Online Puna District Memorial Day Observance – May 23, 2020
Many events are being postponed or cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Puna Hongwanji Buddhist Temple is cancelling the in-person Annual Puna District Interfaith Memorial Day Observance on Saturday, May 23, 2020. We are instead working on a video that we will share on our Puna Hongwanji Facebook and YouTube page. The video will be broadcast on Saturday, May 23, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
The monument on the front lawn of Puna Hongwanji Buddhist Temple has the names of Puna District residents killed in action. They include from each of the conflicts:
World War II (Stanley Cabral; Yuzo Hayashida; John Hernandez; Seiji Higa; Isamu Kanetani; Yutaka Kawamoto; Morio Mizumoto; Frank Mugihira; Shoichi Nakahara; Tadao Nakamura; Mitsuru Ochiai; Eishin Oshiro; Seikichi Oshiro; Kazumi Tsutsui; and Alfred Veriato).
Korean Conflict (David Aspili; Julio Figueroa; Yoshimi Fukumoto; Isaac K. Hale; Koichi Moriwaki; Wilson Park; and Paul K. Ura).
Vietnam Conflict (Moses I. Kuahiwinui Jr.; George G. Luis; Gilbert Olivar; Hayward K. Peleiholani; and George S. Salema).
Iraq-Afghanistan Conflict (Ray M. Furhmann II and Kirk Takeshi Fuchigami Jr).
A team of Puna District churches came together to offer a prayer and be a part of this event. This year we have Rev. Satoshi “Ka’imipono” Tomioka (Puna Hongwanji Buddhist Temple); Pastor Jack Snell (Puna Covenant Church); Pastor Lorin Carmichael (Sure Foundation Puna); Pastor Alan Tamashiro (Puna Baptist Church); Gary Thomas, Colonel, USAF (ret) (Sure Foundation Puna), and Michael Donenfeld, (Mindfulness Meditation Facilitator, Artist, Community Builder).
Our guest speaker for the event is Lieutenant Colonel Loreto V. Borce, Jr, US Army. LTC Borce is from Honolulu, Hawaii and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery branch through the University of Hawaii ROTC program. He completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Charminade University and has a Master’s degree in Public Administration (Management & Operations) from John Jay College, NY. LTC Borce is married to his wife Danielle and they have four children and two dogs.
For anyone wanting to drop off loose flowers to the temple we will designate Thursday, May 21, 2020 and Friday, May 22, 2020 as a drive-thru drop off days from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Rev. Satoshi Tomioka will accept the flowers from your cars, no one needs to get out. Please remember to wear your mask and be mindful of social distancing. After collecting the flowers, Rev. Tomioka will place it in front of the monument.
Thousand of people may live in a community but it is not one of real fellowship until they know each other and have sympathy for one another. A true community has faith and wisdom that illuminate it. It is a place where the people know and trust one another and where there is a social harmony. – Teaching of Buddha
