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Monday, March 11, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs March 11, 2024

Women's History month is being celebrated at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from HVNP

POWERFUL HAWAIIAN WOMEN IN HISTORY are some of the Women's History Month individuals highlighted by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park during March. One of them is Princess Ruth Ke‘elikōlani, who owned thousands of acres of in Kaʻū, which became Kamehameha Schools property, sugar plantation lands and some of the recently protected coastal shoreline properties. Hawai'i Volcanoes posted a link to a story about Princess Ruth, written by Faith Bennett:
    Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani was a direct descendent of Kamehameha I, the leader who united the Hawaiian islands and founded the kingdom of Hawai‘i. She was an advocate for Hawaiian culture who was best known for defending the town of Hilo during the 1880–1881 eruption of the Mauna Loa Volcano, which is part of the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Princess Ruth Ke‘elikōlani owned thousands of acres in Kaʻū.
    Keʻelikōlani was born in Pohukaina, Oahu in 1826. Her mother, Chiefess Pauhi, married her third husband, Mataio Kekūanāoʻa, only three months before she died while giving birth to Princess Ruth. Both Kekūanāoʻa and the Chiefess’s second husband, High Chief Kahalaiʻa Luanuʻu, claimed Keʻelikōlani as a daughter. She was publicly recognized as keiki po‘olua, a “two heads” child, or someone who would inherit the mana (spiritual energy) of both fathers. This early controversy surrounding her paternity presented enduring challenges as she navigated the U.S. legal system to secure a vast land inheritance.
    When she was sixteen, the princess married Leleiohoku with whom she had two children. After Leleiohoku’s death, Keʻelikōlani married Isaac Young Davis, grandson of the haole (a white person) advisor to Kamehameha I. Together they had a son, whom she gave to her cousin Bernice Pauahi Bishop to raise in the Hawaiian tradition of hānai.
    Ke‘elikōlani maintained distinctive Hawaiian beliefs and practices during a period of ongoing tensions between self-proclaimed traditionalists and Christian Hawaiian chiefs. Educated by missionaries in English, she insisted on conducting business in the ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i (the Hawaiian language). Inheriting palaces from her father, she preferred to live in a traditional grass house (hale pili) in Kailua.
    Her rejection of Christianity and the Anglo-American culture made her revered by her countrymen and women, and they turned to her for intervention when the volcano Mauna Loa began erupting in 1880. Six months later in a second wave of eruptions, Mauna Loa’s rift zones released three steady streams of lava flowing toward the town of Hilo, as well as the bases of Mauna Kea and the district of Ka‘ū. Though the lava flows toward Ka‘ū District and Mauna Kea ceased, the lava heading toward the town of Hilo steadily advanced for months. In August 1881 Queen Liliʻuokalani and Princess Ke‘elikōlani arrived in Hilo. At the foot of the lava flow, Keʻelikōlani chanted (oli) and made offerings (ho‘okupu) to Pele, the volcano goddess. The lava flow soon ceased and, according to some reports, Keʻelikōlani then camped overnight just beyond the lava’s reach.

Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani chanted (oli) and made offerings (ho‘okupu) to Pele, the volcano goddess at the foot of a lava flow from Mauna Loa during the 1880-1881 eruption. The lava flow soon ceased and, according to some reports, Keʻelikōlani then camped overnight just beyond the lava’s reach. Charles Furneaux completed this painting of the eruption in 1880, as seen from Hilo Bay. Image from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
    She died in May 1883 after a brief illness. At the time of her death, she was proclaimed to be the highest-ranking descendant of Kamehameha I. She laid claim to 353,000 acres of Kamehameha land, all of which she bequeathed to Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who established the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate to set aside land for the preservation of Hawaiian culture and the advancement of Native Hawaiian people. In her will, Pauahi Bishop dedicated the estate to the development of the Kamehameha Schools for Hawaiian Children.
    A statement from Hawai‘i Volcanoes regarding Women's History Month says, "We're celebrating the remarkable women whose dedication has shaped the legacy of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park! From powerful eruptions to the lush landscapes, women have always played a vital role here. We're honoring the women scientists, conservationists, and cultural leaders who've worked hard to protect this special place. Their dedication helps keep our park beautiful and safe for everyone to enjoy." This and more stories about influential women of Hawaiʻi can be found here: https://go.nps.gov/Hawaii-women.

