HANAPEPE — Dana Lagmay came full circle Friday night. Lagmay, employed at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Mana, was on hand for the signing of his first book, “The Promise of Christmas — The First Christmas,” at the Talk
HANAPEPE — Dana Lagmay came full circle Friday night.
Lagmay, employed at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Mana, was on hand for the signing of his first book, “The Promise of Christmas — The First Christmas,” at the Talk Story Bookstore located at the far end of downtown Hanapepe adjacent to the Aloha Theater.
“When we were growing up, my father and I were the projectionists for Aloha Theater,” said Lagmay, a 1958 graduate of St. Theresa’s School in Kekaha. “We ran all the films.”
Lagmay said his recently published book is being converted into a Hollywood book trailer early next year and he is hopeful that will lead to the book being made into a movie.
“I was looking for something so I would have a story to tell my children,” Lagmay said, talking about the inspiration which led to three books being penned. “I went to Siberia to do some of the research for the book and just this year, the publisher, Xlibris, printed up the first book which was released in August.”
Lagmay said he has been coming to Talk Story every week and the book, available at the bookstore or through his website, has been selling quite well.
Ed Justus, owner of the bookstore, said the first batch is sold out and more are on the way.
“The second book, all in ‘The Promise of Christmas’ is ‘The Sleigh Maker,’ and the third one is ‘A Promise Kept,’” said Lagmay, a 1962 graduate of Waimea High School. “They’re all ready to go and I’ll be here until Christmas after which I’m meeting with the publisher to work on the cover of the second book and the Hollywood book trailer where well-known performers read the major sections of the book and a movie trailer is made.”
In keeping with the talk-story atmosphere of Friday Art Night, Uncle Louie Almodova had his ‘ukulele handy outside one of the shops, taking time to chat with people enjoying a snack under one of the eaves, a haven for the sprinkles which punctuated the Westside. He recently celebrated his 94th birthday when the Salt Pond pavilion was renamed in his honor.
Further up the main drag through town, a merchant from Kapa‘a had taken the drive to Hanapepe to experience the Friday Art Night in hopes of improving a similar program in Kapa‘a town on the first Saturday of the month.
“This is really nice,” said Janet Kahalekomo, a resident of Hanapepe Valley and kupuna at ‘Ele‘ele Elementary School. “We come down every Friday to buy popcorn. We sit and enjoy the music and the popcorn and when that’s gone, we have dinner and just enjoy all the activity.”
Artist Dawn Traina, one of the leaders of the improved Hanapepe building identification signage, was busy in her gallery, noting that across the street, the Hanapepe Hawaiian Congregational Church had recently started to turn on its lights so the area between Aloha Theater and the Robert’s building would be more inviting.
“They had their little bazaar last week and everything was lit up,” she said. “It was really cute.”
Inside the church, Sandi Sterker said they not only turned the lights on, the restrooms are open for patrons of the Friday Art Night, and in the back, the open area is also lit up so people can enjoy their food or just have a place to sit and have some aloha.
The church also offers a food pantry once a month for people who need food, Sterker said.
“We’re here to serve ‘aloha’ with the Lord,” Sterker said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
