Friday, July 4th – from HPR2, it’s The Conversation
Kailua Fireworks Tradition: Jody Sakaba
Maybe your idea of Independence Day is rooted in memories of community picnics, family gatherings, and an inky night sky lit up by fireworks. Much of the magic of the 4th of July is often associated with that last part….and maybe you’ve been among a crowd on a beach with upturned faces watching in wonder. For 50 years, the Kailua Chamber of Commerce supported that tradition on its beach ...Then in 2005, it focused solely on the parade leaving the fireworks display to a hui of businesses and individuals....until 2012 when no funds could be found and the sky was dark. And that sent 8 people into action to make sure it never happened again. Lifelong Kailua resident Jody Sakaba was one of them. I asked her if it was her childhood 4th of July memories that sparked her interest.
Intro Music: This Land Is Your Land by Sharon Jones and the Daptones
Outro Music: Fourth of July by Zoo Brother
Kauai Society of Artists: Rose Ann Davis
Visual artists face a challenge; their best work usually demands isolation, in close communion with the canvas and the easel, but contact with the outside world is essential – not just to keep the inspiration flowing, but to make sure the work reaches the public. More and more, artists are banding together in associations that provide them with the best of both worlds. Rose Ann Davis is a longtime member of the Kauai Society of Artists, now in its fourth decade, and she took us through the organization’s history in a recent conversation.
Intro Music: Nani Kauai by Nani Pahinui
Outro Music: Kauai by The Harmony Group
Private Doc’s Perspective on VA Healthcare: Dr. Kathy Kozak
We’ve heard months of the national conversation about issues with the Veterans Administration..and the subterfuge that came to light about Hawaii’s VA. Secret lists, long wait times for many veterans to get an appointment, and unrealistic goals to have them seen ....all have a private Hawaii doctor looking for practical solutions. Usually you hear Kathleen Kozak weighing in on The Body Show. What you may not know is that about 10% of her patients are veterans...She experiences some of the same frustrations they do... and she says that contrary to the VA’s position, her VA patients have a lot in common with the majority of the other folks she sees.
Intro Music: My Country Tis Of Thee by Fourth of July
Outro Music: Dictaphone's Lament by Tycho
Writing the Memoir: Darien Gee
Every life story is worth telling, but so many go untold, and some wonderful opportunities are lost as a result, both for readers and for the author. Darien Gee is a writer who wants to see those stories preserved, and has given some thought to the reasons those life stories don’t get written. Her how-to book is focused directly at local would-be authors; it’s called Writing the Hawai‘i Memoir, and we talked with her about it just the other day.
Intro Music: Memoir by Charlotte Gainsbourg
Outro Music: The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand
