medical insurance card and birth certificate. Call 216-8103.

• WRITING HPU sponsors its 19th annual Ko‘olau Writers Workshop from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 21 at its Hawaii Loa campus with sessions on poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and script writing. Keynote speaker is Lois-Ann Yamanaka. Fee is $50 or $20 (by March 17) at koolauwritersworkshop.com.

• STARGAZING Hokulani Imaginarium presents “Perfect Little Planet” at 2 p.m. and “Kaluokahina: The Enchanted Reef” at 3 p.m. March 21 at Windward CC. Admission is $7, $6 and $5. Call 235-7433.

• THE BEAST 10K Marine Corps Community Services has it first 10K race in the Commanding Officers Semper Fit Series at 7 a.m. March 21 at Kaneohe Marine base for military and civilians. Fee is $30 for individuals and $140 for 10-person teams, with late fees after March 13. A 1-mile family fun run follows. Visit mccshawaii.com/races or call 254-7590.

• SCOUT DERBY St. Ann’s Cub Scout Pack 113 stages its Pinewood Derby and Recruitment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 21 at Windward Mall center court. Call 235-1143.

• RUMMAGEWindward YMCA has a benefit rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 21 at 1200 Kailua Road with bargains, musubi, hot dogs and drinks. Donations also are welcome. Call 261-0808.

• HALAU BENEFIT Kuhai Halau o ‘Ohelo-‘ulaokalani Pa ‘Olapa Kahiko has a fundraising garage sale from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 21 and 22 at 45-349 Namoku St. Call 497-4726.

• GONGS Barbara Cole leads Gong Meditation at 6:30 p.m. March 22 at Windward Unity Church, 46-005 Kawa St. #303. Call 262-6731.

• HANAUMA TALK Hanauma Bay Education Program offers a free lecture at 3 p.m. March 22 in the park theater on “Big Winged Migrators: Humpback Whales in the North Pacific” with Siri Hakala of NOAA. Parking costs $1. Call 397-5840.

• HAIKU VALLEY Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club leads a cultural service workday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 22. To join, call 235-8111 or email legendsofkoolau@aol.com.

• HARMONY Sounds of Aloha performs at noon March 22 at Windward Mall center court, offering barbershop-style harmonizing. Call 235-1143.

• VARIETY SHOW Pohai Nani residents perform a free variety show for the public at 7 p.m. March 24 at Pohai Nani auditorium. Call 234-6639.

• DIGITAL Kahuku Library hosts a presentation by Robert Stauffer of Alu Like on Hawaiian digital resources, featuring Ulukai and Wehewehe (an electronic library and dictionary) at 3 and 6 p.m. March 24. Call 293-8935.

• PIZZA BENEFIT The 24-VII Heartbeat dance group conducts a fundraiser at all Oahu Pizza Huts March 24. To get the required flier for your purchase, call 554-1410.

• COACHES CLINIC Castle Medical Center offers a “coaches clinic” for prospective labor coaches at 6 p.m. March 24. Fee is $15. Call 263-5400.

• FOOTGOLF Bay View Golf Course plans an introductory FootGolf tourney at 10 a.m. March 26 with lunch and prizes. Call Larry Dunn at 247-0451.

• TSUNAMIS Kailua Neighborhood Board’s Disaster Preparedness subcommittee hosts a town hall meeting on tsunamis at 6:30 p.m. March 25 at Kailua District Park. Call 783-5396.

• POTATOES Eileen Towata presents “Potato Possibilities” at 6 p.m. March 26, sharing tips on all preparations and varieties of potatoes. Fee is $10 in advance. Call 263-5400 or visit castlemed.org.

• KUHIO DAY Ka Ho‘oilina na Kuhio Community Center marks the birthday of Prince Kuhio with a concert by Royal Hawaiian Band at 11 a.m. March 26 at 41-253 Ilauhole St. For details, visit waimanalo.org.

• PIANO RECITAL Ernest Chang’s piano students play a free public recital at 7 p.m. March 27 at Pohai Nani auditorium. Call 234-6639.

• THOMPSON SHOW Acclaimed songwriter and guitarist Richard Thompson performs at 8 p.m. March 28 in Surfer, the Bar at Turtle Bay Resort. Tickets cost $45 at Surf ‘n’ Sea or at brownpapertickets.com.

