Two articles on Thanksgiving plus many memories of Pat Kelley posted by her friends on a memorial web site.

1. ®
November 30, 2013
A MESSAGE FROM RICHARD R. KELLEY TO OUR OUTRIGGER ‘OHANA
Thanksgiving 2013
By Dr. Richard Kelley
Thanksgiving is an American tradition, but it can
Pre-Thanksgiving travel in the U.S. was proving
be celebrated anywhere in the world. As our Outrigger
challenging due to the severe early-winter weather that is
‘ohana counts its blessings this Thanksgiving weekend,
sweeping the country. Sleet, snow and freezing rain in the
we have much to be thankful for. In particular, we
Midwest and the eastern states caused flight cancellations
can be grateful for the continued strength of the
in many major cities. Many of our Hawai‘i guests checked in
hospitality industry throughout the Pacific region.
telling stories of delays and flight cancellations.
The demand for travel has kept the “economic
Thanksgiving is certainly a great American custom.
engines” of Hawai‘i, Guam,
See the sidebar article
Fiji, Bali and Thailand
which touches on the
rolling, stimulating
history and traditions of
these economies and
this day. Like all cultural
creating many excellent
events, it has evolved
job opportunities.
greatly since it began, and
Many areas of
it continues to change with
the world have not
the times. However, the
been so fortunate,
core message of “giving
experiencing political
thanks” for the blessings
unrest, civil wars, storms,
we enjoy still rings true,
terrorism, and social and
no matter where or how it
economic troubles.
is celebrated.
• The death toll from
Here at Outrigger, this
Typhoon Haiyan in the
is our 66th Thanksgiving
Philippines now stands
celebration, and every
at 5,240 with 1,613
year there is reason to
people still missing
be thankful. This year,
A C-17 US Air Force evacuation trip from Tacloban to Manila
and 3.39 million
2013, we have been
displaced, according to
extraordinarily fortunate
the Wall Street Journal.
and it is most appropriate that we pause and count our
blessings. In addition to this year’s business success,
• Deadly fire from semi-automatic rifles and bombings
we have a wonderful ‘ohana, which now spreads across
has become a way of life in places like Syria, Iraq,
Egypt and Afghanistan.
half the globe. This is the nicest group of people you are
likely to meet anywhere, and we work in a company that
• Media commentators are chronicling economic
places employees first and prides itself on providing
difficulties in Europe and the challenges many
them with many opportunities to excel and grow. We are
European cities face in dealing with a rapidly
fortunate indeed.
growing population of often difficult-to-assimilate
immigrants from Middle Eastern countries.
I want to use this opportunity to personally
In the U.S., almost everyone is shocked as
thank every member of our ‘ohana for what you have
the realities of Obamacare implementation have
accomplished this year. I wish you all a wonderful
become evident.
holiday season.
Sidebar: The History of Thanksgiving ... >> 2
Saturday Briefing
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2. The History of Thanksgiving
As every American schoolchild knows, we trace Thanksgiving back to
the Pilgrims who, 392 years ago, after surviving the terrible winter of 1620-1621
at Plymouth, Massachusetts, sat down with their Native American neighbors
to give thanks. The Pilgrims certainly had good reason to be thankful. In
the previous winter, nearly half of them had starved or frozen to death or
perished from disease. Things were looking up over the summer and fall
as they refined their survival skills and, with the help of their generous
neighbors, replenished their food supplies. How thankful they were to have
a decent chance of surviving the coming winter!
Over the course of history, the reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving have
evolved with the times. The early New England settlements designated
Thanksgiving days somewhat randomly from year to year, when crops and
weather were good.
During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress appointed
one or more Thanksgiving days each year. In 1777, General George Washington
proclaimed a Thanksgiving in celebration of a crucial victory at Saratoga, New
York. In 1789, Washington, now the president of the new country, issued the
first national Thanksgiving Day proclamation to celebrate the conclusion of
the war for independence and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
While today we celebrate for one day, centering around a special,
celebratory meal often shared with family and friends, the Pilgrims celebrated
with three days of feasting. The dates and length of celebration have seen
surprising variation over the years. From the era of the Founding Fathers
until the time of President Abraham Lincoln, each state chose its own date
for the celebration. In 1863, Lincoln set the last Thursday in November as a
uniform date, nationwide.
In 1939, during the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
moved the holiday forward to the third Thursday in November in an effort to
extend the pre-Christmas shopping season and thus stimulate the economy,
which was still suffering from the Great Depression. However, two years
later, after much debate, the date was moved back to the fourth Thursday
in November, where it remains today.
What Americans eat for Thanksgiving has
also evolved with time. Today it just wouldn’t
be Thanksgiving without turkey, cranberry
sauce, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.
But the Pilgrims ate a very different meal –
a smorgasbord of venison, clams, mussels,
lobster, eel, beans, peas, corn, onions, squash,
ducks, geese, wild turkeys and even swans!
Notice that the bread, mashed potatoes, butter,
“Justified bragging rights
beef, pork and sugary desserts were nowhere
for this young man!”
to be found!
Over our nation’s history, various types of activities have been associated
with Thanksgiving. Originally, it was fundamentally a religious holiday with
all members of a community, in their various churches and synagogues,
giving thanks to God for their blessings. Many families today also give thanks
to God with a prayer before dinner – on this day especially, if not all others.
In our nation’s early years, shooting contests were popular events as
community members competed for bragging rights and perhaps a turkey
History ... >> 3
Saturday Briefing
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Memories of Pat Kelley
By Dr. Richard Kelley
On November 17, our
Outrigger ‘ohana lost a
beautiful family member
with the peaceful passing of
my youngest sister, Patricia
“Pat” Kelley.
Those who knew Pat,
loved her and now miss her
shared stories and heartfelt
thoughts on our tribute
page http://saturdaybriefing.
outrigger.com/featured-post/
tribute-to-pat-kelley/, in a
Book of Remembrance and
on Facebook.
Pat Kelley
Mahalo for sharing your
kind words and treasured memories of my sister:
“Dear Dr. Kelley & Family,
I am sad to read of the loss of your sister, please accept my most sincere
condolences to you and your entire family. No matter how prepared we think
we are, it still hurts to lose a loved one so dear. She was a beautiful woman with
a life well lived, filled with dignity and honor. May God’s blessings of peace and
comfort surround all of your hearts. My prayers are with you and your family.”
- Catherine Strazzeri
“Dr. Kelley and family,
So sorry to hear of the loss of your sister. Regardless of the age it’s never easy.
Enjoyed the pictures of her beautiful life and family. My heart goes out to you.
I will keep you in my prayers.” - Betty Cobb
“I am sad to learn of the passing of a Kelley family member. I am not sure that
we actually met, but have bumped into Brother Richard R. Kelley when I was
working in Credit and Collections in Outrigger East Annex. I remember when
her father Roy passed. My best condolences to the family. All of the Outrigger
Ohana must feel this sadness. Aloha Nui Loa Patricia!” - Paul Minczer
“In 1975, Pat hired me to be a salesperson at her Pat Kelley Tour Desk at
the Waikiki Outrigger. In so doing, she changed the course of my life, from
being a music teacher to becoming, in essence, an ambassador of Aloha to
thousands of visiting tourists. Pat became my mentor in learning the optional
tour business, and as such, she embodied the concept of Kina‘ole, long before
I ever knew the word. Besides being my employer, Pat became my dear friend.
She had such a loving, giving heart, and is still ‘Auntie Pat’ to our now grown
daughters Christy and Erin. Pat had many avocations and interests in her
life, and would become 150% laser-focused on learning and perfecting each
one as it came along. Thanks to Pat’s artistry in sewing, Christy still has, in
addition to two exquisitely-made stuffed animals, her large ‘Dolly’ that was
her most cherished, loved-to-pieces possession for many, many years. Pat’s
great big smile, her infectious laugh, and her Aloha will be greatly missed by
the Hart family” - Mike, Ann, Christy and Erin
Pat Kelley ... >> 3

3. History ... << From 2
or pigeon for the dinner pot. In some parts of the
country, one can still find Thanksgiving “turkey
shoots” today. The guns are real, but you’d be
unlikely to find live birds used as targets.
