The Rotary Club of Hilo Bay: Meeting Notes – August 26, 2026
Call to Order
President Jan Haraguichi-Abundo called the hybrid meeting to order at 7:00. Nineteen of the fifty four members of the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay were in attendance.
Opening Activities
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Tim Hansen and Kevin Readon shared an inspirational message: People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. The biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest minds. Think big anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway. The Paradoxical Commandments
Trivia, Joke, Japanese and Spanish Word of the Day, Guests
- Alan Okinaka asked the questions where did we come from and what are we made of? The Big Bang created all matter and energy in the universe including us. We consist of energy and matter from the Big Bang. Before that, there was nothing!
- Why is a toilet called a John. I changed my toilet to Jim because it sounds better when I say I went to the Jim twice today.
- Where is the bathroom in Japanese? Toire wa doko desu ka?
- No Spanish lesson today.
- Guests, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Inductions, Special Recognition
- Birthdays: Allen Novak, Misaki Saito Kim Keahiolalo,
- Anniversaries: JoB Balberde-Kamalii
- Inductions: Mike Carroll
- Guests: Guests: Wendy Bothelo, Martha Rotilla, Jeff Gray and Carl of Madison WI.
Club Announcements & Community Service Opportunities
President Jan made the following announcements.
- HRYF, Richard Cunningham is attending the 50th Anniversary celebration of HRYF on Sept. 10th in Honolulu. Tickets are $150 . Please attend if you can.
- Virginia Juettner announced that the literacy projects were starting today with reading a louds and Birthday Books.
- Oktoberfest, 2026 planning is ongoing. Doors will open for sponsors at 4:30 pm and general admission will be at 5:30 pm. The website is active and taking reservations. You can access it from https://hilooktoberfest.com/. A committee was formed to run the Silent Auction. See Steven Sylvester or James Tyrel for more information. How many days is it to October 3 and Oktoberfest?
- Food Basket is looking for volunteers to pack Kapuna Boxes. See Janell for more information.
- District 5000 Conference is history, and history was made by the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay. Tim Hansen reported that we ranked #2 in per capita giving to HRYF; were the First Runner Up in Youth Services for Large Clubs; received the D 5000 District Governor Citation and the RI Club Excellence Award. The St. Joseph’s Interact Club was also recognized for the hygiene kits they assembled for Vets.
- Walk to End Alzheimer’s is Sept. 19th. We will have an information table at the event.
- We are still looking for a Sargeant at Arms. See Dale before he sees you.
- The Walk to end Alzheimer’s is Sept. 19th. We will have an information table at the event.
- Jan. 29 is being considered for a multi club Membership Drive and Casino event.
Happy Dollars 
from August 12th meeting. We ran out of time for Happy Dollars at the 8/26/26 meeting and will do them at next week’s meeting.
$10 - Kumiko Usuda - I'm happy to be a member of this club. Mahalo to Jan for giving me a chance to present Spanish words.
Mahalo to Robert Juettner for introducing Tanabata Block Party in the RCHB newsletter!
$10 - Alan Okinaka - Great visit to Pacific Northwest - Washington State. We made a dent on fruit supply, (berries.)
$10 - Tim Hansen & Kevin Reardon - A recent wonderful 5-week road trip around the Northwest. Amazing Exquisite Creatures Museum in Seattle.
$5 - Kim Keahiolalo - Got to hang out with my 5-year old granddaughter last weekend. Now, I'm Nana.
$5 - David DeLuz, Jr. - Is happy!
$5 - Anita Cunningham - Happy for this years' new Interact Club members at St. Joe High School for '26-'27 school year!
Guest Speaker was honorary member and past president Junichi Noumura from Japan via Zoom at 2 am in Tokyo. His topic was the Rotary Foundation but first he brought us up to date on his family, his work and his life in Japan after living in Hilo for 28 years. He bikes to his office on a 40 year old bike. He is not currently in a Rotary Club as the local clubs are noon clubs and is working on the 30m telescope project overseeing the manufacture of its mirrors.
Junichi walked us through the donation process to the Rotary Foundation and its distribution mechanism. He also included information on the D 5000 grant process which distributes funds back to the Rotary Clubs in the District. He explained where to find the potential global grant recipients on the D 5000 website. As always, Junichi had charts to explain and confound us with the workings of the Rotary Foundation.
Door Prize Winner: Jeff Gray—gifts from Taiwan
Final Reminders
Travel to Japan to visit our sister club will take place in May, 23 2027.
RI World Convention in Barcelona in June 2027.
Check your emails and the club website, www.hilobayrotary.com, for news and updates
Still looking for a Sargeant at Arms
Birthday Books at 11:30 today
Guest Speaker on Wednesday is Deb Lewis. The topic is Mentally Tough Women
Four-Way Test: Dale Tokuuke
Door Prizes and Inspirations for Aug & Sept
Bryan Lindsey Sept 2
Janell Juamoo Sept 9
Kathleen Rowden Sept 16
Hirona Sylvester Sept 23
You can’t be a door prize winner without door prizes. And buying a ticket. Patrick Bodell is looking for volunteers for door prizes and inspiration. His calendar needs additional names and commitments.
