HBuzz

The Perfect Wave

Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park may soon be home to local and national board-sport competitions, says Sean Gano, the park's special events and promotions manager. In May, the park is scheduled to unveil its newest attaction, Da FlowRider, a wave ride suitable for both novices and professionals. In fact, Gano hopes to get professional surfers to do an exhibition contest when the $1-million ride opens, with the end goal of becoming the premier stop on the National water park competition circuit.

Photo Courtesy: Hawaii Water Adventures Park

"This will be a huge impact for us," General Manager Jerry Pupillo says. Da FlowRider is the centerpiece of a new business plan incorporating later summer hours and more nighttime entertainment and food and beverage options. He envisions park-goers gathering to wait in line or watch others descend on the thin sheet of water flowing over the curved, taut trampoline surface. The face of the "wave" extends about eight-feet at a 45-degree angle.

While nothing compares to an actual wave, the ride provides an alternative to crowded beaches and flat surf. Moreover, the consistency of the wave creates ideal conditions for practicing cutbacks, 360s and other tricks. Hawaiian Waters officials expect it be a hit with skaters and snowboarders, too.
- Lori Anne Tomonari

Made in Japan On March 25, Island cable subscribers said hello to Hello Kitty and a handful of Japanese television programs never before seen outside of Japan. Pacific TV USA, a locally based cable-television company, broadcasts from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night on Oceanic Time Warner Cable Channel 77. The company's programming is eclectic. Besides the Hello Kitty show, "Kitty Paradise," Pacific TV offerings include "Midnight Run," a drama about an underground business that teaches people how to run away from creditors and "Major Remodeling!" a show that chronicles the renovation and remaking of both homes and homeowners. 1999 Sanrio Co., Ltds. all rights reserved Since its shows lack English subtitles, Pacific TV's target audience is Japanese expatriates and visiting tourists. The company will be testing the market with free broadcasts until July, after which it will become a premium service on Oceanic. After they conquer Hawaii, Pacific TV officials hope to bring programming to Los Angeles and New York, before moving to Australia and Brazil, the home to the largest Japanese community outside of Japan. - David K. Choo

The GIFTof Giving

Talk about partying with a purpose. In addition to being one of the Islands' hottest themed bashes last year, The GIFT Foundation of Hawaii's second annual Halloween fund-raiser generated in excess of $60,000 for several local charities. Two checks for $30,000 each were awarded to GIFT's primary beneficiaries: Mala Ai Opio Farms, an organization supporting local farmers in Leeward Oahu, and Positive Coaching Alliance-Hawaii, which provides training and tools for healthy coaching atmospheres. GIFT also gave several thousand dollars to a handful of smaller charities, such as the group that brought Hawaii soldiers home for the holidays.

Photo Courtesy: Gift Foundation of Hawaii

The GIFT Foundation of Hawaii is modeled after a sister foundation in Boston, and its board roster reads like a who's who of young, local up-and-comers. Banker-on-the-rise Peter Ho and his wife, Michelle, The MacNaughton Group's Jeff Arce and Bert "BJ" Kobayashi of the Kobayashi Group are among the two dozen nascent leaders who formed the nonprofit organization in 2003 to encourage philanthropic giving among their young peers.

"Because we're a younger board, we're also taking a different approach with the charities we support," says board member Dawn Dunbar. "We don't give money to the big ones, like Red Cross or the Cancer Society. Instead, we tend to choose recipients that are more entrepreneurial in nature - the kinds of nonprofits that don't typically receive a lot of funding otherwise."

The GIFT Foundation will begin taking applications for 2005 award recipients in June, and all nonprofit organizations interested in applying are encouraged to visit www.thegiftfoundationofhawaii.org.
- Jacy L. Youn