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Sunday, December 24, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Sunday, December 24, 2017

Christmas Eve celebrated by villagers inside and outside of Holy Rosary Church in Pāhala, following the Pope's
message supporting understanding, tolerance and help for immigrants. Photo by Julia Neal
CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN KA‘Ū focused on peace on earth on Christmas Eve, following the message of Pope Saint Francis, who spoke to some 10,000 people at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican Sunday evening.
       The Pope focused on the number of refugees, which has grown worldwide to more than 22 million people. "We see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones." The Pope said that many flee from those who "see no problem in shedding innocent blood." The Pope himself is an Argentine whose grandparents were immigrants from Italy.
Father Martin Mwanshibula came a long way from Zambia in Africa to serve
Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu Catholics, many of them immigrants or descendants
from immigrants to Ka‘ū. Photo from Hawai`i Cathlolic Herald
       He urged everyone to welcome foreigners and compared immigrants to Mary and Joseph with no place to stay in Bethlehem. "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary," said the Pope.
     The Pope asked for a "new social imagination," leaving no one feeling like "there is no room for them on this earth." He was harsh on those who exploit desperate refugees, calling them "Herods of today," saying they have blood on their hands.
      In Ka‘ū, Father Martin Mwanshibula, the Catholic priest who himself is a long way from his African home in the Diocese of Kasama, Zambia, led Christmas Eve masses In Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu. Father Martin has been the administrator of Holy Rosary Church, Pāhala, and Sacred Heart Church in Nā‘ālehu  for about six years, He serves many immigrants and descendants of immigrants from Portugal, the Philippines, India and other far off places who came to Ka‘ū for better lives in the sugar industry long ago and the coffee industry more recently.
Proteus and other local foliage become the
Christmas setting along with a candle at
Thy Word Ministries Ka‘ū Christmas
Celebration. Photo by George Kamakahi
     Father Martin said earlier this year in the Hawai`i Catholic Herald that there is a challenge in being far  from home, where he is eldest of five brothers and two sisters. "But, within any challenge, something also appears. And that is the community which becomes your family, your support. I am very fortunate the people are very supportive here," in Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu, said Father Martin.

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TAI CHI CHUAN: YANG LONG FORM 108 is offered at Discovery Harbour Community Hall on Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. A $5 donation is asked of attendees. For more, call David at 785-6644.

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Santa wears shorts at St. Jude's Keiki
Christmas party.
A NEW YEAR'S PARTY WILL BE AT DISCOVERY HARBOUR Community Center at Kahiki and Makali‘i Streets on Sunday, Dec. 31, from 7 p.m. A potluck dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. The Robert Thomas Band Trio will entertain from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
Marie  baked cookies for the St.
Jude's Keiki Christmas Party
in the new church kitchen.
Photo from St. Jude's
     Pre-sold tickets are $15 per person. Seating is limited to 72 persons; first come, first served. To purchase tickets or for more information call Elaine at 805- 479-6266 or Sue at 310-770-9644. R.S.V.P. by Friday, Dec. 28. The event is B.Y.O.B. 

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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

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

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

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.

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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.

Fireworks image from wikipedia.com
FIREWORKS AND FIREWORKS PERMITS become available starting Tuesday, Dec. 26. Firework and permit sales will end at midnight on Sunday, Dec. 31.
     Setting off of Fireworks for the New Year celebrations are allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, and 1 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use, during the time of the firing.
     Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.
     For more information on the purchasing of Fireworks permits, or the use of Fireworks, please call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911 (Hilo) or 323-4760 (Kona). For a list of places to purchase fireworks permits visit Dec. 23 Ka‘ū News Briefs

LEARN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COCONUT TREE and its myriad uses in Hawaiian culture and the Pacific during Pulumi Nī‘au Demonstration on Wednesday, Dec. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Free, park entrance fees apply.

REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continues 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.

View Ken Charon's Four ‘Ōhi‘a Wreath at the ongoing 18th Annual
Invitation Wreath Exhibition. See event details at right.
Photo from Volcano Art Center
CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY, FEATURING THE ANNUAL INVITATIONAL WREATH EXHIBITION, BEGINS 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.

LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

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