Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church invites the public to a musical Christmas Eve with a bell choir, singing
and many musical instruments at 7:30 p.m. Photo by Julia Neal

THE WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU IS GETTING LEGS. Community non-profit ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou president, Wayne Kawachi, is backing it with an outreach to raise $250,000 to purchase 1.9 acres at the location of the old Nā‘ālehu Fruit Stand and Santangelo store on Hwy. 11. Kawachi wrote in a recent letter to the community, "To kick off this vision for seniors in our community, as president of ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou, I will actually kick off my shoes and walk 100 miles in my slippahs from Honoka‘a to Nā‘ālehu from Jan. 2-5, 2018. I plan to sleep under the Big Island skies or find shelter in communities along the long journey. I invite you to join me in taking some steps for this cause!" Kawachi said he is available to talk about it at 937-4773.

Nā‘ālehu Fruit Stand in 2001. The building, now abandoned, is the
proposed site for senior housing, a campaign led by
‘O Ka‘ū Kākou community organization.

     The land is owned by real estate investor Asha Mallick who listed it for $599,000, but has offered to sell at the lower price for senior housing. The store, long abandoned, would be demolished to make room for 25 to 30 senior housing units.
     The letter to the community on Dec. 6 from Kawachi says, "So many of you have been a vital part of our Ka‘ū for a long time now and we thank you! Your donations helped to fund a handi-van which has transported extended care patients to Hilo for medical care. You've brought over 750 children, their family, and friends together for fishing and fun at our most recent Ka‘ū Fishing Derby in January. Because of your generosity, Ka‘ū students have benefitted from school supplies and scholarships over so many years in the past.
     "Today, we are asking you to make another positive change in our community: Build Senior Housing in Nā‘ālehu.
     "I am sure that you know of an elder close to you who has needed the safety and comfort of a senior-friendly place to call home. Nā‘ālehu is experiencing this need for senior housing units as the town's senior population and rent prices steadily increase.
     "As a first step toward this goal, we plan to raise $250,000 toward purchase of 1.9 acres across Nā‘ālehu Elementary School to build 25-30 housing units," he wrote.
      Donations can be sent to the 501C3 nonprofit ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou, P. O. Box 365, Pāhala, HI 96777.

Sen. Mazie Hirono asks for constituents to petition
to pass the DREAM Act.

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NEARLY 700,000 DREAMers "are living in fear of deportation, of being separated from their families because of Donald Trump," declared Sen. Mazie Hirono in a message sent out Wednesday, asking for her constituents to sign a petition. "These DREAMers are our friends, our neighbors, and our co-workers. They aren’t asking for much. They simply want to live, work, and study in the only country many of them have ever known as home," wrote the Senator.
    "The Trump administration’s decision to end the DACA program threatens the lives and livelihoods of so many DREAMers. Donald Trump will continue stoking fear and hatred of immigrants, but it’s up to us to do whatever we can to protect them," said the senator, referring to the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that allows those who grew up in the U.S. but were brought here illegally by their parents, to stay, work, pay taxes and hope for a path to citizenship.
     "Right now, Congress can pass the DREAM Act and create a pathway to citizenship for these DREAMers. I will continue to stand up and demand we take action, but I can’t do it alone: Add your name to tell Republicans to pass the DREAM Act," urged Hirono.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at 
 kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html. 
See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at 
kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decembercommunity.html.
December print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i 
through Volcano. Also available free on stands throughout
the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 23, @ Hilo.
     Saturday, Dec. 30, @ Kamehameha.
     Saturday, Jan. 6, @Kamehameha.

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Dec. 27, @ Pāhoa.
     Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Dec. 30, Konawaena.
     Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
     Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū meets Thursday, Dec. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at United Methodist Church in Nā‘ālehu. For more, call Pres. Berkley Yoshida at 747-0197.

A CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER will be Friday, Dec. 22, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. A young Spanish choir form San Carlos, California will perform. Also on the program are popular Christmas carols, a skit and hula, followed by refreshments. Santa Claus will appear. Call Ron Gall at Ocean View Community Association, 939-7033, or email ovcahawaii@gmail.com.

MAKE LEI WITH TROPICAL AG FARMER KAIPO AHCHONG at Aloha Friday, Dec. 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center. AhChong's experience marries the science of agriculture with Hawaiian lei and hula traditions. For more visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-7565.

VOLUNTEER WITH HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK to help remove invasive non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in at two remaining Stewardship at the Park events that take place this December. The upcoming event is Saturday, Dec. 23, with the event also taking place Dec. 30. Volunteers should meet leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. Fore more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

JOIN A GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Dec. 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
     Palm Trail is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, sections of remnant native forest and amazing volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A BELL CHOIR, MUSIC AND SINGING WITH GUITARS, ‘Ukulele other instruments are a highlight of the Christmas Eve celebration on Sunday, Dec. 24, at Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church on Hwy. 11 beginning at 7:30 p.m.

A CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE IS OFFERED TO ALL on Sunday, Dec. 24, at 5 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View. The schedule includes carols and bells at 5 p.m., main service at 6:15 p.m., with a potluck after. For more details, visit stjudeshawaii.org or call 939-7000.

A CHRISTMAS DAY BUFFET IN VOLCANO is offered Monday, Dec. 25, at Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The café is located inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The menu includes Prime Rib, Roast Turkey, Holiday Lamb Stew and much more. Entry fees are $27.95 per adult, and $14.50 per child (age 6-11). Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8356.

KA‘Ū FOOD PANTRY offers free food to those in need on Tuesday, Dec. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY, FEATURING THE ANNUAL INVITATIONAL WREATH EXHIBITION, continues through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     Christmas in the Country features a fresh lineup of artists hosting special events throughout each weekend.
     The concurrent Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional.
     “Those looking for truly original wreaths as well as one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items will not be disappointed by the selection created by our local artistic community, ” states gallery manager Emily C. Weiss.  Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM 2018 which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continued for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the UH Cooperative Extension Office.
     Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of  volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
     Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
     Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.

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