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    Taste of paradise; Hawaii comes to Littleton

    Taste of paradise: Hawaii comes to Littleton

    Photo By Sgt. Levi Schultz | Gwendolinn Doole, volunteer dancer, performs one-of-four different hula dance routines...... read more read more

    TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, UNITED STATES

    03.26.2015

    Story by Pfc. Levi Schultz 

    Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

    TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - The aroma of coconuts and the variety of brightly colored leis gave Marines at Littleton Dining Facility the feeling of a tropical paradise.

    Littleton Dining Facility held a Hawaiian holiday-themed service, featuring authentic Hawaiian cuisine and hula dancers, March 26, 2015.

    “Every year we give a different performance for the Marines,” said Maria Gugliotti, manager, Littleton Dining Facility. “We want to give them something fun to do and change their everyday pace.”

    This year the theme was inspired by the Hawaiian holiday, Prince Kuhio Day. The prince is celebrated for his efforts in improving Hawaiians’ way of life following their annexation into the United States in 1898, Gugliotti said. The staff at the dining facility served Coconut-pineapple cake made in Hawaii, a Hawaiian grilled chicken dish called huli-huli chicken, and an assortment of dishes made with Spam to match the Hawaiian theme.

    “Everyone worked hard to make this happen,” Gugliotti said. “The dancers have been practicing for two months, and we had to bring in the authentic food.”

    The six dancers were volunteers from the Combat Center community. They spent more than four hours per week to prepare a variety of different hula-dance routines. For each routine, the dancers wore different dresses and performed to traditional Hawaiian music.

    “We volunteered because we wanted to help boost morale,” said Pasi Larsen, volunteer dancer. “It’s a way for us to make day-to-day life better for Marines and break up their routine.”

    Marines at the dining facility were caught off guard by the bright decorations, Hawaiian music and dancers. The dancers received a positive reception from their audience in the form of cheering and clapping.

    “I wasn’t sure what I was walking into at first,” said Pfc. Joseph Hughes, student, Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School. “It was a cool theme and a lot of fun because the performance was something I hadn’t seen before.”

    In past years, Littleton has orchestrated performances such as singing on the Marine Corps Birthday and flash mobs on Halloween, Gugliotti said. The dining facility plans to continue holding events for the Marines aboard the Combat Center.

    “We appreciate the Marines that are fighting for our freedom,” Gugliotti said. “We want to be able to give back and this is our way of supporting them.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 03.26.2015
    Date Posted: 03.31.2015 14:23
    Story ID: 158679
    Location: TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US

    Web Views: 87
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN