John Regan shared his excitement for the upcoming Orchid Show, while Cathy Ogino contributed $25 toward toward EREY.

Dee Scott was full of smiles, sharing her joy over her granddaughter attending her very first father-daughter dance.

Helene Tajiri was a whopping $50 happy, using her time to encourage fellow Rotarians to sign up for the Reading in Kindergarten program. 

Jay Jarrett celebrated his first full year as a Rotarian, expressing how "happy" he was to be "voluntold" by Connie to take on as many club responsibilities as possible (noting her strict instruction that he can only say yes when she asks, and to say no to everyone else!) 

Mitch Dodo chipped in $5 to celebrate Helene’s new Paul Harris pin, joking that he thought he saw Harveychoking in the background over the donation amounts.

Karen Pellegrin added $100 happy dollars just for being part of the club, actively working to earn her next Paul Harris pin. 

Rounding out the Happy Dollars was George Applegate who shared some happy dollars in celebration of the youth of our future.

Paul Harris Recognition

The meeting also featured moments of well-deserved recognition for major club supporters. Helene Tajiri was honored with a new Paul Harris bin celebrating her incredible milestone of donating over $9,000 to over the years. Let's hope that Harvey doesn't check their bank account statements. Additionally, Karen Pellegrin was recognized for her impressive dedication, having already contributed over $1,000 in the relatively short time she was been a Rotarian.

Other Announcements 

Turning to club business, members were given an important update regarding the Hilo Brewfest. There are now only 29 days left until the big event, and the club is currently $13,000 short of its financial goal. Members are urged to bring in more items for the silent auction as soon as possible. For those looking to attend, there are also exactly 29 VIP tickets still available, so grab them before they are gone!

On a bright note, Kelley stepped up to give an excellent membership committee update. She highlighted the roaring success of our recent mixers and coffee talks, which have directly led to a wonderful increase in our club membership.

With our scheduled speaker unfortunately grounded by a work emergency, Past President Connie Ichinose was quick to pivot, turning the floor over to the room for an impromptu and highly entertaining trip down memory lane. Rotarians both new and old stood up to share stories from their journeys in service. Mitch Dodo kicked things off by recalling his induction back in 1999, joking that it was before our reporter, Terianne Brown, was even born (I wish I actually was that young!). Helene Tajiri pointed out that Mitch didn't waste any time, stepping up as club president just six years later. Mitch shared that what he loves most about Rotary is the freedom to smile and laugh with everyone, noting he can't do that at his day job.

The updates continued around the room. Susan Munro shared a great practical tip for the club, announcing that we now accept dues via Zelle transfers, meaning funds can be moved immediately without the wait. Kari Hoffman then shared a bit of her history, recalling a time when the landscape looked a bit different, noting she was only the third woman ever inducted into her former club back on the mainland.

The afternoon took an interesting turn when the room started learning a few candid insights about the club's "oriental" contingent. Harvey Tajiri pointed out what he lovingly called the "short, bossy, oriental table." The crew at the table included Connie, Cathy, and Kelley, though Dee Scott was also sitting there and looked a little taken aback by the sudden designation! According to Harvey, Tara Rowlette belonged at that table in spirit, even if she happened to be sitting elsewhere for the day. It was a great reminder that even without a guest speaker, our members can always keep the room laughing and connected.