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News Archive
Akimeka Assists Molokai High Athletic Program, July 29, 1999
Oahu is reaching out to help Molokai High School keep its financially beleagued athletic program afloat. Or, more precisely, in the air.
Because of state funding cut-backs and a struggling economy, accentuated by more than 14 percent unemployment on the island, Molokai High athletic director Elden Esmeralda has been forced to consider dropping some of the Farmers''22 sports teams. The sobering announcement came a week after Molokai reached a sports pinnacle, winning the state baseball championship in May - the school's first state title.
The problem is that every road game Molokai plays in the Maui Interscholastic League requires an airplane trip. Even with a new state contract with Hawaiian Air, that costs $64 per player or coach per trip, Esmeralda says.
Molokai's airfare budget, even after reducing the numbers on its traveling rosters, is $49,800 and Esmeralda anticipates government support would be $21,000 this year.
Enter two Oahu businessmen who are determined that Molokai High sports will keep flying.
Vaughn Vasconcellos, who was raised in Hoolehua and now operates Akimeka & Company, a medical technologies research and development company on Oahu, gave Molokai High $10,000 and challenged other businesses to help.
Marshall Marumoto, vice president of Hawaiian Style clothing, is trying to raise money from corporations and foundations and has organized a free concert to raise public awareness of the need.
"Anybody who has played Little League or in high school or college has something to give back in their hearts," says Marumoto, a former Punahou athlete who was head track coach at the Kamehameha Schools for 15 years.
The concert, called Back Yard Jam, will be on the afternoon of September 5 - the day before Labor Day - at Kakaako Waterfront Park. It will feature a quadruple Hoku award winner Pure Heart, which has two members with strong Molokai ties, plus the all-Hawaiian group Ho'onu'a, Imua and the Opihi Pickers.
All of the groups are performing free and the concert will be free to the public because it is on city land. But Marumoto is working to secure $15,000 in corporate sponsorships and, of course, will encourage concertgoers to contribute. Hawaiian Style is underwriting concert costs.
Lopaka Colon, Pure Heart's percussionist, grew up on Molokai and his brother, Kekoa, is a former Molokai baseball player. "Lopaka was so proud when Molokai High won the state baseball championship this year, that he wants to give back," said Pure Heart's manager, Joanna Yamasato.
That's the spirit that Vasconcellos and Marumoto hope will become contagious. "The private sector needs to step forward and help out the schools," said Vasconcellos. "What I feel in my heart is…that I want to make sure kids at Molokai High have an opportunity to engage in athletics."
Athletic director Esmeralda, buoyed by the help from Vasconcellos, Marumoto and others, let a league deadline pass this week without dropping any sports. "The people in our community have always turned around and helped out," he said.
Marumoto also is counting on the people of Hawaii "to get involved and help out the kids, to give the kids the opportunity to enjoy what we had" in sports.
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