There wasn’t a dry eye at a recent fundraiser for the new nonprofit, Keiki Kupuna (KK), as the group’s children’s choir performed for their supporters. The nonprofit, which organizes live musical performances for kupuna on Maui and offers free musical education to the children in its choir, was founded by sisters Bobby Goldyn, 17, and Cassie Goldyn, 15. The idea of sharing music with kupuna arose for the sisters many years ago when they were still in elementary school.
“Our grandma Chris was in a hospice center, and she had severe dementia,” Bobby explained. “However, she always loved music. There was a piano in the hospice center and I decided to play it. Grandma’s face lit up, she started clapping, and we made an instant connection.” Cassie added, “Some of the only memories I have of grandma are playing music for her. Before long, our mini performances attracted other kupuna living in the home, and we started visiting more senior living facilities, singing songs from their generation. That’s when KK was born.”
Through their nonprofit, the Goldyn sisters are striving to cement this experience as a permanent fixture on Maui. Since launching in 2023, and with a lot of fundraising, they were able to hire a musical director and have expanded their organization. After holding auditions, the group now includes approximately 20 talented keiki between 4 and 17 years old, creating Maui’s first and only free children’s choir from schools island-wide. An activities organizer at Maui Adult Daycare shared, “When the children of KK visit, our kupuna light up and sing along joyfully with every song.” KK typically specializes in pre-1970s music to better connect with older audiences.
Julia Golding, KK Musical Director, said, “I’m so thankful that I was approached by the Goldyn ‘ohana to be a part of something so special…I am continually inspired by the incredible dedication and passion of the student musicians involved in this ensemble. They possess a deep sense of purpose, understanding the profound impact that music can have in bringing communities together. The students pour their hearts into every rehearsal and performance, not just for personal growth, but with the shared goal of spreading joy and connection. It is a privilege to witness their growth as both musicians and compassionate individuals, eager to use their talents to uplift and enrich the lives of others.”
More information about Keiki Kupuna, including how to request a performance, can be found on their website, https://www.keikikupuna.org/.
What moves me is their genuine commitment to giving back through their craft, as they recognize the transformative power of music to bridge generational gaps and inspire others.
Julia Golding, Musical Director, Keiki Kupuna
Many refer to Maui resident Sue Ann Loudon as magical. In her 40 years of teaching at Baldwin High School, she inspired and changed lives when she founded the drama club, later renamed the Baldwin Theatre Guild (BTG). During a recent Yakamashii Talk Story event at Nisei Veterans Center, host Kathy Collins and Loudon shared stories about those early years, the performances, and the students whose lives were changed. Loudon has mentored hundreds of Maui students, including Wayne Moniz, Lee Cataluna, Eric Gilliom, Amy Hānaiali‘i, Judge Joseph Cardoza, Chris Kepler, and Kathy Collins. Retired in 2005, Loudon was delighted when her former student Linda Carnevale became her successor as BTG director.
“Carnevale is doing an outstanding job, and I always look forward to BTGs performances,” Loudon said. “She is committed to pushing the boundaries of artistic excellence and nurturing the next generation of Maui’s talent. The most important thing for everyone to remember is that every child has the opportunity to experience theater and the arts to enrich their creative expression.”
Collins shared, “I was very active in speech and drama activities while attending Baldwin High School. Miss Loudon taught drama and built a remarkable program which spawned professional entertainers like Amy and Eric, as well as many of Maui’s community theatre performers. She put greasepaint in my blood, and I owe my career to her guidance and encouragement. The first time I stepped on stage before an audience, playing a munchkin in the Wizard of Oz, I was hooked! I knew then that theatre would be a lifelong passion.”
Paul Janes-Brown, host of Curtain Call and the Mana‘o Radio Alpha and Omega Show, said, “Sue Ann Loudon created one of the most remarkable high school theater programs that I have ever seen in my life. She made young people stars. You actually thought you were watching a Broadway performance. She provided enchantment. So many of the youth she mentored are in performing arts on Maui and all over the world. She just has an inspirational impact on the people she comes in contact with. She has real magic!”