• KA‘A‘AWA HIKE Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club leads an 8-mile intermediate circuit hike at 8 a.m. March 28 in Ka‘a‘awa-Hakipuu. To sign up, visit htmclub.org.

Maria Denzer plays Alice in Diamond In The Rough’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ musical, set for March 27-29 on the Paliku Theatre stage. Photo from DITR.

Diamond in the Rough Productions will present Alice in Wonderland March 27-29 at Paliku Theatre, featuring nearly 50 youths islandwide, including Skylar Santana of Kaneohe.

It was easy to choose Santana at the tryouts, according to director Kristi Kashimoto-Rowbottom. “Skylar is only 7 years old, yet was outstanding in her audition, so was NOT cast in the ‘baby’ ensemble,” she said. “She is playing a variety of roles, including a featured dancer, and is keeping up with the teens and adults around her!”

Kashimoto-Rowbottom, who also operates Applause! Performance Academy in Wahiawa, promises that the play will deliver “a pseudo-steampunk version of Wonderland, and fun for the whole family.” The curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m. March 27, 2 and 7:30 p.m. March 28 and 2 p.m. March 29.

The classic musical also offers a special performance for school groups March 27, if there is enough interest. For details, email ditrdirector@yahoo.com.

Tickets cost $19 and $10 and can be ordered at showtix4u.com or by calling 1-866-967-8167. A VIP post-show meet-and-greet package also is available.

Justin Ito of Estate Planning Group Hawaii.

Death is never an easy thing to prepare for, but knowing what you’ll need to do to provide for your loved ones can make it a little easier. Emmanuel Church will help in that process by hosting an Estate Planning Basics seminar from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Estate Planning Group’s Justin Ito will discuss the process and the importance of having a will or trust, focusing on protecting family assets, the differences between wills and trusts, what power of attorney means, and more.

The free event will also include a Q&A session and a “talk story” coffee hour after the presentation.

The church is located at 780 Keolu Drive.

For more information, call 262-4548 or visit emmanuelkailua.com.

Bookworms will have to wriggle elsewhere for awhile, as the Friends of Kaneohe Library bookstore closed March 6 for renovations “until further notice.”

According to Diane Santiago of the Friends, the library’s busy basement shop will undergo painting, sealing of the floor, installation of Plexiglas, sanding and painting of metal bookcases, replacement of termite-eaten bookcases, plus inventory, restocking shelves and overall cleaning.

She also asks that donors wait until the work is completed to bring in more materials.

The Friends are now in their 51st year of supporting library programs, furnishings and reading materials.

The Friends of Kailua Library bookstore, meanwhile, is open from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 1-7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Call 392-1824.

Comments are due by today (March 25) on a minor conditional-use permit to allow an international school campus on 18.5 acres of ag-zoned land in Hau‘ula.

Asia Pacific Educational Foundation, with a physical address in Anaheim, Calif., reportedly bought the AG-2 parcel last July to develop an elementary, middle and high school. The land fronts 54-230 Kamehameha Hwy. between Ikea Loop and Imua Place, and extends mauka.

The city Department of Planning and Permitting requests written comments; a hearing has yet to be determined. The application from APEF (and local agent Tom Schnell of PBR Hawaii) describes classrooms, dormitories, offices, dean’s and caretaker homes, teacher studios, a gym, pool, produce gardens and nurseries, off-street parking and support infrastructure.

Contact planner Joette Yago at 768-8034 or jyago@honolulu.gov, and refer to File No. 2015/CUP-6.

The APEF mission is to promote international education in the region via intensive ESL training, Christian mission work, student exchanges and more.

Lanikai golden retriever Buddy meets up with Kailua’s Sue Chipperton (dog trainer to the entertainment industry), who recently appeared on the ‘Olelo ‘Dogs Are Healers’ show, co-produced by Liz Rizzo and Genie Joseph. Buddy now is a nominee for the American Dog Hero Award, and voting deadline is May 15. Photo from Liz Rizzo.

Everybuddy loves some-buddy. And that’s what Liz Rizzo hopes to prove to the online dog world as her golden retriever, Buddy, earns votes for the title of 2015 American Hero Dog.

The Lanikai pet is on the short list of 169 nominees in eight categories for American Humane Society’s 2015 award, which recognizes deeds by “heroic hounds who have gone above and beyond to protect and love their country, their handlers and their owners.” Buddy is nominated as a Therapy Dog.

