Luau at the Mission

On Saturday, St. Joseph School presented its very first "Laua at the Mission". The parish hall was transformed into a Hawaiian paradise, complete with palm tree leaves, beach umbrellas, and lanterns, reminiscent of a true outdoor luau.

The event started after the 5:30pm mass. Guests were greeted with a lei around their neck, and were escorted to their tables by the school's 8th graders, who helped serve that evening, as cocktail music was being provided by Makaiwa. Each guest also received a free ticket, which was equivalent to a soda or bottled water.

Although there was no poi or poke, or an actual kalua pig being cooked in an imu, traditional Hawaiian dishes were served by Landeza's Island Catering that included (yes, sir) Kalua pig, teriyaki chicken, green salad, Polynesian vegetables, rolls, white rice, and assorted desserts. There was also a no host bar, which was called Luau Lounge, and it offered beer, wine, and Mai Tai, along with an assortment of sodas and bottled water.

As in all luaus, entertainment is a must. And this event had its share. Hula performances were presented by Kaulana Na Pua O Hawaii. The lively beat of the drummers, the chants and shouts, and the graceful swaying of the hula dancers transported everyone back to the islands, at least, for just a brief moment. Guests participated in an impromptu hula dance lesson. But the loudest cheer was for Fr. Manny, Fr. Jun, and Mr. Brazil, as they tried to outdo each other for the softest hips in town.

Mr. Landeza, the school's Social Studies & Religion teacher, also performed a few of his favorite island hits, including a number featuring his mother doing a hula. In between eating, dancing, and singing, raffle prizes were drawn, while the evening's emcee, Tim C, made sure everyone was having a great time.

The Luau at the Mission replaced the Sister Gonzaga Tea event, which ran for many years, and was one of the school's most popular fundraising event. Mr. Landeza broached the idea of a luau and offered his services. And the luau was born. The proceeds of this event went to the school's tuition assistance program.

As a guest, I thought this first luau went well and was quite successful. For a while, ticket sales were slow, but it eventually picked up. Lower sales may be attributed to the relatively high ticket cost. It was $40 per head, compared to the old Tea event of $25. For a first-time event, it could have been priced $5-10 lower, and would have probably attracted more.

Another sticky issue that had circulated leading up to Saturday, and which also caused some missed opportunities for more attendees, was the beneficiary -- the tuition assistance program. A lot of those I spoke with felt that there were far more important things the school could use the money for other than tuition assistance. And I totally agree.

Overall, it was a good event. Kudos to Mr. Landeza and his team of volunteers.

Mahalo !!!