Letters: 11-9-16

Witness aloha in action

I witnessed the spirit of aloha the other day and want to share it with your readers, a sweet little reminder of what is right with our community. I was in the drive-thru lane at McDonald’s and there was a young man in front of me in the line who ordered his food and he was paying for it at the window he asked to speak to a certain employee then gave this other young man $10 for the breakfast he had there the other day.

The employee tried to say no, don’t worry about it but the customer insisted, saying he really wanted to pay him back for his kindness. What I gathered was that he had been there a few days earlier, had ordered food and then discovered that he had forgotten his wallet and the employee paid for the guy’s breakfast himself.

There was a lot of, “You really helped me out, brah” and “don’t worry, brah, I was happy to do it” and “no, brah, I appreciate you and want to pay you back for it” between them as they went back and forth, each trying to give aloha.

As we pulled froward tot the next window, where the food is delivered, the employee leaned out of that window, too, the two young men shook hands, exchanged names, asked each other briefly about themselves and a new friendship was made.

Wow, it just made by day. Our world sometimes seems like it is full of war, hatred, crime and “me-first” mentality. This helped to remind me of the best we can be and I’m grateful to both of those young men for the gift they gave to each other and to me as I witnessed this. I hope it brings a smile to others’ faces to read about it.

Carol Blum

Kapaau

Library thankful for success

As Volunteer Coordinator for the Friends of Thelma Parker Library, I would like to send a very big mahalo to all the wonderful volunteers who sat and/or roamed many hours at our library during the recent Count Week.

You all worked together to make this a fully staffed event. Since it is held throughout the state library system, the statistics taken from this annual (and next year semi-annual) event helps decide what up to 60 percent of the libraries’ funding will be. (See your branch manager to get further details.)

And a very big special mahalo to volunteer co-directors Alice Jenkins and Chris Dunlap, who took over the arrangements after I was hospitalized for so long that week, and you made the extra telephone calls I could not make. You worked long and hard to make it the success it became.

Carol Buck

Volunteer Coordinator

Friends of Thelma Parker Library, Waimea

I read Mare Grace’s letter in the Nov. 5 edition of your news paper with stupefying amusement.

Her letter and more importantly her mind set is a perfect example of political correctness run amok.

Are you kidding me?

Is the author of this letter really suggesting that every photograph of any major news story must include people of all races and colors?

The Chicago Cubs have players who are African Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians on their team. The fact that this team came together to win the World Series for a team that hadn’t won one in 108 years is the wonderful story, not one photograph of the celebration.

Several years ago an all African American team from Chicago won the Little League World Series. There was a great photo of all of the players and their coaches celebrating their victory. There were no other races in the photo. I guess by the letter writer’s logic, this and all of the other photographs of this team should never have been published because all races were not represented.

Give me a break.

Richard Karger

Kawaihae