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Chris Manfredi, Government Affairs Coordinator
of Hawai‘i Coffee Association, pushes for 
a truth in labeling bill. Photo from HCA
HAWAI‘I COFFEE ASSOCIATION AND CHRIS MANFREDI are asking for support from Hawai‘i coffee consumers and the general public to push the 2024 Hawai‘i Legislature to require coffee sold as Hawai‘i Grown to be at least 50 percent of actual-Hawai‘i Grown coffee. The legislation is House Bill 2298.
    Manfredi, who worked as a Kaʻū land manager, coffee broker, leader of Hawai'i Farm Bureau and Hawai‘i Coffee Association, as well as a Kaʻū Coffee Fest organizer for years, remains Government Affairs Coordinator for Hawai‘i Coffee Association.
    The statement is titled Preserving the Integrity and Future of Hawai‘i-Grown Coffee. Manfredi writes: A bill advancing through the legislature establishes a timeline by which coffee sold as 'Hawai‘i-grown' must contain at least 50% of actual Hawai‘i-grown coffee. Coffee growers throughout the state overwhelmingly support this measure. A recent state-funded study showed this change would increase income to nearly 1,500 small farms that are only marginally profitable under the current law.
    Currently, farmers who built and preserve the reputation of Hawai‘i-grown coffee are unfairly forced to compete with fake products, often priced below their own cost of production.
    A few members of Hawai‘i's coffee industry import foreign-grown coffee and mix it with Hawai‘i-grown coffee at a ratio of 9 to 1, so it may be sold as a Hawai‘i origin product. The raw coffee they import commonly sells for less than $2/lb., is not subject to the strict grade standards applied to Hawai‘i-grown coffee, and can contain invasive pests and disease. These foreign-grown blends are then priced many times higher than the commodity coffee that comprises 90% of the blend; often selling for more than $20/lb. solely because of the Hawai'i origin name. Blenders are reaping huge profits while farmers get squeezed.
    When substandard fakes are profiteered in the market, Hawai‘i's reputation is undermined because the consumer can't taste one bean in 10 – they're tasting the $2 commodity coffee and paying a premium for it.
This is important because the practice creates downward price pressure. It's more expensive in Hawai‘i to produce coffee than any other growing region. The high cost of land, labor, farm inputs, transportation

and regulatory compliance have all risen sharply. Hawai‘i's growers are known for producing exceptionally high-quality coffee which allows them to earn prices that enable them to meet these elevated costs.
    After years of debate over this inequity, Hawai‘i's legislature directed the state's Department of Agriculture to conduct a market study to examine the impacts of increasing the minimum blend ratio of Hawai‘i coffee products. The study found increasing the blend ratio to 51 or even 100% will shift revenue away from the blenders and back to the growers. The study also indicated that consumers would be able to better identify and understand the authenticity of the product on the shelf.
   Farming is hard work. That's why the USDA has seen the average age of a farmer increase to nearly 60 years old. Shouldn't we be supporting our local farmers? Shouldn't we be encouraging young people to take up agriculture by rewarding them with a livelihood? Tell your legislature to preserve the integrity of Hawai‘i-grown coffee by supporting HB2298, writes Manfredi. He can be contacted at cmanfredi@hawaiicoffeeassoc.org.

COFFEE GROWERS LEARN ABOUT the world of fighting Coffee Leaf Rust in Puerto Rico at the University of Hawai‘i ag extension webinar on Tuesday. The disease also threatens coffee farms here. It starts at noon and features Paul Bayman of the University of Puerto Rico, and his presentation will be on Coffee Leaf Rust in Puerto Rico: Patterns and Pathogens.
    Andrea Kawabata will present on coffee pruning on March 19th and Melissa Johnson's presentation has been moved to April 9. Register at https://www.hawaiicoffeeed.com/coffeewebinars.html.

