LT Receives Gift For ʻUkulele Program In Memory Of A Beloved Son

HONOLULU - After the unexpected loss of her only son, Verna Nakanelua Makanani has given a gift of music in the form of a $10,000 donation to fund and start a Liliʻuokalani Trust ʻukulele program for kamaliʻi.

Laʻakea Kealiʻinohokula Makanani worked in Hawaiʻi's tourism industry. “He loved the ʻukulele,” shared Ms. Makanani. “It was his constant companion.”

“One of Laʻakea’s greatest loves was Hawaiian music. Singing and playing his ʻukulele, whether for his own enjoyment or to entertain others, made him happy and brought him joy,” she said.

The donation is intended to provide ʻukulele lessons for ʻōpio who do not have the means to acquire this skill, thereby perpetuating Laʻakea’s aloha through music and through our ʻōpio.

“We are very appreciative of this gift in memory of La’akea, which will be applied to ʻukulele-related programs statewide,” said Bob Ozaki, LT president & CEO.

LT will use the gift for a variety of ʻukulele activities for kamaliʻi, providing another pathway to thriving ʻōpio. “We are most grateful, and Laʻakea’s spirit will live on through the programs this gift supports,” Ozaki said.