Loudon’s legacy of excellence in the performing arts continues into 2025. For their spring musical this year, the Baldwin Theatre Guild will present Mary Poppins on February 28 and March 1, 7, 8, and 9. The full cast list can be found at Instagram.com/btgmaui/. Community members are encouraged to attend and support the continuation of performing arts education on Maui.
I wholeheartedly believe in the power of theatre to enrich lives and foster community.
Sue Ann Loudon, Founder and Teacher, Baldwin Theatre Guild
Maui resident Christine Sabado’s new book, The Essence of Time: Pule Oʻo, is a journey to Molokai as it was some 55 years ago. The book, published in the fall of 2024 and the first in a trilogy, is an intimate memoir featuring all things Molokai, with a special focus on her relationship with her husband, Molokai-born artist Philip Sabado, and his Filipino family. The themes of the book will be familiar to all Hawaiʻi residents: the importance of family, cultural belonging, and aloha.
Sabado shares her highly personal voyage as she falls in love with the ways of her adopted Molokai life. “As a Southern California transplant, I learned and embraced the fused cultural norms of East and West, and the ‘das how’ to live one’s life. I learned to appreciate the respectful approach to oneness and pono (harmony) with the island, and the warmth of the people with whom I share the aloha spirit.”
Speaking on what she would like the community to take away from her books, Sabado said, “After 75 years on this planet, and 55 years married to Philip, this incredible Molokai man, as well as 35 years in Hawaiʻi Nei, my dialect has changed. I have infused ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi…into my thoughts and actions. In this writing, through my pule, I have wrapped and bound every word.”
Readers follow along as Sabado chronicles her introduction to Molokai as it was decades ago – its language, people, myths, and land – a personal history that details adversity, tragedy, and hope. In addition, she describes the artistic work of her husband and, most notably, how he came to paint a now famous portrait of St. Damien de Veuster of Kalaupapa.
Sabado concluded, “This is a story I love telling! My hope is to share my journey through our island paradise. The book is available on Amazon and at the new Sabado Museum and Gallery in Wailuku.”
Throughout my years in Hawaiʻi, I have been brought to understand my humble place in these islands. I am writing for those who want to broaden their understanding and deepen their appreciation for diverse cultures and for those who understand the wonders of being wildly, passionately in love.
Christine Sabado, Author, The Essence of Time: Pule Oʻo
Junior hospital volunteers, known as Angels, are a testament to the strength and compassion of Maui Nui. Acknowledging that together we can make a difference, the Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) Volunteer Office offers many opportunities through their Junior Volunteer Program. The program, which allows youth to explore various healthcare careers through volunteer work, started in the summer of 2023. Three students from Maui High School with aspirations to become a doctor, an anesthesiologist, and a medical technician were the first students ready to navigate the workings of a hospital first-hand, not just from a textbook. They were soon joined by nine more students representing five high schools on Maui, and that number keeps growing.
“Our program offers a unique opportunity for students to gain invaluable experience while helping others in need,” said Barbara Potopowitz, MMMC Auxiliary President. “Volunteering offers teenagers opportunities to positively impact their own lives by providing a sense of purpose, building connections, and developing skills. By engaging in hospital work, teens get to experience the numerous career choices available in the hospital environment and receive real-world work experience. We provide the necessary training to ensure success in their volunteer role.”
Any Maui Nui student between the ages of 14 and 18 who can commit to at least 6 hours a month of work at the hospital can join the program. Volunteering options include visiting patients with healthcare providers, distributing snacks, assisting in the gift shop, helping at the information desk, and operating a book cart for patients. Many of these options allow volunteers to observe doctors, nurses, aids, administrators, and technicians in action. Staff representing almost any healthcare occupation that students might be interested in are available for them to learn from.
Xin, a participant from Maui High School, shared, “I am learning valuable lessons in how to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. By creating positive energy, I can make a difference in people’s lives and in the community.”
Since December 2023, the program has also offered scholarships. Potopowitz noted, “The scholarships are named after Ed Quiring, a 90-year-old volunteer who still works closely with the students. The program recognizes volunteers for their hard work and dedication, making them eligible for exclusive scholarships that can support educational goals. We encourage community members to contribute to our tax-deductible scholarship fund.”
