Hamakua Youth Center Tea

Youth Center Staff - Venica Ftacek, Director; Honi Pahio, Program Director; Lanakila Mangauil, Cultural Coordinator along with students, alumni and beneficiaries of the center's programs share their thoughts and experiences on the present and future of the Hamakua Youth Center.
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Friends and community members gathered for a Sunday afternoon Tea to Celebrate the Past and Sustain the Future of the Hamakua Youth Center. Youth Center Board Members Jack Zimmerman and Stacy Disney emceed the event for the "standing room only" turn-out in the center's multi-purpose room.
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I was honored to represent the Nakashima Family and recounted the early days of the building which served as the Honoka'a Cash and Carry founded by my Great Grandfather in 1938. Great-Grandpa was born Kumahiko Nakashima, in Shimomashiki gun, Kumamoto, Japan on September 18, 1885. Because he was the eldest son, in order to come to Hawaii, he took his younger brother's name and arrived in Hawaii on January 5, 1906 as Suekuma Nakashima.
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The store's location across from the school made it a natural after-school hang out for students and provided a variety of candy, soda and ice cream snacks. There was even a "slush" machine that provided ice-cold strawberry and orange drinks for those hot summer days.

An injury in 1981 forced Suekuma to be bed-ridden and brought an end to the Hamakua Cash and Carry. Suekuma was 98 years old. While this brought an end to Suekuma's pride and joy, it made way for the infancy of the Hamakua Youth Center.
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I am told that this project started as a grant from the State of Hawaii Attorney Generals Office which was seeking out ways to provide support to Hawaii's youth and to provide them with positive alternatives.