Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, August 29, 2023

A silent auction with original art, music and a feast helps raise $21K to assist with the Maui firestorm recovery. It was sponsored by The Club at Discovery Harbour. Photo from The Club

MORE THAN $21K WAS RAISED FOR MAUI BY THE CLUB AT DISCOVERY HARBOUR last weekend in the wake of the deadly firestorm on Aug. 8 that destroyed Lāhainā and killed hundreds of people. The Club board member Jeff Jones reported, "The devastating fires on Maui quickly generated a desire to help those affected by the horrific event. Our chef, Jason Lofland, of DaBomb BBQ, was trained and worked on Maui. He approached The Club at Discovery Harbour management with the idea of holding a prime rib buffet dinner as a benefit. It was quickly decided to hold the dinner on Sunday, Aug. 27. It was also decided to solicit donations for a Silent Auction from local artisans."

Chef Jason Lofland, Da Bomb, rallies
volunteers to raise $21K for Maui.
Photo from The Club

       Dinner tickets sold out within three days of ticket sales announcement and the chef went to work. He, along with his staff, donated their time cooking and serving a smoked prime rib buffet dinner to the supportive 72-plus members and guests. Local vendors and artists provided an array of beautiful items ranging from various goods and services, vacation lodging, jewelry, quilted bags, clothing, sculptures and original paintings. All net proceeds for the dinner are going to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kako‘o Maui, which is matching the amount with other funding.
      Jones said, "The Club at Discovery Harbour core staff and volunteers worked feverishly decorating and staging the clubhouse in preparation to receive an overall attendance of 115 people who were anxious to donate to the cause." The doors opened at 3 p.m. and as folks signed in, they were greeted by live music provided by 19 Degrees North, Pat Wake, Keoki Sereno and Tommy Psunami. Dinner was served at 4 p.m. following a Hawaiian Blessing song performed by Sereno. He provided the musical background throughout the dinner hour.
    "Now, it was up to everyone else to open their hearts and checkbooks and boy, did they ever!" said Jones. Silent Auction bidding continued for approximately three hours. 

Sold out dinner and auction to at The Club at Discovery Harbour to support Maui firestorm victims. Photo from The Club

    In addition, some live auction activity was spontaneously incorporated into the festivities when artist, Jeff Barger, decided to sell his original painting, Honu Watching, and his large giclee, Honu Resting, by live auction. Crowd involvement created a party atmosphere which resulted in a feverish bidding war. Artist Megan Collins of Paradise Meadows, donated her original painting, Mamoapus, garnering the highest single donation of the night.

The dinner sold out within three days after The Club's
announcement to fundraiser for Maui. Photo from The Club
 

        Artist Scott Manly, of Historic Stone Art, also got into the action at the last minute, by bringing out one of his larger pieces of etched slate "that was quickly bid up to a nice donation amount," said Jones.
        The Club at Discovery Harbour Pub staff donated their time. They, along with other volunteers served attendees refreshments throughout the evening. A dollar for every drink sold was added to the bottom-line donation.    "Additional volunteers contributed to the overall success; greeting guests at sign-in, managing the Silent Auction, and collecting additional monetary donations for Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kako‘o Maui and the Maui Humane Society."
    Jones said, "The outpouring of support for our Maui ‘Ohana has been overwhelming throughout this endeavor. Jason and The Club at Discovery Harbour staff are humbled by the Aloha Spirit all have shown. We cannot thank everyone enough who donated to this cause."

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ONSITE HELP WITH GRANTS FOR FARMERS MAKING VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION, AND FARM PROGRAMS AND LOANS comes to Ka‘ū. Iokepa-Moses said that all options except for the voucher program would be "a heavy lift." With the voucher program, "We will partner with you but mainly the homeowners will be able to steer that boat from the contractors and what they're doing on the property." 

    This Wednesday, Aug. 30, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., the site is the annex conference room next to the Herkes Kaʻū Gym on the school grounds at 96-1219 Kamani Street. 

    On hand will be Denise Salmeron, a USDA Business Programs Director; Malia Kantrowitz, a Hawai‘i Energy, Energy Advisor; Chloe Gallegos and Kevin Burke from Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Jennifer Balderas and Keisan Tamura from USDA Farm Service Agency.

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HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK HAS announced flight operations for September:

    September 1 between 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. for Hawaiian petrel monitoring on Mauna Loa between 4,000 and 9,000-ft. elevation.
    September 5 between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. for an ungulate survey at Kahuku between 4,000 and 6,000-ft. elevation.
    September 11 and 15 between 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. for Hawaiian petrel monitoring on Mauna Loa between 4,000 ft and 9,000-ft elevation.
    September 14 between 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. for Fountain Grass control and monitoring from the park's west boundary to Keauhou and from sea level to 3,500-ft elevation.
 

A cone along the Maunaiki Trail in the Kaʻū Desert where aerial monitoring for invasive tree control will happen on Sept. 19.
Photo by A. LaValle/NPS

  September 18 between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. multiple flights are planned by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to retrieve temporary seismic instruments on Kīlauea caldera floor around 4,000-ft. elevation.
    September 18 and 21 between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. for Red Hill Cabin repairs and waste removal on Mauna Loa between 8,500 ft and 10,000-ft elevation.
    September 19 between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. for an ungulate survey at Kahuku between 4,000 and 6,000-ft. elevation and for invasive tree control and monitoring in the Ka‘ū Desert from 1,000 to 2400-ft. elevation.
    USGS HVO may conduct additional flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation. The park statement says, it "regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather conditions. Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and maintain backcountry facilities."

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5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the street. See www.kaucalendar.com