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Shane Curry Bloking
HAWAI'I POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED MONDAY that Hawai‘i Island police arrested 49-year-old Shane Curry Bloking, of Nā‘ālehu, with fourth-degree sexual assault following an incident that occurred on Friday evening, March 8, on board an airline flight bound for Honolulu, from Hilo International Airport.
    As the flight was taxiing on the runway, Bloking reportedly touched and squeezed the leg of a 14-year-old girl he did not know, who was seated next to him, causing her to feel alarmed and unsafe. A passenger seated on the opposite side of the girl observed her to appear emotionally traumatized by Bloking’s actions, alerted a flight attendant, which resulted in the plane being diverted back to the terminal gate, where Bloking was detained by airport police until officers arrived and took him into custody.
   The 14-year-old victim had been in Hilo for several days for a function with other students and chaperones. After the plane returned to the terminal gate and Bloking was arrested, the flight was able to leave.
    On Saturday afternoon, March 9, after conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, detectives from the Area I Juvenile Aid Section were advised to release Bloking for the sexual assault offense, as according to the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, the elements for sexual assault had not been met by the actions of Bloking. He was then arrested and charged for harassment. The sexual assault case will be forwarded to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for further review.
    Bloking was later released from police custody on the harassment charge after posting $100 bail. He was issued a notice to appear for his initial court appearance schedule for Tuesday, April 2, at 1:30 p.m. in Hilo District Court.
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Sunday, March 10, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs March 10, 2024

In February, Dr. Jim Kauahikaua, of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, who died last October, received the first award
given by the International Association of Volcanology & Chemistry of the Earth's Interior. The honor, with speech by
Dr. Ken Hon, HVO's Scientist in Charge was given at a meeting of Cities on Volcanoes held in Guatemala in February.
Kauahikaua was a Volcano resident and often spoke at volcano events in Kaʻū. USGS Photo

HVO SCIENTISTS TRAVELED TO THE CITIES ON VOLCANOES CONFERENCE in February. The latest Volcano Watch, written by USGS Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory scientist Naalia Deigne, explains:  In February, the volcanological community gathered for the 12th edition of Cities on Volcanoes (COV12), a conference of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior.
    This conference series started in 1998, with the third conference held in Hilo in 2003; Cities on Volcanoes conferences are held every two to three years in a city that co-exists with and is influenced by volcanism.
    This year COV12 was in Antigua, Guatemala, the colonial capital of Guatemala from 1543-1773, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Three volcanoes, Fuego, Agua, and Acatenango, are located near Antigua. Fuego is quite active: minor explosions happen multiple times a day, with the resulting ash plumes visible from Antigua (quite a sight over breakfast!). Tragically, on June 3, 2018, Fuego had its largest eruption in more than 40 years, with pyroclastic flows (fast moving flows of hot gas, volcanic ash, and rocks) killing hundreds of people, mostly within a single rural community on the southeast flank of the volcano.
    About 650 people from around the world attended COV12, including volcano observatory staff, academics from a variety of disciplines, students, emergency managers and government officials, indigenous cultural practitioners, artists, and local residents. Seven State of Hawaii residents attended,

During Cities on Volcanoes conference, participants walk next to buildings of La Reunión Golf Resort damaged by pyroclastic flows during the June 3, 2018, eruption of Fuego volcano. The USGS photo shows Fuego in the background, a minor explosion underway and a small volcanic ash plume rising from the summit. At right, during the conference closing ceremony, Dr. Jim Kauahikaua was posthumously awarded the first IAVCEI Honorary Award. HVO Scientist-in-Charge Ken Hon (center) accepted the award from the IAVCEI President and Secretary, on behalf of the Kauahikaua family.
Image from the Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia e Hidrología in Guatemala.

hailing from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency, and the University of Hawaiʻi (Hilo and Mānoa).
    Conferences such as COV12 allow participants to share experiences, ideas, observations, and research findings. Four of the five conference days either started or ended with three or four general talks followed by a panel discussion open to the public. Together, these sessions explored volcanology and risk reduction in Latin America and beyond, with special attention paid to the role and contributions of local and indigenous communities, and emerging, more inclusive and holistic research approaches. These were conducted in both English and Spanish, with simultaneous translation provided.
        Most of the rest of the conference consisted of concurrent sessions, each grouped around a topic. Participants faced a tough choice for which of the many fascinating sessions to attend. Sessions at COV12
The late Dr. Jim Kauahikaua, of HVO.
Photo from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
included short (5 minutes or less) and longer (12 minute) talks, panel discussions, facilitated participant discussions, and poster sessions that prompted engaging dialogues around specific studies, experiences, and initiatives.
    The Hawai‘i contingent played an active role in the conference, including running and presenting in sessions such as Lessons from recent eruptions and other crises, Long-term engagement and interaction between civil authorities and volcano observatories, The Indigenous voice in volcanology, Multidisciplinary investigations to unravel the structure and dynamics of active volcanic systems, and Creating “volcano-ready” communities.
     During the third day of the conference, participants could attend one of two field trips: visiting either Pacaya or Fuego volcano. Pacaya volcano is near the capital Guatemala City, and its eruption in 2010 resulted in volcanic ash covering the city and causing significant disruption (for example, the airport was closed for nearly five days). Those who chose the Pacaya field trip were treated to a long hike and beautiful vistas.
    The Fuego field trip focused on that volcano’s deadly June 2018 eruption. Participants visited the La

