FeedBears in Paradise Promote LeiBear Day
Written by NetBear on November 8, 2007 – 3:00 pm -
A bear club in Hawaii recently got written-up in the Windy City Times. The Aloha Bears boast about 75 members, including about 20 percent who are visitors that join while here vacationing and participating in some of the clubs regular activities.
“We just try to promote a friendly, accepting environment—truly, an aloha spirit,” said Paul Starzyk, president of the club, who lived in San Francisco for 16 years and now lives in Kaneohe, where he works in the IT industry for an architecture company.
The Aloha Bears promote a once-a-month catamaran trip ($20 for members, $25 for non-members) held on the second Sunday of every month. They meet at one of the local gay bars named “In Between, then take limos to the ocean where they sail from Waikiki for two hours. The trip regularly draws 40 up to the maximum of 45 passengers from the bear and general LGBT community.
The Aloha Bears’ main annual gig is LeiBear Day, a four-day event held over Labor Day weekend. This year’s event drew more than 100 participants, including some from California, Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Japan and Australia.
Like many of the bear weekends on the mainland, LeiBear Day includes numerous food and drink-filled events such as a picnic on Secret Island at the Kualoa Ranch. There also is a luau, and live entertainment, plus fire and hula-dancers at the ranch.
The yearly event also features:
- Three-hour (tour??) boat cruise off Waikiki, which features a barbeque on board and snorkeling expeditions.
- Poker pub crawl to four local gay bars.
- Leather and levi party.
- Labor Day picnic at Queen’s Surf, the predominantly-gay portion of Waikiki Beach.
All Aloha Bears’ events include charity donations to the Shriner’s Hospital, PFLAG or Gregory House, which helps those afflicted with AIDS and HIV.