Four hula dancers and some inspired decorations turned the packed Park Stockdale hall into a little slice of Hawaii Saturday.
Five pink flamingos greeted residents outside. Inside, hula dancer Caroline Angkehan and her three daughters, Leslie, Melanie and Karlie, handed out silk leis to guests, who, for the most part, were dressed in Hawaiian attire.
Roxanne Fackler, the luau organizer and Park Stockdale Civic Association Vice President, and resident Dan Tuttle dished out shredded pork and chicken that residents ate with Hawaiian rolls, potato and macaroni salads, broccoli salad, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, and watermelon, brownies and cookies and shave ice.
As residents dined, emcee Melissa Martinez introduced the dancers who performed “God Bless America” and then a host of traditional Hawaiian hula songs.
Melissa encouraged guests to donate to the Maui relief efforts through their church, Red Cross or Thrivent Financial Services.
Next was audience participation. The dancers led volunteers of all ages, wearing grass skirts, through a hula lesson. Prizes were awarded to the best dancers.
Then three young girls participated in a hula hoop spinning contest.
The PSCA sponsored the event that included a decorated arch for photos. Each table was named for an Hawaiian island.
Board members who helped with the event were: Ana Flores, who shredded chicken; Kiki Contreras, who got the ice and helped clean; Pat Nolan who unloaded food, set place settings and manned the sign-in sheet with Susan Tuttle, who also provided drinks and decorated the photo op arch.
Besides serving as emcee, Melissa provided shave ice and sound equipment. Her husband, Jose, set up and took down the ice machine, sound equipment and decorations.
Becky Powers helped put food away.