Reunión Golf Resort that was evacuated prior to pyroclastic density currents sweeping through, destroying and inundating much of the resort. This was followed by a visit to San Miguel Los Lotes, the village where hundreds of fatalities were caused by these pyroclastic density currents. Most buildings in this village are still buried under many feet and tons of deposits, with no night-time occupancy permitted. It was sobering and sad to walk down a cleared street near where so many had perished in and near their homes.
   At the end of the conference, the late Dr. Jim Kauahikaua of HVO was awarded the first IAVCEI Honorary Award, along with the late Dr. Peter Hall from the Instituto Geofísico de la Escuela Politécnica Nacional (Ecuador’s volcano monitoring entity). This award was given in recognition of Jim’s contribution and services to volcano monitoring and risk reduction, which continues to serve as an example for the entire volcanology community. HVO Scientist-in-Charge Ken Hon gave a moving tribute in Jim’s honor.
   Cities on Volcanoes will soon return to the USA for the first time since 2003. The next edition will be held in Bend, Oregon, in 2026.

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A bright red adult ʻiʻiwi. Photo by Janice Wei

PARADISE UNDER PRESSURE: TRACKING THE RARE FOREST BIRDS OF HAWAI‘I is the topic at 
After Dark in the Park this Tuesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Avian ecologist Seth Judge. NPS photo
    The announcement notes that Hawaiʻi has suffered the extinction of more than 70 percent of its native forest birds since the islands were colonized by people. Introduced avian diseases and their vectors have pushed remaining birds into upland forests on Mauna Loa and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, where surveys to estimate population densities and trends have been conducted since the 1970s.
    National Park Service Avian Ecologist Seth Judge describes the trends of native forest birds and how a warming climate has contributed to their decline. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park programs and co-sponsored by the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Free, but park entrance fees apply.

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A HUGE ROCK TAKEN FROM KAʻŪ TO WASHINGTON, D.C. will be returned by the National Museum of the American Indian this summer. Named Kānepō, the boulder was leant to the museum through the Kūpuna Advisory Council of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park 20 years ago. Halena Kapuni-Reynolds, curator of the museum, released the following statement in Hawaiian and English:
    Aloha mai kākou! ʻO Halena kēia, ke kahu o ka moʻaukala a me ka moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi ma ka hale hōʻikeʻike aupuni o ka poʻe ʻŌiwi o ʻAmelika. Ma ka ʻaoʻao komohana o kā mākou hale hōʻikeʻike ma Wakinekona D.C., ua hoʻonohonoho ʻia he pōhaku nui mai Hawaiʻi mai no ka hōʻike ʻana aku i kā mākou

