WAIMEA — Teachers are a community’s lifeline to the past, present and future. And they’re everywhere in the community, from classrooms to gyms, athletic events, music, singing and dance lessons, scouting and much more. They’re also grandparents, mentors, kahu, coaches and advocates. Sometimes they wear uniforms. Sometimes scrubs. Sometimes they’re barefoot, warning dangerous surf. Sometimes they’re an author, or a voice on the radio or jump out with lessons via social media.
“We stand on the shoulders of — or shoulder to shoulder with — our teachers throughout life. This is why the 58th annual Waimea Christmas Twilight Parade will honor teachers as the community’s guiding stars at Christmas and always,” the parade’s Chair Lani Olsen Chong said.
“There’s great excitement this year about remembering and honoring the tireless dedication, commitment and caring of teachers — and we mean all teachers — from those who nurtured us from infancy through high school and beyond, and also those who share their knowledge and mana’o well beyond school days, ensuring lifelong learning,” she added.
The parade will commence at 5:30 p.m. this Saturday, beginning at Church Row, continuing down Mamalahoa Highway and concluding just beyond Parker School on Lindsey Road around 6:45 p.m.
This year’s parade grand marshal will be Waimea’s highly regarded Patricia Rice, who has taught and supported generations of Waimea, Kawaihae, Puako, Hamakua and Waikoloa families at Waimea Middle School (WMS). Her career at WMS includes serving as a teacher, counselor, curriculum coordinator, vice principal, principal four times, and currently as the school’s grant writer and coordinator. She also led the teacher-family-community team that decided in 2003 to become the first public conversion charter school in Hawaii under a then-new state law. More recently she has coordinated the continuous improvement process of school accreditation with the administration, teachers and staff.
Teaching runs in the Rice family. Her and husband, Marc, is also a longtime Waimea educator who leads the turtle tagging program at HPA and directs the school’s information-technology services. Their two daughters are also dedicated teachers.
Many other community teachers from all walks of life, including kumu hula, athletic and wellness coaches, Sunday School instructors and trainers in business, nonprofits and the public sector, will be honored during the parade.
“Our lives are blessed by ‘teachers’ who help us better understand, navigate and contribute to our families, community and the world,” Chong said.
As always, participation in the Waimea parade is open to all: schools, churches, not-for-profits, community groups and businesses and, as always, a visit by Santa and dozens of lighted trucks. This year, the truck brigade will honor five “fallen truckers” who have participated in past Waimea Christmas parades, including the late Levi Mitchell of Pu’uanahulu, Wendell Souza of Hilo, Noa Chong of Kona, Rex Bilado of Paauilo and Lyle Kaaihili of Waimea.
Also, “we owe a huge mahalo to the Rotary Club of North Hawaii, which provides the essential liability insurance required for a parade permit, Chong remarked. “We also thank the many business and community partners who contribute to cover parade costs — most notably to ensure public safety,” she added.
It’s all about the community’s extended ohana
Children, families, kupuna (seniors) and those facing serious challenges are very much at the heart of Waimea’s Christmas Twilight Parade, and this includes a commitment to being sure no one is forgotten during the holidays. As has become a tradition for Waimea’s annual parade, the event supports Big Island Giving Tree (BIGT) outreach programs to be sure that people facing difficult times are remembered. While there is no charge to participate in the Waimea parade, each entry is asked to make a donation of gift cards or money to BIGT.
“We appreciate monetary donations so we can purchase the exact items that we need at the time, but gift cards to Costco, KTA, Foodland, Longs and Walmart are all useful,” Nancy Carr Smith from BIGT said. “Donations are used to purchase items to fill more than 500 gift bags for our kupuna.”
Also, prior to the start of the parade, a BIGT bucket brigade of volunteers will canvas spectators for donations.
“The bucket brigade has become something that spectators look forward to and the keiki are excited to give! We gift them with a BIGT wristband in return and they love that,” Riley Smith said, a longtime brigader. “We try to engage the youth to be a part of the bucket brigade whenever possible, as they are able to connect even more with the kids at the parade. This year we will also have a brigade of soldiers who will be a part of the donation gathering. We especially appreciate their kokua since they are away from their families this holiday season.”
Immediately following the parade, families to bring keiki to visit with Santa at Parker Ranch Center Fireside Food Court. Goody bags will be given to keiki while supplies last. The photos are free but a donation to North Hawaii Hospice or the Waimea Lions Club is suggested.
Parade sponsors and event partners this year include Waimea Community Association; Rotary Club of North Hawaii; Rotary International; The Big Island Giving Tree, Waimea Center, Puna Plantation Hawaii, Ltd.; KTA SuperStores; Aloha Kohala Realty; Parker Ranch Center; S&R Trucking, Around The Clock; Big Island Portables; Hamakua-Kohala Health Center; WMS; Parker School; NHCH; Mana Christian Ohana; New Hope Christian Fellowship; Hillside Church Waimea; Kamuela Ace Hardware; W.M. Keck Observatory; Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope; Lex Brodie; BEI Hawaii; Big Island Mechanical; Lava Rock Realty; Black Lava Vape; Waimea Instant Printing; and the County of Hawaii’s Department of Parks & Recreation and South Kohala Community Policing.
Still time to enter the parade
Organizations and businesses who have not yet registered to enter what is Hawaii’s second oldest Christmas parade can find more information at www.WaimeaTown.org or email Parade Co-Chair Lani Olsen-Chong with questions at OlsenChong@gmail.com.