“Pretty cool, huh?” said Rizzo, noting that Buddy’s been serving humans for 10 years — as a therapy dog for Pet Partners (Delta Society), St. Francis Hospice, Wounded Warriors Regiment at Kaneohe Marine base, Shelter of Wisdom Men’s homeless shelter of Honolulu, and Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua. He’s touched lives at Camp Erdman and has rung bells for Salvation Army.

Rizzo said the gentle, 100-pound canine helped her get around campus after surgery so she could complete her graduate degree, and also got a pat on the head from President Obama on the Mid Pacific golf course near Buddy’s home.

Fans may have seen him on ‘Olelo’s The Pet Hui show, read his advice in Oceanic Time Warner’s Ask Buddy column, or logged onto his website (aroundhawaii.com/ask_buddy).

Online voting runs from March 9 to May 15 to determine 24 semifinalists. Buddy’s voting page is herodogawards.org/hda2015vote-buddy-rizzo. U.S. residents age 18 and older may vote for one dog per category per day.

At stake for each category winner is $2,500 for a designated charity partner, plus a trip to Los Angeles in September for the gala awards ceremony to name the top dog hero, an event to be aired on the Hallmark channel.

Samuel Perez Hults

Kailua’s Samuel Perez Hults took second place in Master of the Ocean, an international watersports battle held Feb. 22-28 in the Dominican Republic, his native land. First place went to Maui pro athlete Zane Schweitzer. The competition combined kite-boarding, windsurfing, surfing and SUP to find the top overall wave rider. Samuel, 28, owns Sammy’s Aloha Watersports in Kailua …

Five Windward teens are among 23 finalists in the 2015 Kaha Ki‘i Congressional Art Competition. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will announce the winners Saturday, but readers also can have a say in Gabbard’s People’s Choice awards by March 26 on her Facebook page. Artistic students include Shion Goldstein, Lili Maero and Triana Tran of Le Jardin Academy; and Shelby Mendes and RJ Sigel of Castle High …

More art: Three Kahuku High students have their works on view through April 10 at Hawaii State Art Museum, as winners in the 2015 Hawaii Regional Scholastic Art Awards program. Sadie Morelock earned a Gold Key for her painting “Bargaining.” Benjamin Earl (design, “Red Raider Nation”) and India Pyzel (design, “Benoa ’bout It”) earned Silver Keys … Kaneohe improv artist Kimee Balmilero, a Castle Performing Arts Center and Broadway veteran who starred in an Emmy-nominated TV show, is putting on Hawaii’s first Sketch Comedy Festival, with Saturday Night Live as “a huge inspiration.” Kimee assembled talent from L.A., NYC and right here for sketches and films March 28-29 at Doris Duke Theatre (kimee@bizgym.org) …

Friends and kin of Waimanalo cultural practitioner and healer kumu Alva James Andrews will celebrate his life from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 3 at Ka Ho‘oilina na Kuhio Community Center 41-253 ‘Ilauhole St. (paolahawaii@gmail.com). “To have met Uncle Alva was to be loved and changed by his presence,” writes Kate Brenton …

Harry and Florence (Iida) Fanning plan to add more families to a revision of Florence’s Partial History of the Japanese in Kaneohe book (2007). They seek area families circa 1898-1959. Call 254-1221 to share your story, or write to them at 44-208 Malae Place, Kaneohe, HI 96744 … Dr. Wally Johnson updates his kolea studies at 7 p.m. Friday at Hale Akoakoa at WCC &&& cchang@midweek.com

“Healthy” is the theme of the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association conference, set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at KEY Project in Kahaluu.

The public is invited to sign up and purchase tickets for the annual event, which promises a full schedule of farming, workshops and panel discussions on “Healthy Soil, Healthy Communities and Healthy Ahupua‘a.” State Sen. Gil Riviere, D-District 23 (He‘eia to Waialua) will deliver the keynote address.

Topics will cover little fire ants, coffee borers and other industry pests and challenges, as well. Lunch will be catered by Down to Earth. Vendors and trade tables are planned, along with plenty of networking and talk story.

It’s a bring-your-own gloves and tools affair, with hands-on lessons in soil preparation, organic amendments and soil biology. Fee is $25 for the public, $12 for HOFA members, and some scholarships are available. For details and to register, visit d2e.co/hofafarmday.

Kualoa-He‘eia Ecumenical Youth (KEY) Project is located at 47-200 Waihee Road.