Kānepō, a huge boulder from Kaʻū, will be returned this summer from
 National Museum of the Native American Indian in Washington, D.C.
Photo from The Smithsonian Museum
kuleana i ka poʻe ʻŌiwi o Hawaiʻi. ʻO Kānepō ka inoa o kēia pōhaku, a no ka moku o Kaʻū ma ka mokupuni ʻo Hawaiʻi mai ʻo ia. I ka makahiki 2004, ua hāʻawi ʻia ʻo Kānepō e ka ʻAha Kūpuna o ka Pāka Aupuni ʻo Kīlauea no nā makahiki he iwakālua. I loko o ia manawa, ua kipa nui ʻia ʻo Kānepō e ka lehulehu, a waiho pinepine ʻia nā hoʻokupu nona. I kēia kauwela, e hoʻohanohano ʻia ana kēia pōhaku kaulana ma ka Hoʻolauleʻa Moʻomeheu, a laila, e hoʻihoʻi ana ʻo ia i kona ʻāina kamahaʻo. Ke ʻike ʻoe iā Kānepō, e aloha aku ʻoe iā ia e like me kekahi kūpuna i aloha nui ʻia.
    Greetings everyone! This is Halena, the curator of Native Hawaiian history and culture at the National Museum of the American Indian. On the western side of our museum in Washington D.C., a boulder from Hawaiʻi was placed in order to demonstrate our responsibility to represent Native Hawaiians. Kānepō is the name of this rock, and they are from the Kaʻū District on Hawaiʻi Island. In 2004, Kānepō was given by the Kūpuna (Elders) Advisory Council of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park for 20 years. In that time, they have been greeted by many people, and numerous offerings were left for them. This summer, this celebrated rock will be honored at the Folklife Festival and then sent home to its wonderful land. When you see Kānepō, greet him like you would an esteemed elder.
    ʻŌlelo Pākuʻi: Mahalo a nui loa iā ʻoukou pākahi a pau no kou mau manaʻo e pili ana iā Kānepō. ʻO ka manaʻo nui o nā ʻōlelo kākoʻo a me nā ʻōlelo hoʻohalahala, ʻo ia hoʻi ke aloha o ka poʻe Hawaiʻi no kā lākou ʻāina a me nā pōhaku. ʻO kēia aloha ke kumu i hāʻawi ʻia ʻo Kānepō no ka manawa i hiki iā ia ke
Kānepō from Kaʻū, outside Museum of the Native
American Indian, in Washington, D.C.
Photo by Julia Neal


hoʻi i Kaʻū. E like me ʻoukou, ua kūkākūkā nui ka ʻAha Kūpuna no ka hoʻouna ʻana i kekahi pōhaku i Wakinekona D.C. i ia mau makahiki 20 aku nei. Ua hōʻike ʻia nā mānaʻo kākoʻo a me nā mānaʻo kānalua no kēia hana, a no laila, ua hoʻoholo ka ʻAha Kūpuna e hoʻouna iā Kānepō me ka manaʻo e hoʻihoʻi mai ʻo ia i Hawaiʻi i ka manawa kūpono. I loko o nā makahiki 20, ua kipa pinepine ʻia ʻo Kānepō e ko Hawaiʻi poʻe iā lākou e huakaʻi ana ma Wakinekona D.C. Ua waiho nui ʻia nā hoʻokupu nona, a he hōʻike hou kēia o ke aloha o ka poʻe Hawaiʻiiā ia. Mahalo aku kākou i ka ʻaha kūpuna a me ka poʻe o Hawaiʻi no ka ʻae ʻana iā mākou e hōʻike aku iā Kānepō i kēia mau makahiki he nui. Na mākou ke kuleana e hoʻihoʻi iā ia i kona onehānau i kēia kauwela.
    Kapuni-Reynolds said, "Thanks to each of you for voicing your perspectives on Kānepō. Overall, your support and criticism illustrate how much aloha Native Hawaiians have for their lands and stones. This aloha is the reason that Kānepō was loaned so that they could be returned to Kaʻū. Just as you have done, the Kūpuna Advisory Council spent much time deliberating whether or not they should send a stone to Washington D.C. 20 years ago." 
    "There was support as well as doubt shared in doing this, thus the decision was made by the Council to send Kānepō with the intent of returning them to Hawaiʻi at the right time. In the past 20 years, Kānepō has been visited frequently by Native Hawaiians visiting Washington D.C. Many offerings were left for them—another testament to the aloha that Native Hawaiians have for them. We are grateful to the Kūpuna Council and to Native Hawaiians for allowing us to show Kānepō over these many years."
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Kaʻū News Briefs March 9, 2024

Larry Katahara is legendary in his outreach to the community through the Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Project.
Photo from hawaiiislandhawksbillproject.org.

