Short answer is: None, in person.
The past six years, Hawaii’s ALS Community celebrated May as ALS Awareness and Families Appreciation Month in many ways. Usually, the month starts with a series of Proclamations by local officials. The Governor’s Proclamation was read by the Governor in a solemn ceremony in the State Capitol Ceremony Room attended by patients, their families, caregivers, and representatives of the different service provider agencies in the state.
With the pandemic continuing to rage in our state, ceremonies and events are either canceled, postponed, or conducted in more sedate or different ways.
Governor Ige and Mayor Caldwell’s proclamations will be given on paper but with no ceremonies planned. Jennifer Schack of ALSA-Golden West Chapter informed us that those of the neighbor island counties will be postponed at a later date. The traditional “With Grace” Fun Run/Walk organized by Julie Hess and her family in order of Jeff Madelone for Project ALS will be canceled. Instead, Julie created a fundraiser posted on Facebook, with invitation to purchase T-shirts.
The “Lei of Remembrance” honoring those who have passed from ALS since 1998 always ended our month-long celebration. For this year, ALSFH contemplates creating a video for public consumption to be aired/streamed on May 22, the last Friday of the month. The regular Memorial Day this year is May 25. We will be giving out more information about the video program in the coming days.
We may be in a life-changing situation these days, but we continue to work for the improvement of the lives of those living with ALS by adapting alternative ways to raise awareness and funds for our causes.