The Associated Press - Hawai‘i’s 50th anniversary of statehood is just a year away, and members of the Statehood Commission have announced plans to commemorate the event with a series of yearlong activities. The 25-member commission said it has organized events to honor Hawai‘i’s past and look to the future. On Aug. 21, 1959, Congress passed a bill that allowed Hawai‘i to become the United States of America’s 50th state. The commission plans to host a launch event Nov. 10 for the Hawai‘i state quarter that will provide visitors and locals an opportunity to complete their 50-state quarter set. To commemorate the day Congress passed the bill to make Hawai‘i a state, the commission will host a public event at the State Capitol on March 18 with family activities and a special joint session of the Legislature. “Since joining the U.S., Hawai‘i has been able to maintain its diversity, culture, aloha spirit, compassion for those in need, and the preservation of our unique natural environment,” said Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona in their Statehood Day message released last week. The commemorative activities are funded by state appropriations and private funds.