HONOLULU (February 27, 2017)—This fall, a star-studded cast of figure skating champions will descend on Honolulu to help skating phenomenon Kristi Yamaguchi celebrate the 25th anniversary of her Olympic gold. They’ll take center ice at the Neil S. Blaisdell Arena in an all-new production of GOLDEN MOMENT HAWAII, an extraordinary “concert on ice” to benefit early childhood literacy in Hawaii, a project of Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream Foundation (ADF).
For two shows only, September 9-10, the Blaisdell Arena stage will be frozen over to showcase a cast of figure skating champions from North America and Japan. Current confirmed cast includes (with many more pending):
Gold Medalists: Kristi Yamaguchi (Albertville), Meryl Davis and Charlie White (Sochi), and Shizuka Arakawa (Turin)
Bronze Medalists: Daisuke Takahashi (Vancouver)
World Champions: Yuka Sato
GOLDEN MOMENT will once again include skating performances choreographed to live music, artists will be announced in June.
Yamaguchi said, “Hawaii is like a second home to me, and as a children’s book author and a mother, I’m passionate about getting kids here excited about learning to read—especially in communities that are underserved.”
The first Golden Moment Hawaii, in November 2015, raised over $200,000, and the Always Reading program is now serving over 400 kindergarten students at seven Elementary Schools on Oahu: Kalihi-Kai, Linapuni, Fern, Puuhale, Waiahole, Pope and Kalihi. Net proceeds from Golden Moment stay in Hawaii to support Title 1 schools throughout the state.
Yamaguchi added, “Just a little extra help at this young age can be so foundational. It can mean the difference between a life of struggle and one of inspiring opportunities. We can be the key to unlocking future academic success and realizing life potential.”
Tickets to GOLDEN MOMENT HAWAII will go on sale first week of May. For further information visit www.alwaysdream.org.
Always Dream Foundation in Hawaii
An accomplished children’s book author and mother of two, Yamaguchi’s passion for reading ignited the Always Dream Foundation’s commitment to early childhood literacy in 1996. In 2012, it launched Always Reading in California as a core program to connect children with e-books and technology.
In 2014 ADF expanded the Always Reading program to Hawaii to support the state’s Title 1 public schools, beginning with Kalihi Kai and Linapuni Elementary Schools. Net proceeds from this year’s Golden Moment concert on ice remain in Hawaii and support additional Title 1 schools throughout the state.
About Always Dream Foundation
Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi founded the Always Dream Foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area 2012 to inspire underserved children to reach for their dreams through innovative reading programs and by advancing the cause of early childhood literacy. ADF’s Always Reading literacy program combines technology with books to raise literacy skills and increase overall academic success and life potential. It also inspires children to “dream big” by engaging families with community events highlighting the importance of early childhood literacy. In May, Kristi and her Always Dream Foundation is partnering with the Honolulu Book and Music Festival.
More at www.alwaysdream.org.
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