Big city parades have been popular for many
years. In the 1920s, city children would dress up in
old, worn-out clothes, smear ashes on their faces
and beg in the streets in “ragamuffin parades.”
That practice has disappeared, but today the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City,
with its enormous floating balloons, is televised
nationally and has become such a tradition that
many people think of it as the “Macy’s Day” parade.
The “Macy’s Day” parade Thanksgiving tradition
Pat Kelley ... << From 2
Watching football and other televised sports
such as college basketball, golf and auto racing
has also become a centerpiece of many families’
Thanksgiving celebrations.
Perhaps the most unusual televised event today
is the World Championship Punkin Chunkin (www.
punkinchunkin.com) contest, a charity benefit for
which teams gather in Delaware and compete to
hurl pumpkins as far as they can with the help of
some astonishing contraptions – catapults and
pumpkin “cannons.” This year’s event, which actually
took place November 1 – 3, brought out some 18,000
attendees and participants. The nationwide telecast
took place on the evening of Thanksgiving Day.
“...Those of you who know my wife, Sandra Kelley, may also know that were it
not for Pat’s hospitality to her cousin Sandra, upon her visit to Honolulu in
1986, Sandra and I would likely never have met and married. Thank you, Pat!
Miss you!” - Howard Daniel
“You wrote a beautiful article about Pat, who was a beautiful person both inside
and out - she loved her friends and family so much that we will always remember
her with wonderful memories. My condolences to you all and sending hugs
and kisses. She was so kind and generous to me in good and challenging times
so I was blessed to know her.” - Karen Rogne DeCarlo
Ann Hart working at the Pat Kelley Tours Desk in the Outrigger Waikiki
“Aloha Pat Kelley, your memory will live on with the Outrigger Ohana forever.
Blessings to your family & many thanks from all the Buckleys - Especially
Tani K. Buckley.”
“My warmth and care goes out to the wonderful Ohana of Ms. Pat. May Pat rest
in Love. We will miss Ms. Pat’s fire and strength here at the front desk. Mostly
we’ll miss her passion and ear to ear smile.” - Alohalani Alapai
“What a fitting tribute to an awesome lady.” - Penny Hartley Bradley
“Your smile will remain in my heart forever. Mahalo for accepting my hugs &
kisses the Hawaiian way. Love you,” - Luana Maitland
“Thanks for the memory! Aloha Pat! Rest in Peace.” - Mike Augusta, Reef Hotels,
OHANA Hotels, April 1966 - September 2000
“What a beautiful tribute to a woman who was beautiful inside and out. My
heart goes out to you and your wonderful family, for I’m sure her passing
feels like such a great loss. But love abides, and she will always be there
with you and her other loved ones. I’ve often said that after rain comes the
rainbow. In the case of Pat, it is the Rainbow Experience.” - RuthAnn Becker
“I still have a copy of the flyer your sister, Pat Davis and I put out for the Powder
Puff Derby I am honored to have known her. I am truly sorry for you and your
family’s loss, Rich.” - Lennie Muttick Sorenson-Cobb
“Her wonderful smile warmly greeted everyone entering the lobby and passing
her Reef Hotel Tours Desk back in the ‘old days’. Mahalo for sharing the memory,
Richard. Aloha ‘Oe Pat Kelley! - John Michael White
“What a beautiful memorial of a iconic woman Pat. I never forget my first
encounter of her. I was super SCARED of her it’s when she coordinated the family
reunion at the REEF... Just the presence of her intimidated me. Then I actually
talked with her and realized that she was just doing what she wanted to be
perfection for her family members coming in for this special occasion thereafter
I was no longer scared. Just blessed to have known her... God bless all of YOU for
having to share this great memorial of her.” - Robin Kaowili-Fernandez
Saturday Briefing
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