Our CTAHR Alumni BBQ – Hilo Edition, was held on Saturday, February 22nd at the Komohana Research & Extension Center in Hilo, Hawaii! Ninety-five people attended, enjoying the delicious food, guitar-playing by retiree and Alumni Kelvin Sewake, sunny weather, and lots of networking, good fellowship, and fun. CTAHR Chef Lara Hackney prepared ono dishes of beef from Mealani Research station, pork chops and Portuguese sausages from pork producers on Hawaii Island, tomatoes from Kawamata Farms, and lettuce and celery from `Ano`ano Farms. Mike DuPonte (HNFAS) made arrangements for restauranteurs Richard and Millie Chan (Adela’s Country Eatery & I love Country Cafe) to share noodles made with `ulu, kalo, sweet potato, or moringa (they flew them all the way over from Oahu for us to enjoy!). Millie is an Alumni of our Fashion Design and Merchandising Department, so it was doubly exciting to have the Chans there.
CTAHR faculty and staff from Hawaii Island had displays and posters, showing research and extension activities on Hawaii Island. All of our CTAHR Deans, Dean Nick Comerford, Ania Wieczorek (Interim Assoc. Dean of Academic & Student Affairs), Walter Bowen (Assoc. Dean and Associate Director of Research), and Jeff Goodwin (Interim Assoc. Dean and Associate Director of Cooperative Extension) were in attendance as well!. And of course, the event wouldn’t have been possible without our “village” of amazing staff and volunteers from the Academic & Student Affairs Office, agricultural technicians from Waiakea Station, assistance from Kona CES, friends and family on the grill and Susan Miyasaka (Interim CTAHR HI county administrator).
Check out more pictures on Flickr.
Looking forward to our next one in Maui, March 21st!