Bell Ringer Also Offers The Gift Of Song
Dear Pamela,
People shopping at Aiea Shopping Center got a special treat this year when going near Times Supermarket. The bell ringer for the Salvation Army sang to us. He had a nice voice and seemed happy as he brightened our day. One afternoon as I was leaving the parking lot, another man with an ukulele joined him.
I don’t know who the bell ringer was, but it was so nice to hear his good voice wishing us happy holidays. On the Saturday before Christmas he wasn’t there. I did see him Christmas Eve and mentioned that I had missed him. He said he had gone to the UH-Manoa graduation to see his grandson receive his master’s degree.
I hope he sees this letter so he will know how much I appreciated his singing.
Betty Demarke
Halawa Heights
Dear Betty,
Your talented bell ringer is Ricky Chong, who shared his vocal gymnastics with the Salvation Army for the first time.
“Ricky was awesome!” says Becky Luke, SA’s volunteer and special projects manager. “We got great feedback, and we’re hoping Ricky will give us an encore next holiday season. The Salvation Army appreciates all the people who donate their time to make the holidays brighter for others.”
Dear Pamela,
Our family is grateful for the two beautiful ladies and their families, and a friendly man who helped me with my dog. This occurred across from Kapolei High School. While taking my dog Sasha for a run, she got caught in the wheel of my bicycle. These two ladies heard my cries for help and without hesitation, took action to release Sasha, which I’m sure saved her life.
Once Sasha was released, they took off immediately. The attentive male came just as Sasha was released and offered to take us (me, Sasha and my bike) to the vet hospital. God bless these true angels who came to our rescue in our desperate time of need!
The Logsdons
Kapolei
Dear Logsdons,
Your angels were in the right place at the right time. Hawaiian Humane Society has a few tips to avoid this kind of pilikia in the future.
“Cycling with your dog requires a great deal of sensitivity and care because the cyclist is focused on the road ahead and not the animal that may be overheated and exhausted,” says Jacque Vaughn, Hawaiian Humane Society’s community relations director.
“A dog can be so focused on trying to keep pace with speed that both people and pet may become blind to danger. It’s hard to see the warning signs of an animal’s distress if you are not on the ground with him.”
Dear Pamela,
I would like to thank the Honolulu Police Department for posting an officer to watch the cars at the head of Olomana Trail in Kailua. There had been some recent car break-ins, and the department had an officer posted there in the morning when we arrived. He also provided us with some advice to keep our car safe.
I am a Kailua resident, and had my son visiting from college and we wanted to go for a hike on Olomana trail. It was comforting to know there was a police presence.
When we completed the beautiful hike, there was a different officer posted there. I know this is not a high-volume visitor site, so it was very nice to see the commitment of the department to supporting hikers.
Dan Tousignant
Kailua
Dear Dan,
Major Ryan Borges, District 4 (Windward) commander says “We have adopted a proactive approach, deploying officers to areas that have high crime, and also educating residents. Our efforts are working to help reduce property crime.”
If you know someone who deserves some Applause, send your letters to Pamela Young, MidWeek Applause, KITV, 801 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96813. Include your name, phone number and, if possible, the phone number of your “applaudee” so we can contact him or her.
pyoung@kitv.com