HAWAI‘I ISLAND HAWKSBILL PROJECT ANNOUNCED A RECORD SEASON for nesting by critically endangered hawksbill turtles on the coast of this island. The following report was posted this week:
Hatchlings head to the water at Punalu‘u.
Photo from Kaylee Roofner Photography
Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Turtle Project
    "The 2023 nesting season was a busy one for the Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Project team and the hawksbill mamas!" The season ended in December with 82 confirmed nests–a new record for Hawai‘i Island. "This number far surpasses the previous record of 70 set all the way back in 1995!" 
    During the latest nesting season, the Hawksbill Project encountered 18 female hawksbills, six of them returnees from previous seasons. Their nests produced almost 9,000 hatchlings.
     "Mahalo to our partners at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, NOAA, Friends of HAVO, and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association for helping make this season so successful," says the report.
    The 2024 hawksbill nesting season starts in May. "In the meantime, please continue to be respectful and take care of our beaches so they will be ready for the mamas to return," says the statement from the Hawksbill Project. It notes that all sea turtle work was completed under U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Permit TE72088A-3 by authorized individuals.
    Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Turtle Project lead Kelleigh Downs brought the organization's mission to the Friend-Raiser at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School on Saturday and shared that volunteer positions will soon be available for the 2024 nesting season that begins in May. The org's website says: " By promoting public stewardship of rare ecosystems, mainly through education and outreach, we can

ensure that future generations are taught their importance."
    To volunteer, call  808-985-6090 or email info@hawaiiislandhawksbillturtleproject.org. See more at www.hawaiiislandhawksbillturtle.org.


TESTIMONY REGARDING PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT PUNALU‘U is still being accepted by County of Hawai‘i, following the cutoff at the public hearing on Thursday after a county Planning Commission meeting that lasted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The email for all testimony regarding the requested Shoreline Management Area permit is wpctestimony@hawaiicounty.gov. 
    Some 80 persons testified live on Thursday before the Windward Planning Commission in Hilo, with some 50 remaining to testify at the extended meeting time to be announced. A very high percentage of testimony live and submitted has opposed the plan for Punalu‘u. The live testimony with accompanying chat can be seen online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfA6VoyabyE. 
    Organizers of an online permit opposing the development announced more than 13,600 signatures as of late Saturday from people worldwide. See the narrative, names, countries and states at 

 
Hats and Lei presented and for sale at the Friend-Raiser.
Photo by Ophir Danenberg
A SENSE OF JOY AND COMMUNITY ARE WORDS FROM Vice-Principal Kuulei Pablo, staff members and attendees at Nāʻālehu Elementary School during their annual Friend-Raiser event on Saturday, sponsored by the Student Council. 
    School staff members said they are  grateful for the participants' support and for having a place to promote the sense of joy and community for the students and the families. They also pointed to the school campus on this day as being a place for small businesses and individuals to promote and share their hard work with their products and community programs.
   Funds raised during the Friend-Raiser go toward student activities and supplies.
    Friend-raiser Coordinator Amber Keohuloa shared the importance of bringing family, students, school staff and community together.
State Department of Education partnered with Leadership
 in Disabilities Services at the Friend-Raiser.
Photo by Ophir Danenberg
    Leadership in Disabilities and Achievement of Hawai‘i provided information regarding their services in collaboration with the Department of Education. Their offerings include small group sessions open to parents and older children to get support with the Individualized Education program. 
    Child & Family Services discussed ongoing 'ohana support through its virtual nurturing families parent support groups. See childandfamilyservives.org.
    Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi discussed the Sixth Annual Mālama Nā Keiki Festival scheduled for Saturday, May18 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.
   The 31-year-old organization offers community outreach online and in person, with education, discussion, and clinical services.

    The Mālama Nā Keiki Festival event aims to improve prenatal care, improve health outcomes, and enrich parenting skills for Hawaiʻi island ʻohana. This event is completely free and open to the public. It is focuses on keiki under age 18, expecting and first-time mothers, supporting ʻohana, young families, and women considering pregnancy from across the island. There will be free food, partnering agencies, health screenings, Makahiki games, make and take crafts, smoothie bikes, and more.
    Retired Principal Darlene Javaar said, "It's fun to come back and learn of the great things happening at  Nāʻālehu Elementary, like this Friend-Raiser. It's awesome to see familiar faces, and new faces, still supporting one another. I'm optimistic for NES."

Friend-Raiser Coordinator Amber Keohuloa and retired principal Darlene Javaar at the Friend-Raiser event at Nāʻālehu School 
on Saturday. Photo by Ophir Danenberg

Child & Family Service, operating since 1899, took its mission to Nāʻālehu School on Saturday.
Photo by Ophir Danenberg

Leadership & Achievement of Hawai‘i, helps those with disabilities receive eduction and
training, even beyond the age for high school graduation. Photo by Ophir Danenberg

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