Upcoming Events

The traveling exhibition, “Hawaii Nikkei Legacy,” is now open through Dec. 21 at the Hawaii Japanese Center in Hilo. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Admission is free.

Hamakua Baptist Church began a Celebrate Recovery group, a Christ-centered, 12-step program for people struggling with drugs, alcohol and other “hurts, habits and hang-ups.”

The group meets at 6 p.m. Sunday evenings at the church located at 35-244 Kihalani Homestead Road in Laupahoehoe.

Celebrate Recovery differs from Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs in that it is not limited to one specific problem such as drinking or drugs. Anyone in the grip of a problem habit is welcome.

Like Alcoholics Anonymous or other programs, Celebrate Recovery is absolutely committed to confidentiality and respect for the privacy of its members. The program is Christ-centered but nondenominational. It presents no theological viewpoint except that Jesus Christ is the source of salvation and that His grace is the higher power that will lead the addicted to recovery.

Celebrate Recovery asks only that participants respect the church’s beliefs as facilitators respect theirs.

Since its founding in California in 1991, Celebrate Recovery groups have been started in 35,000 churches around the world and have helped hundreds of thousands of people on the journey to recovery. There is currently another Celebrate Recovery group operating at New Hope Church in Hilo. The Laupahoehoe group is the first program on the Hamakua Coast.

Celebrate Recovery welcomes people at any stage of recovery, including those just staring on the path and people who are well along on the road to recovery.

If someone wants to talk in confidence about their problems or wants to join Celebrate Recovery, call Ray at 217-7425.

Jane Lasswell Hoff, author of “Trees of Banyan Drive,” will give a presentation about the 50 historic banyan trees planted along the shoreline of Hilo Bay beginning in the 1930s.

The trees were named after each famous person who planted them, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Louis Armstrong, Babe Ruth and Amelia Earhart, as well as several local leaders.

The public is invited to this free event at 10 a.m. Thursday (Dec. 13) at Reeds Bay Hotel on Banyan Drive in Hilo. Books will be available for sale and signing.

The talk is sponsored by the East Hawaii Outdoor Circle, an environmental nonprofit organization and a branch of the state-wide Outdoor Circle started on Oahu in 1912. One of several projects EHOC is involved in is protecting these iconic banyan trees, thus following the original mission statement of Outdoor Circle to “Keep Hawaii clean, green and beautiful.”

Volcano Art Center’s 2018 Hula Arts at Kilauea performance series concludes Saturday (Dec. 15) with a presentation by Halau Unuokeahi under the direction of kumu hula Kapua Ka‘au‘a. The performance begins at 10:30 a.m. at the kahua hula (platform) near the VAC Gallery in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

On the winter solstice 2016, Halau Unuokeahi opened its doors under the tutelage of Ka‘au‘a, affectionately known as “Kumu ‘Au‘a.” Ka‘au‘a underwent the ‘uniki rites in December 2014, led by her kumu, Taupouri Tangaro of Unukupukupu. The Unuokeahi traditions stem from her kumu and his kumu’s from the Kanaka‘ole hula ‘aiha‘a traditions in Hilo.

Halau Unuokeahi is made up of culturally sustainable members from various communities. Students who arrived at the halau come to learn traditional and cultural leadership through mo‘olelo, ritual and environmental sustainability. Many of the students reached or are reaching higher academic degrees, an essential piece for the journey of the halau.

Saturday’s performance is part of the year-round Hula Arts series sponsored by Volcano Art Center.

As part of the series, hula halau from throughout Hawaii are invited to perform in the one-of-a-kind outdoor setting in the national park. Performances are presented authentically, rain or shine, without electronic amplification.

Audience members are encouraged to bring sun/rain gear and sitting mats.

Hosted in conjunction with the Hula Kahiko performance, join cultural practitioner Loke Kamanu and ohana from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the VAC Gallery lanai as they share “Na Mea Hula” (“All Things Hula”). Learn a hula, use various hula implements or try your hand at lei making.

These events are free, but park entrance fees might apply.

For more information, visit www.volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

Two University of Hawaii at Hilo students received the UH-Hilo Semester at Sea scholarship to participate in the spring 2019 voyage.

Kiera Javillonar, a chemistry major, graduated from Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus. Sophia Smith is a biology major and Chancellor’s Scholar, who graduated from Hawaii Academy of Arts and Science School in Keaau.

The scholarship covers 60 percent of the lowest cabin cost for each recipient. The program embarks Jan. 5, 2019, from San Diego and disembarks April 21 in Amsterdam. Students will traverse to 11 different countries and four different continents (Europe, Africa, Asia and North America).

The Semester at Sea scholarship is available to full-time and classified UH-Hilo students who meet the following criteria:

• Acceptance to Semester at Sea Program.

• 3.0 UH-Hilo GPA.

• 24 completed college credits.

• Financial need.

• Excellent recommendation.

• Preference to first-generation college students.

To learn more about study abroad opportunities, contact the Center for Global Education and Exchange at 932-7488 or visit www.hilo.hawaii.edu/studyabroad.