Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Taiko drummers encourage Wayne Kawachi as he walks from Honoka‘a to Nā‘ālehu to raise money
for senior housing. Photo from OKK

County Council member Maile David, who represents all
of Ka‘ū, catches up with Kawachi during his walk
through Hilo. Photo from OKK

THE HUNDRED-MILE WALK to raise money for senior housing in Nā‘ālehu is well under way. As of 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3, Wayne Kawachi, who is walking in rubber slippers for the fundraiser, had passed Glenwood. He is on his way from Honoka‘a, through Hamakua and Hilo, into Puna and heading toward Ka‘ū on Hwy 11. The walk began on Tuesday, Jan. 2, and is expected to end Friday, Jan. 5, as Kawachi takes the steps to reach his goal of raising $250,000.
     His progress can be seen on a G.P.S. tracker on OKK's website where there is also video and photos at okaukakou.org/track-wayne-100-mile-walk.
     OKK aims to purchase the 1.9 acre location of the old Nā‘ālehu Fruit Stand, owned by Asha Mallick, who is offering to sell it at a discount for the project. Once in possession of the property, OKK hopes to build some 25 to 30 housing units for seniors, cooperating with government and other nonprofit organizations.

Wayne Kawachi and his support crew at Mile 7 along his 100-mile walk to
 raise money to build senior housing in Nā‘ālehu. He passed
Glenwood Wednesday evening. Photo from OKK

     Kawachi noted that there are only two senior housing locations in all of Ka‘ū, and said he is worried that some seniors will have nowhere to live.

     To contribute to the cause, visit youcaring.com/wayne
kawachi-1038208.

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.

NEW HANDBLOWN, CHISELED, AND ETCHED GLASSWORK by Big Island Artist Heather Mettler is showcased at Volcano Art Center's upcoming art exhibit, Passage and Place. The collection questions the themes of migration, navigation, and immigration.

     Mettler challenges viewers to explore such themes as how humans, plants, and animals make their way to a certain place, how a place becomes a home, and the "process that binds or connects us to particular places," she said.

Big Island artist Heather Mettler's glasswork is showcased
at Volcano Art Center Gallery this month.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

     According to a statement from Volcano Art Center, using a combination of handblown, chiseled, and etched glass, Mettler “reflects patterns and designs which illustrate her reverence for the mountain environment and the ocean which surround these islands.” While not born locally, her family moved to Hawaiʻi when she was six years old. Mettler says she has "spent most of my life on the beautiful Big Island of Hawaiʻi. I grew up immersed in the flora, fauna, and ocean of the Kona coast. With its hapuʻu ferns, wild ginger, coconut palms, dolphins, sea turtles, rustic lava fields, and exquisite birds, Kona has been a magical place to call home.” Mettler says she feels deeply rooted in this place and finds it a constant source of inspiration for her art.
     Mettler’s fascination with glass began when she was a teenager, working as an apprentice to an artist specializing in sandblasting. She expanded her skills at the Pilchuck Glass School where she studied mosaic design with Felice Nittolo. After learning casting and glass blowing, she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in glass from the University of Hawaiʻi.

     Mettler has been working in glass for nearly 20 years and states she is “continuously inspired by its versatility, fluidity, and textural capabilities… I draw creative energy for my pieces by watching the changing water of the Pacific, which reminds me of the liquid potential of my medium. I'm always looking for patterns and similarities in what I see, translating these elements into artistic language within my work. Glass has always been my canvas, but the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands is my true inspiration."

Glasswork featured in Volcano Art Center's
Passage and Place exhibit starting Jan. 13.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

     Mettler is well known for her unique Basket Series of glass vessels - a collection which combines layers of woven copper baskets, blown glass, and sandblasted imagery to create a watery and ethereal experience for the viewer. Her new works have taken that concept and expanded it even further. The "navigation cylinders" specifically in this new body of work expose the woven baskets on the exterior of the vessel instead of being contained within. The woven copper forms reference the use of woven star charts used by ancient navigators, according the Volcano Art Center statement. This unique collection of works by Mettler invites viewers to "think of their own migratory story and sense of place in this world."
     The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, Jan. 13, and is on display through Sunday, Feb. 11, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. An opening reception with the artist present will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13. Learn about more art events at volcanoartcenter.org.

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.

HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNOUNCES A HAWAIIAN BAMBOO STAMPING demonstration is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Learn to create beautiful designs using bamboo stamps (‘ohe kāpala), which were originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning. The event is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at 

 kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januaryevents.html. 

