Source: Hawaiian Airlines
As the first cherry blossoms of the season began to bloom, 20 Tech Ops employees from Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines embarked on a special annual visit to Holy Family Home, an orphanage in Osaka, Japan.
Since 2017, the Hawaiian Airlines Tech Ops team has journeyed over 4,000 miles from Honolulu to support Holy Family Home through Team Kōkua, the airline’s employee volunteer group. Aligning with Tech Ops’ annual international maintenance leadership gathering, these visits have evolved into a heartfelt tradition — demonstrating a deep commitment to nurturing the community, fostering cultural exchange and spreading the spirit of aloha.
Following World War II, the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul established Holy Family Home in Osaka to care for orphans spanning infancy through high school. In 1949, members of the 27th Infantry Regiment, known as the “Wolfhounds,” visited the orphanage for the first time. Shocked by the poor living conditions, the soldiers began pooling money from their paychecks to support the children. That year, they collected $149 — equivalent to over $2,000 today* — and this marked the beginning of their ongoing efforts to aid the orphanage, including raising enough to fund the construction of a new facility.
Hawaiian Airlines’ Maintenance & Engineering Vice President Beau Tatsumura read about the story in a military newspaper while on deployment with the U.S. Army and was touched. Years later, when Tatsumura and his team had the opportunity to support a community group during their regular Osaka visit, Holy Family Home immediately came to mind.
During this year’s visit, Team Kōkua tackled essential facility upgrades, including planting flowers, repainting an emergency slide and entrance gates and repairing a broken clock tower. After a shared lunch, the group hosted cultural activities for the youth, including a finger puppet activity that taught the children about native birds that inspired the names of Hawaiian’s Boeing 717 fleet. Ukulele lessons and a custom cornhole game, assembled by aircraft mechanics, added to the fun, and each child was gifted cotton candy and a special treat bag.
“I think the children really enjoyed learning about the birds,” said Jennifer Lee, senior director of supply chain management programs and initiatives at Hawaiian Airlines. “It briefly took them to a place that’s near and dear to our hearts, and it was nice to be able to share that with them.”
Scott Miller, chief inspector at Alaska Airlines, reflected on his trip of firsts: first time in Japan, first visit to Holy Family Home and first Team Kōkua activity. “I honestly think the interaction with the kids, when they came in, was absolutely amazing,” Miller shared. “I helped some young folks cut out paper hats and finger puppets, which was one of the most fun parts of the day.”
Jim Landers, senior vice president of tech ops at Hawaiian Airlines, added, “Seeing the smiles on their faces puts smiles in our hearts. It’s been a joy to grow our relationship with Holy Family Home in the past nine years, and this visit was even more special with the presence of our new colleagues at Alaska Airlines.”
Team Kōkua engages employees from around Hawaiian’s global network to give back to the people and places the carrier serves. “If you can volunteer when you travel, whether for work or pleasure, it is always well worth it,” Miller said. “I think that generally those who volunteer tend to get more out of the experience from the positive impact on the community and the camaraderie built while working together.”