KAPA‘A — Bryan Benning had never been a king before. The former San Diego contract worker, happily married, was named the Valentine’s Day king Thursday during the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital Valentine’s Day party for its residents, who were joined
KAPA‘A — Bryan Benning had never been a king before.
The former San Diego contract worker, happily married, was named the Valentine’s Day king Thursday during the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital Valentine’s Day party for its residents, who were joined by students from Kapa‘a Elementary School and Head Start in Kapa‘a.
“He’s so happy,” said Josie Pablo, the hospital’s recreation director. “He said he’s been a number of things, but this is the first time he is a king.”
Equally happy, Alyssa Shuch, formerly of Honolulu, was crowned the Valentine’s Day queen, getting accolades and receiving Valentine’s Day cards from the throng of youngsters who flitted between the residents and their families.
Jenny Moura and Melody Pascual, both residents at Mahelona Hospital, spent part of their morning browsing through the thrift shop where Mahelona Hospital Auxiliary members were busy processing items for sale.
“We’re shopping for our Valentine’s Day clothing,” Moura said.
Pablo said Valentine’s Day is another day for people to show love and the party is just another way to show the residents how much the hospital’s staff and their families love them.
“I was going to get you folks roses, but when I saw the prices at the store, well, we’re going to give you lei, instead,” Pablo said, unleashing a group of certified nurses aides, all clothed in the spirit and color of the day. “We love you, all — no matter what.”
Debbie Maddock, affectionately called “The Mother,” said getting the nurses outfitted so they come to work in the spirit of the day is not a small task.
“You have to be in the spirit,” Maddock said. “It helps the residents’ and other staff’s spirits. On major events, like Christmas, we have a theme for each day, some days being a certain color, other days having patterns. On St. Patrick’s Day, we’ll be all in green.”
Maddock coordinates the fashion of the day, whether it be design, or color, for the 30 CNAs at the hospital, a task which led to her nickname.
“I usually wait until they (the suppliers) have a big amount of a certain style, design or color and the price drops,” she said. “Then, I can order it and the nurses pay me. Then, we figure out when we’re going to wear them.”
Pablo said all of the different aspects adds to the residents’ enjoyment of the occasion.
“Look at their faces and how they respond to the children,” Pablo said. “We host them at least once a month. The next thing we’re planning on doing is having an Easter egg hunt for everyone.”
Pablo, referring to one of her professional journals, said there are two theories about the origin of Valentine’s Day and its customs.
The first theory is that it is named after one of two Christian martyrs named Valentine who many scholars think may have been the same person, depending on the sources.
Valentine was a Roman priest who was imprisoned around 269 or 270 A.D. because of his Christian beliefs. Before he was executed on Feb. 14, he wrote a note to a young girl who had visited him during his confinement and signed it, “From your Valentine.”
At about the same time, a priest was executed for performing marriages for young soldiers and their girlfriends in defiance of Roman Emperor Claudius II’s ban on marriage, a practice which came about because the emperor thought single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families.
The second theory on Valentine’s Day originated from the ancient Roman holiday, Lupercalia which was celebrated on Feb. 15 and dedicated to young lovers.
The custom was for single women to put their names in an urn at the town square, and single men put their names in another urn. Names were drawn at random and the couples were matched this way and were considered betrothed and remained together, at least until the next Lupercalia.
In 496, Pope Galasius changed Lupercalia from the Feb. 15 celebration to St. Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14, although the celebration retained the character of the pagan holiday.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
