Letters & Comments from the Year 2001

From: "RANDY RODRIGUES"
Subject: Enjoyed your web page on Honokaa
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001

I enjoyed reading your web page on Honokaa.ÝMy father was born in Pauillo in 1915.ÝMy aunt, who will be 90 in July, was born in Honokaa.ÝShe tells the stories of the family, which traveled from island to island following the sugar cane crop.ÝThere were 6 other sisters of my father who were born throughout the islands.ÝWe visited Honokaa several years ago, and Pauillo, too.ÝWe also look forward again sometime in the future for a trip to the islands.ÝThanks for the great web page!

Ý Randy Rodrigues

Silvia & Randy Rodrigues
mailto: rsrodrig at earthlink.net

From: CASTANEDAOHANA at aol.com
Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 22:49:14 EDT
Subject: Congratulations on a terrific site
To: macpro3000@yahoo.com

Mr. Ah Ching, My name is Keith Castaneda and I graduated from Honokaa in 1982, I spent most of my first 18 years in Paauilo and Honokaa. For the last 19 years I have been serving our country in the Army and I am currently stationed with my family at Fort Lewis, Washington, which just outside of Tacoma, Washington.

I was told by your site by a 1962? grad Martin Navor who also served both as a soldier and and with the civil service. ÝSurprisingly, I have met several people from home in my travels. Jenny (Angot) Aguilar of Paauilo, Lorenzo Guzman, 1960? grad, Edwin Masulit from Laupahoehoe. ÝMy family and I have met so many "locals" that have become part of our extended family. ÝThe only thing that I really miss is the clean, unpolluted air and the layed back lifestyle. ÝPeriodically, we go and visit and find it refreshing to see that the faces and names have changed but the overall feeling of being welcomed and safe still exists. ÝI still consider Hawaii my home and eventually we will again reside the mild climate of home. ÝThank you providing a way for us to see the hometown from our current home across the sea. ÝI look forward to visiting the rest of your sites in the future.

Aloha,
Keith

From: "Paula Cullen"
Subject: Honokaa
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 07:32:56 -0700

Dear Mel,

Ý Thanks so much for the pictures of Honokaa.ÝThis town is my mother's birthplace.ÝHer name is Barbara Ramos Salsedo, and she was born in 1925.ÝHer father worked on the plantation and she grew up there.ÝHerÝmother, Mercedes Colon, also grew up there.ÝMy motherÝlater moved to Honolulu, where she met my father.ÝI was born in Honolulu, but grew up in California.ÝI now live in Spokane, WA.ÝI have never traveled to Honokaa, but would love to go someday.ÝA friend of mine, Gayla Houston, is interested in moving to the Big Island and found your web site.ÝShe passed it on to me, and I'm passing it on to my family.ÝMy mother is going to be thrilled.ÝShe is now 76 years old, but is computer literate and will love taking your virtual tour of her hometown.

Ý Thanks again!
Paula Cullen

Ý

From: "Eupha Coleman"
Subject: enjoyed your work!!!!
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 16:50:41 -0800

Dear Mel,
I live in Petersburg Alaska, have never been to hawaii but after visiting your website in Honokaa I want to not only visit but live there.It is the kind of small town I like. Thanks for the great pictorial essay.
Sincerely,
Eupha Coleman