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at 
kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januarycommunity.html.
January 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: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
     Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
     Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
     Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
     Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
     Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
     Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kamehameha.
     Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
     Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
     Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

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.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL meets Thursday, Jan. 4, in Hilo. The committees meet on Wednesday, Jan. 23, and a full Council meets again Thursday, Jan. 24, both in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch meets at Ocean View Community
Center Thursday, Jan. 4. Photo from oceanviewbc.org

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Thursday, Jan. 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU begins at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy 11 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants, like morning glory, from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again on Jan. 11, 18, and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

TROPICAL FLOWER ARRANGING WITH HAWAIIAN CULTURAL PRACTITIONER Kaipo Ah Chong takes place Friday, Jan. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Ah Chong offers a popular tropical flower arranging workshop and provides flowers for all those in attendance; however, individuals must bring their own clippers. Pre-registration is required. The class fee is $45 plus a $20 supply fee per person. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

Take a Fearless Abstract Painting class in Volcano Saturday, Jan. 6.
Photo from Volcano Art Center 

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING - an acrylic paint art class - is set for Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Professional artist Samantha daSilva shares her unique method of painting using rollers, tables, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand, and wood shavings to create textured abstracts. No experience necessary. Class fee is $85 for VAC members and $90 for non-members, plus $15 supply fee per person. Register online, at volcanoartcenter.org, or call 967-8222.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT offers four days in January for volunteers to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The upcoming meeting is Saturday, Jan. 6. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Other opportunities this month take place Jan. 13, 19, and 26. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more see nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI‘IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

Photo from jimmywayne on Flickr.com

TAKE A FREE GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL and learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture in Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike is approximately 2 miles and moderately difficult. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC is Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at  Manukā Park. The event organizers invite American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio, and families. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton is set for Monday, Jan. 8, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels, headed by Stanton. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. The class will take place again on Jan. 15. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

Photo from NPS

DISCOVERY HARBOUR/ NĀ‘ĀLEHU C.E.R.T. meets Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. The public is invited to come see what Community Emergency Response Team is about, as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

KĪLAUEA VOLCANO'S EAST RIFT ZONE: 35 YEARS AND STILL ERUPTING is the After Dark in the Park talk scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m., in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption that began 35 years ago, and provides an in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year. The event is free; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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.

Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Astronomer Dean Regas, of Star Gazers on PBS, will host two events at the end of this month in Hawai‘i
Volcanoes National Park. See story below. Photo by Janice Wei/ National Park Service

THE MOA‘ULA KA‘Ū COFFEE FARMS contain some burial sites and they were the subject of a Burial Council meeting in late December. Making a plan for the burials is part of the ongoing process of the owners subdividing the farmlands to sell them off. A number of native Hawaiians came to the meeting held in Nā‘ālehu to make sure the burials will be treated respectfully.
     Keoni Fox, who said he is a descendent of those buried there, asked for a larger buffer area and that burial caves be treated as a whole rather than using a "cookie cutter" approach across the property. Fox said he has concerns about access and fencing. He talked about preserving cultural landscapes and protecting them as a whole, and mentioned a non-burial cave next to the burials as a cultural site also to be preserved.
     The archaeologist from Scientific Consultant Services, hired by the owner of the land being subdivided, is studying the site. He mentioned that the owner leases lands to farmers and is selling lands to farmers. "I think they are doing a re-subdivision to sell the lands to farmers," he said. He said there will be a burial plan in consultation with descendants of those buried there.

Palekapu Dedman called on protection of the graves, with native
Hawaiians determining their future. Photo from Big Island Video News

     Palekapu Dedman, who farms coffee in the area, and is a known preservation activist, said that Hawaiian ancestral bones - their burials and treatment - is an emotional issue. He has been a member of the Burial Council in the past and noted that back in 1986, it was accepted that property owners owned graves. "In 1986 - you could get off the plane, buy a piece of property - you own by tūtū (grandparent)," he said. He recommended that the graves be covered and new owners be given full disclosure of where they are located and directions to protect them.
     Dedman also accused the Burial Council of not being Hawaiian enough. He said that "we already know how it is to be colonialized and being controlled by non-Hawaiians and the Hawaiians themselves become conditioned to accept that." He said the Hawaiians don't need a burial plan with "foreign ideals." He said that Burial Council members should come from a spiritual tradition. He contended that "Christian Hawaiians - they dig up and move burials all day long."
     He said that dealing with iwi is not like dealing with forestry and aquatics. "These are bones," said Dedman.
     A woman said she is a lineal descendent of those buried on the Moa‘ula coffee lands. She talked about overall planning, urging "to keep it Ka‘ū culturally, preserved and for our mo‘opuna (descendants) to learn and continue, cause it's real hope." She said that kahu, spiritual leaders on this island and around the state, know that Ka‘ū "will continue to be preserved and our people fight to keep it." The council took no action on the burial plan, which remains in draft form.

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.

