Have a Heart for Hospice Of Hilo – Bazaar

On Saturday, February 12, 2011 young and old, both with a desire to get energized and move their bodies, came to Sanga Hall for Zumba with Cheryl Cobile, T-Jay and Dawnelle Forsythe of Zumba Hawai‘i who generously donated their time, sharing their motto, “Ditch the work out and join the party.”

What does it take to organize fun? It seems like an odd question. Isn’t fun supposed to be simply free, loose and spontaneous? Yes, sometimes fun is just fun. But to have fun on the level that they had at the “Have a Heart for Hospice of Hilo Zumba Event,” it took a small army of dedicated volunteers from East Hawai‘i’s faith-based community to bring it all together. Faith-based Capital Campaign Committee Chair, Leonard Tanaka said, “It was a great event. The Zumba was tailored to each age group. There was a youth class, an adult class and a senior class. It was a good turn out of the demographics of Hilo.”

It wasn’t just about the Zumba, it was also about the food and the fellowship. Diverse groups gave their time and came together to work harmoniously as one, moving towards the goal of raising money to help build Hospice of Hilo’s in-patient facility. “After their Zumba workout, the food booths were swamped, the people were hungry,” Tanaka added. The Hawaiian plate sold out, the andagi and manju were a hit and the sushi that Ruby Maekawa stayed up all night making was fresh and delicious.

An excited attendee summed up the day perfectly by saying, “It was so much fun, I wish Hospice of Hilo would do it every month.”