Waha Nui – 1/14/15

Longtime Kaneohe activist Bettye Jo Harris will receive the NAACP Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement Saturday during the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Gala at Dole Cannery. Besides her many contributions to social justice, the former Kaneohe Neighborhood Board member, now 81, also had a hand in convincing government to build the pedestrian bridge over Likelike Highway at Anoi Road … Finish Carpenter has hired Waimanalo’s Gary Teixeira to work on completing its new projects, renovations and warranty work. For fun, he coaches youth baseball …

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Laurie Bachran

More fun: Nick Logue will direct the Cutty Sark Players in the “rousing misadventures” of Robert Burns‘ epic poem Tam o Shanter Jan. 24 during the Caledonian Society’s annual Burns Night at Oahu Country Club. Nick also directs theater classes at Windward Community College. To attend Burns Night, visit scotsinhawaii.org … The documentary Haiyan After the Storm by Kailua’s Emme Tomimbang has become a resource for many involved in helping the Philippines rebuild after the monster storm that struck in November 2013. Pope Francis plans a trip there, but only after he’s viewed a DVD of Emme’s film, now on its way to the Vatican …

Two Kaneohe women won titles in a unique inaugural pageant Dec. 20 at Pacific Beach Hotel that tested their knowledge of health care, as well as talent and modeling skills. Organizers hope to send all four winners out to promote Medicare programs and serve as examples of vitality and relevance over age and disability. Laurie Bachran (85) is Ms. Original Medicare and Fay Rawles-Schoch (70) wears the Ms. Medicare Advantage crown. Laurie also was Mrs. Hawaii 1963 and authored the Mrs. Hawaii Cookbook

Making the fall dean’s list at Arizona State University in Tempe were Kailua’s Madalyn Burr, Shannan McCready and Zachary Puetz; and Kaneohe’s Aidan Morita. On last spring’s dean’s list were Kailua’s Brandie Ballard, Shayann Orta, Monique Visocky and smart ones Shannan and Zachary. Monique also graduated last May, along with Kailua’s Natalie Tumlinson & & & cchang@midweek.com