Astronomer Dean Regas, co-host of PBS
Star Gazers, comes to Volcano.
Photo from Dean Regas

MEET ASTRONOMER DEAN REGAS, CO-HOST OF PBS STAR GAZERS, at two separate events at the end of this month in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     The first, Kīlauea Star Party, takes place Monday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m., and will be the park's first-ever Star Party at Kīlauea Overlook. Regas offers attendees the opportunity to learn about an endangered resource and sacred cultural connection: Hawai‘i Islands' dark night skies. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park invites the public to "journey through time as we explore nearby planets and deep-space celestial wonders above the glow of Halema‘uma‘u Crater."
     Event goers will be able to view the night sky through powerful telescopes. Dark Skies Rangers will be available to answer questions and guide visitors through the night sky.
     The second event, Witness the Lunar Eclipse, takes place on Jan. 30, at 8:30 p.m., following After Dark in the Park at Kīlauea Overlook. Regas will guide attendees through the January 2018 lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse can only occur the night of the full moon, when the sun, earth, and moon are aligned. As the earth’s shadow (umbra) passes across the moon, it creates a lunar eclipse. Every so often, this alignment is perfect or nearly so, and creates a total lunar eclipse.
     Both events are free to attend; however, they are subject to weather conditions, and park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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.

HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNOUNCES Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone: 35 Years and Still Erupting as the After Dark in the Park talk scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, starting at 7 p.m., in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. U.S.G.S. Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta briefly describes the early history of the East Rift Zone eruption that began 35 years ago, and provides an in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year. The event is free; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at 

 kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januaryevents.html. 

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at 
kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januarycommunity.html.
January 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: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
     Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
     Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
     Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
     Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
     Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
     Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kamehameha.
     Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
     Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
     Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

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.

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU continues today from Honoka‘a through Friday, Jan. 5, to Nā‘ālehu. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi will walk 100 miles to raise $250,000, in an effort to purchase 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. For more call Karachi at 937-4773.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S LAVA LOUNGE is Wednesday, Jan. 3, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., welcoming singers, bands, comedians, and other performers to take the stand. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years and older. The lounge is inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL committees meet Wednesday, Jan. 3, with a full council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4. Both meeting days take place in Hilo. The committees will meet again on Wednesday, Jan. 23, and a full Council meets Thursday, Jan. 24, both in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU begins at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy 11 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants, like morning glory, from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again on Jan. 11, 18, and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Thursday, Jan. 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

TROPICAL FLOWER ARRANGING WITH HAWAIIAN CULTURAL PRACTITIONER Kaipo Ah Chong takes place Friday, Jan. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Ah Chong offers a popular tropical flower arranging workshop and provides flowers for all those in attendance; however, individuals must bring their own clippers. Pre-registration is required. The class fee is $45 plus a $20 supply fee per person. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, an acrylic paint art class, is set for Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Professional artist Samantha daSilva shares her unique method of painting using rollers, tables, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand, and wood shavings to create textured abstracts. No experience necessary. Class fee is $85 for VAC members and $90 for non-members, plus $15 supply fee per person. Register online, at volcanoartcenter.org, or call 967-8222.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT offers four days in January for volunteers to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The upcoming meeting is Saturday, Jan. 6. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Other opportunities this month take place Jan. 13, 19, and 26. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more see nps.gov/HAVO.

Margaret "Peggy" Stanton leads an ongoing series
 of workshops for artists of all levels. See details below.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI‘IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC is Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Manukā Park. The event organizers invite American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio, and families. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

TAKE A FREE GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL and learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture in Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship, on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike is approximately 2 miles and moderately difficult. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton is set for Monday, Jan. 8, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. It is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels headed by Stanton. The class is $15 for VAC members and $20 for non-members per session. The class will take place again on Jan. 15. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR/ NĀ‘ĀLEHU C.E.R.T. meets Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. The public is invited to come see what Community Emergency Response Team is about, as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

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.

Ka‘ū News Briefs Monday, January 1, 2018

Abandoned nets and trash collected by Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund employees and volunteers at Kamilo. A volunteer day
at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station will be held on Sunday, Jan. 14, to load nets previously gathered from the shoreline into
a container to ship out to burn for electriciy. See event lising below.
 Photo from Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund taken by Angie Metriyakool of Luu Kai Photography

THE ‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING TO BE BUILT IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU begins Tuesday, Jan. 2, at the 36.5 mile marker in Honoka‘a, as the organization's president Wayne Kawachi walks 100 miles down the Hamakua and Hilo Coast, across Puna to Volcano and Kaʻū, in his rubber slippers, to raise money to buy property for the project. The four-day walk of about 20 to 28 miles per day is expected to go through Friday, Jan. 5, with Kawachi staying overnight along the way, as he travels from Honoka‘a to Nā‘ālehu. According to Nadine Ebert, of OKK, "Wayne's progress on the walk can be tracked on our website okaukakou.org through a GPS tracking system."

Kawachi shows his rubber slippers
that will carry him from Honoka‘a
to Na‘alehu to raise money for
senior housing. Image from
YouCare video.

