| Today is the finale. There is a feeling of excitement as the question of being able to accomplish the physical challenge of the ten-day effort is all but gone. We did it!...well.., almost. Only today's task remains. No longer does any doubt appear to challenge the accomplishment of today's final effort. And at just under 10 miles, its the second shortest day of the ten legs. Plus, there is a rally at the capitol being staged that is a part of the broader commitment of the consortium of agencies that H5 is a part of that are coming together to not just acknowledge our finish; but to acknowledge the annual National Homeless Awareness celebration that for several years now has been growing in it's presence here in Hawai`i every November.     Apparently, Utu's morning sendoff has everyone's attention............except mine... [Day_10.01-04]  [Day_10.05]I'm hard to see tucked behind Uncle Robert's white ball cap. I was trying to get Marlani to show her smiling face. I was unsuccessful and in my distracted effort, ended up showing only the back side of my ball cap. Sheesh! Oh well.  A few still haven't left to begin today's walk... [Day_10.06]  ...while one warrior binds his wounds before he enters the battle. [Day_10.07] We work our way around the mauka side of the Aiea UMC back on to Kam Hwy but side step up Salt Lake Blvd and down Bougainville Drive to Nimitz Hwy to utilize a safer walking venue.  Pete and Tom moving up Bougainville Drive approach Lawehana intersection... [Day_10.08]  ...while "the boys" pass the Radford Drive intersection in front of the NEX(Navy Exchange) Mall of the Pacific about a block ahead. [Day_10.09]  The gang of MIke, Kenny, (???), Kaui(?), Keith, and Ivan are visible as they approach the end of the Bougainville Drive stretch. Gene must be blocked from view behind Kaui...but I can't figure out who that is back about 30-40 yards behind this group...? [Day_10.10]  I'm guessing that's at least Kaui on the right and Uncle Robert on the left as we walk among the big trees in the concrete jungle of Nimitz Hwy. [Day_10.11]  There's about a half-dozen unidentifiable yellow shirts working their way past the airport area. [Day_10.12]  Uncle Robert and (???) are looking forward to the evening's rally, but they look like they could go another 10 days. [Day_10.13]  I have to remind myself that 10 days ago, Tom had serious doubts as to his ability to get a day or two of this effort accomplished. But he seems to have gotten stronger as the days progressed. He and Pete have have been constantly kicking each other on to each day's finish line. [Day_10.14]  Lynn is with us again today. Here she paces Gary past the Honolulu Airport Hotel. [Day_10.15]  This is the first day I've seen Noelle walking. Here, she keeps her Dad company. Suzy is apparently taking the day off from the support staff to walk with rest of us. [Day_10.16]  We reach the end of the airport viaduct and emerge into the sunlight just before... [Day_10.17]  ...Sand Island Access Road where Tom and Pete cross between a couple of trucks accessing the light industrial area... [Day_10.18]  ...and immediately join Uncle Robert and (???) taking a break at the 'comfort station' provided by theBus. [Day_10.19]  The rest of Nimitz Hwy was pretty boring...but the last couple hundred yards before A`ala Park excited Gene and Mike walking with Kaui, Keith, and Ivan... [Day_10.20]  ...who continue to engage King Street drivers while they wait for the light to change. [Day_10.21]  Keith and Kaui volunteer to help Cece, Arlene, Roz, Samiana, and (???) haul supplies over to the lunch break site. [Day_10.22]  Noelle helps too. [Day_10.23]  The signs are up... [Day_10.24]  ...the canvas is deployed and the food prepared... [Day_10.25]  ...as we settle in for a few hours of rest. [Day_10.26] In addition to the remaining walkers who have come out today, all who have participated in any way in the previous nine days are encouraged to join us for the final few blocks as we join the broader celebration being staged by the "Partners in Care" consortium. The rally on the capitol grounds will culminate the local effort to acknowledge the annual November national "Homelessness Awareness" that is the inspiration for this day's event. But first...  ...Roz and(???) jam a couple of motorcyle ornaments into the top of an anniversary cake to recognize... [Day_10.27]  ...the (???)th anniversary of Utu and Samiana. [Day_10.28]  Noelle, and (???) do a good job of tolerating Uncle Ben's nosey shutter button. [Day_10.29]  About 4pm, we break camp... [Day_10.30]  ...to load the vans one last time. [Day_10.31]  We're looking to draw a lot of attention in the Friday afternoon rush-hour traffic... [Day_10.32]  ...so the signs will now be prominently displayed as we walk these final steps to the capitol. [Day_10.33]  Because the consortium of agencies, that H5 is a part of, is the focus of the rally at the capitol; Utu ceremonially ends the "Walk..." here with a recognition of many individuals, walkers and volunteers, by words of appreciation and a lot of leis. [Day_10.34]  As we begin to move out of the A`ala Park parking lot... [Day_10.35]  ...I catch one last piece of evidence of the culture we've spent the last week and a half trying to be mindful of in the sense of bringing not just an awareness but a new understanding and regard for. [Day_10.36] The "Walk the Talk"..ers have become a crowd on this last day as we make the final approach to the capitol grounds.     ...[Day_ 10.37]...[Day_ 10.38].....[Day_ 10.39]........[Day_ 10.40]...     ..[Day_ 10.41].......[Day_ 10.42].......[Day_ 10.43].....[Day_ 10.44].     [Day_ 10.45].....[Day_ 10.46].......[Day_ 10.47]........[Day_ 10.48]...    ...[Day_ 10.49].......[Day_ 10.50].......[Day_ 10.51]...  Utu walks with (???) the Director[title?] of (???) [Day_10.52] These six are wide shots of the hundreds of people at the rally before we arrived. They are representatives of the rest of the "Partners in Care" consortium member agencies.    .......[Day_10.53]................[Day_10.54]................[Day_10.55]......   .......[Day_10.56]................[Day_10.57]................[Day_10.58]......from among those hundreds shown above.     ...[Day_ 10.59]...[Day_ 10.60].....[Day_ 10.61]........[Day_ 10.62]...    ...[Day_ 10.63]......[Day_ 10.64]........[Day_ 10.65]........[Day_ 10.66]...   [Day_ 10.67]....[Day_ 10.68].......[Day_ 10.69]....  The well-known Father Damien statue watches the festivities unmoved... [Day_ 10.70]  [Day_ 10.71]In the foyer behind the Damien statute was a constant presence of performers singing all afternoon and evening. I think they were mostly church groups.Was this the Assembly of God group from somewhere out the east end of the south shore? During this group's time on stage, the lion's share of those in attendance were among the hundreds holding signs/banners and waving at the traffic on Beretania Street so while very few came up to focus on these performing here, they were very good. They were well-accompanied and presented a strong vocal blend of voices especially.  Besides all the WtT shirts, this was the other prominent design that was being worn by many today. [Day_ 10.72]  It's also very "fitting" that so many kids are wearing these shirts as a sizeable percentage of the homeless culture are school-aged children(??? 1/3 ???). [Day_ 10.73]
 Keith, Tom, and Pete show me that they know how to actually sit down...after ten days of walking. [Day_ 10.74]  That's Ivan with his wife...and Gene. [Day_ 10.75]  Keith says "hi" to Winnie. She had to take a break on the 18-mile Day 9...but she couldn't miss being here with us today. [Day_ 10.76]  Mike talks with UTu sitting on the base of the Damien statue. Steve and Suzy look on. [Day_ 10.77]  Denzie kicks back while Steve, Suzy, Uncle Robert, and one other(???) drink in the ambience of the crowd. [Day_ 10.78]  Kaui got a lot of autographs... ...and shows his appreciation to Samiana. [Day_ 10.79]  Gosh! Who was this group? [Day_ 10.80]  The sign waving and shouting must be done if rallyers are gathering around the performers' stage area. [Day_ 10.81]  Justin is a new guy on staff at IHS. He's stumbled in the current economic times but is making a new start. He's been one of the few good staff experiences I've had in my time there. [Day_ 10.82] As the sun began to fade, the limitaions of my technology become incapacitating. I got these shots of the candle light vigil that show....once you weed out all the other sources of night light like street lights and such...you can sorta tell there were maybe a hundred or so holding candles...     ...[Day_ 10.83].......[Day_ 10.84].......[Day_ 10.85].......[Day_ 10.86]...     ...[Day_ 10.87]......[Day_ 10.88].........[Day_ 10.89]........[Day_ 10.90]...    ...[Day_ 10.91]........[Day_ 10.92]........[Day_ 10.93].....
Who are they? What group/church do they represent? To start from the beginning, go back to the "SiaB, 10Nov" link...) |
