Haluapo rides along during Keiki Toy Run

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Charles Lee, the late Russell Haluapo’s nephew, tends to Haluapo’s ashes aboard his motorcycle Sunday as the Keiki Toy Run readies to leave the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

JoAnn Haluapo, the late Russell Haluapo’s sister, cannot resist a ride aboard Russell’s motorcycle Sunday at the Keiki Toy Run, where the motorcycle led the convoy of more than 200 motorcycles from the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Charles and Christina Lee roll out with the late Russell Haluapo’s ashes atop the crossbar Sunday during the Keiki Toy Run at the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

A holiday-themed tricycle is among the field of over 200 motorcycles Sunday that left the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e on a north-bound Keiki Toy Run benefiting the Boys & Girls Club.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Clyde “Big Toe” Kaluahine is among the more than 200 motorcycle riders who brought toys to benefit the Boys & Girls Club Sunday during the Keiki Toy Run that honored the memory of the late Russell Haluapo, at the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Tina Albao of the Boys & Girls Club and Paula Rosa of the Sons of Kaua‘i motorcycle club get photos of riders sporting T-shirts honoring the late Russell Haluapo, Sunday during the Keiki Toy Run at the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

More than 200 motorcycle riders representing the Kaua‘i Motorcycle Coalition remember the late Russell Haluapo by participating in the annual Keiki Toy Run Sunday benefiting the Boys & Girls Club at the Historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e.

If the weather was an indication, the late Russell Haluapo was smiling Sunday when more than 200 motorcycle enthusiasts representing the Kaua‘i Motorcycle Coalition collected at the Historic County Building with toys for the Boys &Girls Club.

“This is a big run,” said John Copeland of the Koa Puna Motorcycle Club. “We’ve got more than 200 riders here today remembering Russell. We even have Russell’s bike up front to lead the ride up north.”

Copeland said the Sunday ride is a continuation of a legacy built by Haluapo, who used to host keiki toy rides for keiki who somehow fell through the cracks at the holidays.

“We even brought Russell,” said JoAnn Haluapo, Russell’s sister. “He’s riding with Charles and Christina Lee.” She ws speaking of her brother’s ashes.

Tina Albao of the Boys &Girls Club was excited with the entire event that included motorcycles and riders spilling across the road fronting the Historic County Building on Rice Strret.

Her smartphone worked ceaselessly to capture the special shirts that graced certain club members, and gripped a “Mahalo Russell” trucker’s cap that someone thrust in her hand.

“This is so exciting,” Albao said. “The motorcycle riders are so awesome. They don’t just help us during the holidays when we need to worry about our members. The motorcycle riders, especially Russell, also help us during back to school, when our members can use school supplies. I have a video of Russell dancing with our members during the last back-to-school event.”

One of the riders said the Sunday ride was not just to get toys. It represented Haluapo’s efforts at pulling the different clubs together as the Kaua‘i Motorcycle Coalition.

Motorcycle riders represent the numerous motorcycle groups on the island, including the Ali‘i’s of Hawai‘i, Koa Puna, Mana Souls, Sons of Hawai‘i, Sons of Kaua‘i and Pacific Savages.

Dennis Esaki of the Sons of Hawai‘i and Paula Rosa of the Sons of Kaua‘i offered the prayer and doxology before the group adjourned to Kilauea before returning to Lydgate Park for fellowship and remembrance of the fallen motorcycle rider.

“We’re going past the airport,” one rider said as the group dispersed to their individual rides. “Russell would’ve done that too.”

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.

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