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Forty-two members of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club of Cerritos signed in at the club’s meeting on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. to enjoy an afternoon of singing and line dancing at Maple Room of the Cerritos Senior Center. The afternoon began with President Carmelita Tiongson welcoming everyone. Larry Anduha led members in saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and Danny Chang led the singing of Hawai’i Pono’i. Hedy Anduha then led members in singing Happy Birthday in Hawaiian and English to March birthday celebrants who were present at the meeting, Danny Chang and George Agcaoili.
Carmelita conducted the club’s business meeting which included committee reports and the Membership and Treasurer’s Report by Ken Matsuno. Hedy Anduha introduced her guest, Debbie “Budgie” Rios at this time. As part of Ohana care,
President Carmelita asked for members to have a minute of silence in remembrance of a past member, Hosea Kekauoha, who recently passed. She discussed the difficulty of getting Liberty Park for a Club Picnic in June and asked if members still wanted a picnic in June. With no decision from members present, she said that it would be discussed further at a board meeting.
Pictured at Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club Meeting on March 27, 2025, is Frances McCormick teaching members how to dance a line dance to the music of Stealing the Beat. Photo by Edna Ethington
The Refreshment Committee of Bette Kurihara, Frances McCormick, and Anne Ohara prepared platters of snacks for 48 members. The snacks included small baggies with mini-cream puffs from Costo, Mandarin oranges, and packages of Gummies from Mott’s. It was a nice light treat for everyone to enjoy!
Program V.P. Rosaria Loke Manetta then announced the Kanikapila portion of the program by introducing the AudioTechs led by Susan McCormick. Susan and her Audio Techs of Ping Chen, Cesar Franco, and Carrie Kumabe, accompanied Carmelita with their guitars or ukuleles. Carmelita showed her vocal talent as she sang the song Something Stupid as a solo. Members clapped and applauded her singing.
Program VP Loke Manetta turned the microphone over to Susan McCormick who introduced the next part of the day’s program, a Sing Along of favorite songs. The songs that were sung included I Am What I Am, Island Style, Happy Together, A White Sport Coat, and You Belong to My Heart.
The Spanish version of the last song of Solamente Una Fez, was sung in Spanish by Cesar accompanied by guitars played by Cesar and Irina Soleyman. Cesar was fantastic playing his guitar while singing and people applauded his performance! Thanks were said to Ping Chen for putting all the lyrics of the songs on the video screen! Everyone could see the lyrics and enthusiastically joined in singing the songs.
Program VP Loke Manetta announced the final part of the day’s program of Line Dancing with Frances McCormick as the teacher and leader of the line dance to the music of “Stealing the Best.” Twenty or more women immediately lined up in two rows to learn how to line dance to the music! Some women joined the dancing because they liked to exercise by dancing, but most of the women seemed to really want to learn how to do the line dance. It was so enticing that 89-year-old Sue Nagamine joined the line dancers using her walker!
The program ended with club members holding hands and singing Hawai’i Aloha and Aloha O’e, until they meet again. The next meeting of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club will be held on Thursday, April 24,2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the Cerritos Senior Center.
Members were reminded to go to the City of La Palma’s Festival of Nations Parade on April 26, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. Members were asked especially to come and watch club members of Na’ Kupunawahine as they perform on the outdoor stage at the La Palma Community Center, at 7821 Walker Street in La Palma, at 2:30 p.m.