About Town 9-16-13

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‘Bus’ a Move’ team registration open

‘Bus’ a Move’ team registration open

Special Olympics West Hawaii will host its “Bus’ a Move” Hele On bus pull at Kona Commons Oct. 5. Teams of 10 compete in three categories: fastest pull, lowest combined weight and most enthusiastic team. Teams must register today. T-shirts will be given to all registered participants. Shirt sizes will not be guaranteed after today.

Event check-in and registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 5. Rules are explained at 9:30 and the event begins at 10 a.m.

To register a team, call area director Sandie DelaCruz at 987-5057 or event director Denise Lindsey at 345-0433.

Contact Special Olympics West Hawaii to volunteer at the event.

Fruit festivals
planned for 2014

Dates have been set for two annual festivals celebrating island-grown agricultural commodities.

The eighth Hawaii Avocado Festival is slated April 5, 2014, while the sixth Mango Festival is planned for July 26. Both events will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay.

Event festivities include educational displays; recipe contests; arts, crafts and food booths; healing arts; and entertainment. Recipe and vendor entry forms are posted one month prior to each event at avocadofestival.org and mangofest.org. For more information, Randyl Rupar at 936-5233.

Both festivals are sponsored by Sanctuary of Mana Kea Gardens, Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers, West Hawaii and Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay.

Maunakea Skies
slated Friday

Glen Petitpas from Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Submillimeter Array will present “The Hot and Cold Universe” at the Maunakea Skies program at 7 p.m. Friday at Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo.

Temperatures in the universe range from near absolute zero to hundreds of billions of degrees. Petitpas will describe the exotic objects that cover a wide range of temperatures in outer space. He will also describe the special tools used to make these measurements.

Maunakea Skies is hosted by planetarium manager Shawn Laatsch. He will provide observational highlights of the night sky over Hawaii.

Maunakea Skies is held the third Friday of the month. Admission is $10 for nonmembers; members pay a reduced rate. Tickets are available at the front desk or by calling 969-9703. For more information, visit imiloahawaii.org.

VFW Auxiliary
meeting Saturday

The Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12122 meets at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the new Veterans Center, formerly Swing Zone. Upcoming fundraisers will be discussed, including Octoberfest, planned for 4 p.m. Sept. 28.

For more information, contact Beverly Skarnes at 329-6261.

USCG Auxiliary offers boating course

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will hold a boating safety class from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at a location to be announced. The course costs $40 and is limited to 20 students. Hawaii law will require anyone operating a boat to complete a boating safety class by fall 2014. This class will satisfy those requirements.

For more information or to register, call Bob Lathrop at 557-6577.

‘Chairs for Charity’ auction is Saturday

The Rotary Club of Kona Sunrise will host the third annual Chairs for Charity Art Auction from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club at Honokohau Harbor.

The auction will feature chairs and other items created and donated by area artists. LT Smooth and friends will perform, while Big Island Grill will provide the food. Kona Brewing Co. beer and wine will be served. Admission includes pupu, dinner, first drink, dessert, coffee and door prize ticket.

Tickets are $35 per person and available at Kona Wine Market, Queen K Tesoro and Kailua Candy Co. All money raised will support Rotary’s scholarship programs and youth and community services.

For more information, call Barbara Kossow at 938-0806.