HONOLULU – Former University of Hawai'i football player and past president of the UH Letterwinners Club Dr. Charlie Araki is the 2003 recipient of the Kane Fernandez Community Service Award.
Since Charles Araki took office as the second president of the Letterwinners Club, the Club made great strides. Some of his many accomplishments include:
- Raised over $44,000 in membership dues, donations and endowments
- Signed up a substantial amount of new members and life members
- Hosted 12 receptions and several community causes including fundraisers for Nate Jackson, Ann (Goldensen) Kang and Tony Ching
- Presented three lap-top computers to the student-athlete Nagatani Academic Center
- Completed the refurbishing of the Clubhouse which is now utilized by the UH Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the Sport Psychologist Doctors and the Head Coaches
Dr. Araki is an outstanding individual who is a strong supporter of the University, the Athletics Department and has demonstrated tremendous effort towards our community. Dr. Araki has played an instrumental role at the University of Hawai'i, as a student-athlete in the early 1950's and has continued until he retired as Interim Dean of the UH College of Education in 1998.
A product of public schools on Maui, he attended UH-Manoa from the Fall of 1952 until he received his BEd in 1957. He was a four-year letterman in football and track, his last three years as a starting tackle. At 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, he constantly faced players who were much taller and heavier, playing on offense and defense.
He was a member of the 1955 team which traveled to Lincoln, Neb., where Hawai'i upset the favored Cornhuskers, 6-0. This was only 10 months after Nebraska defeated the Rainbows, 50-0, in Honolulu. His exploits on the field were good enough to earn him the honor of playing in the 1956 Hula Bowl, teaming up with numerous All- Americans.
In 1990, he was accorded the highest honor the UH Athletics Department bestows, being inducted into the Sports Circle of Honor. He has played a significant role on the UH Athletics Advisory Board (AAB) from 1989-2000. While serving on the AAB, he assisted the UHAD as a conflict resolution mediator between coaches and student-athletes. He also helped revise the Board of Regents (BOR) policy addressing the AAB formation and its constitution, which received approval by the BOR. His role as an AAB member was to advise the University President and Director of Athletics.
Although retired, Dr. Araki still remains active with his alma mater. He is currently a life member and will now serve as past president of the UH Letterwinners Club. He is also very active with the UH College of Education Alumni Association and the UH Alumni Association. He presently serves as president of the Manoa Acres Resident's Association and member of the Post-Secondary Education Commission of the State of Hawai'i.
Dr. Araki also actively participates with the UH Foundation and is a member of the President's Club.
This Kane Fernandez award is given to a past letterwinner who has volunteered his or her support unselfishly to further advance the community.
This award has been “inspired by the late Kane Fernandez's dedicated and unselfish service to the community.” Kane ran track for UH from 1955-58 and was named captain in 1957. Kane was the Chairman and CEO of Fernandez Entertainment Inc. and E.K. Fernandez Shows. He took over the family's carnival business in 1970 and has built it into one of the most successful entertainment firms in Hawai'i.
Kane passed away unexpectedly on January 9, 2001 at the age of 64. Kane was a charter member when the Letterwinners Club was formed back in 1997 and has been on the Board of Directors since its inaugural year. Artie Wilson was the first recipient followed by Daniel Lau.
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