     In a film on YouCaring, a fundraising website, Kawachi says, "I love ʻO Kaʻū Kākou because it's doing things that I personally like to do, which is helping the elders, helping the young ones. It's helping everybody and whatever comes up as a problem or something we can do to help the community, we are there to help it."
     Regarding the plans to build senior housing, he said, "I'm excited about this project, I'm training, it's going to be done and I need your kōkua." He said he will personally donate $10 a mile toward the fundraiser and asked others to chip in. "ʻO Kaʻū Kākou," proclaimed Kawachi. "We are Ka‘ū!"      
     The film notes that of the 194,190 residents in Hawai‘i County, an estimated 17 percent are 65 and older. "There are only two senior housing projects in all of Ka‘ū. At this rate, our kūpuna may not have a place to live."
     The goal is to raise $250,000 toward the purchase of 1.9 acres on the makai side of Hwy 11, at the site of the old Nā‘ālehu Fruit Stand. The idea is to build 25 to 30 units of senior housing on the property now owned by Asha Mallick, who has offered it to the community organization at a discount. To make a donation to support Kawachi's quest, see okaukakou.org or facebook.com/okaukakou.
     As of Monday, Jan. 1, about $25,000 had been committed to the project, according to OKK members who are hoping for $50,000 by the end of Kawachi's walk.
     In addition to monetary support, those interested who are senior citizens can fill out a survey form. ʻO Kaʻū Kākou is asking seniors, over the age of 62 and living anywhere in the Kaʻū district, to fill out a quick, five-question survey to help OKK gather general data essential to the planning for the senior housing project in Nā‘ālehu.

     The deadline to complete the survey is Thursday, Feb. 1. OKK member Raylene Moses, who is spearheading the senior housing project, said the survey should take no more than five minutes. "The data will help to demonstrate a demand for senior housing," added Moses. For more information and to receive a survey, contact Raylene Moses at 365-3788, or Nadine Ebert at 938-5124 or ebertn004@hawaii.rr.com. For more, call Kawachi at 937-4773.

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HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND HOSTS A VOLUNTEER DAY on Sunday, Jan. 14, at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station, 9 a.m., in an effort to load away previously collected nets from beach clean-ups. Improperly discarded fishing nets can entangle and harm sea turtles and other marine life. To participate, contact kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com. Bring gloves and drinking water.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at 

 kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januaryevents.html. 

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at 
kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januarycommunity.html.
January 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

Boys Basketball: Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
     Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
     Monday, Jan. 8, @ Honoka‘a.
     Wednesday, Jan. 10, @ St. Joseph.
     Monday, Jan. 15, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Girls Basketball: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
     Wednesday, Jan. 10, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū.
     Friday, Jan. 12, @ Laupahoehoe.
     Monday, Jan. 15, @ HPA.

Swimming: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kamehameha.
     Saturday, Jan. 13, @ HPA.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
     Tuesday, Jan. 9, Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
     Saturday, Jan. 13, @ Konawaena.

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KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more, call 929-9576 or visit discoveryharbour.net.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S LAVA LOUNGE is Wednesday, Jan. 3, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., welcoming singers, bands, comedians, and other performers to take the stand. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years and older. The lounge is inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL committees meet Wednesday, Jan. 3, with a full council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4. Both meeting days take place in Hilo. The committees will meet again on Wednesday, Jan. 23, and a full Council meets Thursday, Jan. 24, both in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Thursday, Jan. 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU begins at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy 11 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants, like morning glory, from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again on Jan. 11, 18, and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

Samantha daSilva shares her unique method of painting
on Saturday, Jan. 6. Photo from Volcano Art Center 

TROPICAL FLOWER ARRANGING WITH HAWAIIAN CULTURAL PRACTITIONER Kaipo Ah Chong takes place Friday, Jan. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Ah Chong offers a popular tropical flower arranging workshop and provides flowers for all those in attendance; however, individuals must bring their own clippers. Pre-registration is required. The class fee is $45 plus a $20 supply fee per person. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, an acrylic paint art class, is set for Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Professional artist Samantha daSilva shares her unique method of painting using rollers, tables, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand, and wood shavings to create textured abstracts. No experience necessary. Class fee is $85 for VAC members and $90 for non-members, plus $15 supply fee per person. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org, or call 967-8222.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT offers four days in January for volunteers to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The upcoming meeting is Saturday, Jan. 6. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Other opportunities this month take place Jan. 13, 19, and 26. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more see nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI‘IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

Palm Trail in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Photo by Sami Steinkamp/NPS

TAKE A FREE GUIDED HIKE ALONG THE PALM TRAIL and learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture in Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The hike is approximately 2 miles and moderately difficult. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC is Sunday, Jan. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at  Manukā Park. The event organizers invite American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio, and families. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

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