Be an Angel! Be a Junior Volunteer and join other students to become part of our MMMC ‘ohana.
Barbara Potopowitz, Auxiliary President, Maui Memorial Medical Center
A new manufacturing center in Pāʻia was the topic of discussion at a recent Maui TechOhana meeting. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board Inc. (MEDB), and supported by the County of Maui, TechOhana meetings provide an informal networking opportunity open to anyone interested in business and technology topics. The Pāʻia Village Company, established in August 2020, is committed to transforming the historic Pāʻia Sugar Mill into a state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing village. The idea to purchase the mill and restore it to a manufacturing center was the brainchild of Dan Ellis, managing partner of Pāʻia Village Company. Ellis and his business partner, Wayne Thibaudeau, presented key aspects of the project during the meeting.
“The Pāʻia Village Company is dedicated to addressing Hawaiʻi’s core needs through the development of a new manufacturing village,” said Thibaudeau. “By integrating modern industry with community values, we aim to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for all. We hope the community will join us in revitalizing Pāʻia and setting a benchmark for responsible development.”
Ellis explained, “Our vision is to support livable wages, build affordable housing, and revive community spirit, continuing the sugar mill’s 150-year legacy of responsible industry. Some key aspects of the project include developing a cutting-edge manufacturing hub that fosters innovation and provides high-quality employment opportunities…and promoting sustainable agriculture to enhance food security and economic resilience. The Village Center will be a community hub to enrich the lives of residents.”
Jerry Isdale, founder of Maui Makers LLC and long-time TechOhana attendee, said, “This is the beginning of an exciting new era for Pāʻia. Highly skilled workers will have a wonderful place to develop their craft and talents. Ultimately the thing that binds it all together is the communal aspect, a community working together again.”
TechOhana attendee Rachel Campbell shared, “The history of the sugar mill was interesting to learn about. The new Pāʻia Village Center will bring back the culture and traditions of village life. It’s a possibility to return to a more sustainable way of life.”
An Economic Development Administration grant was recently awarded to the non-profit, Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (MAMA), in partnership with MEDB to support this project. The grant will be used for non-construction activities that will pave the way for a successful manufacturing center, including training and apprenticeships, manufacturing sector organizing, and business sustainability planning.
Pāʻia was a company town with a village lifestyle that we hope to re-invent for the future of our families and our community.
Dan Ellis and Wayne Thibaudeau, Managing Partners, Pāʻia Village Company
Maui Economic Development Board wishes you and your ʻohana a healthy holiday season and Happy New Year! As we reflect on the strength of our community in 2024, we will continue to strive to build opportunities for the people of Maui Nui in 2025.
During this festive time of year when many families look forward to school breaks, it is important to remember that for some students, time off from school means lack of access to free and reduced-price school lunches. The Maui Food Bank’s Aloha BackPack Buddies program is working to address this issue by providing students in need with healthy to-go meals for times when school is not in session, including weekends. The program operates in 34 schools on Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi and provides over 90,000 meals throughout the school year.
To support this program, the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea is celebrating the holidays while fundraising through its Tree of Hope campaign. Guests, staff, and locals are invited to adorn the hotel’s Tree of Hope with donations to benefit the Aloha Backpack Buddies Program. The funds raised will help provide meals to keiki in need, and donors will have their names featured on ornaments on the Tree of Hope. Every $25 donated to Tree of Hope allows the Maui Food Bank to provide 100 meals to the community.
Children of all ages can also enjoy Santa and Mrs. Claus’ arrival by canoe at Polo Beach near the Fairmont on Christmas Eve at noon. Chelsea Livit, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at the Fairmont Kea Lani, shared, “The festive season at the hotel is a magical time filled with vibrant cultural experiences and heartwarming events. We are thankful to celebrate with our community, ‘ohana, guests, and friends of Maui from around the world. Besides the treasured tradition of Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving aboard an outrigger canoe, our beautiful Christmas tree lighting marked the commencement of our 11th Annual Tree of Hope campaign…Launching in early December, the Tree of Hope project runs through early January.”
Michael Pye, Regional Vice President of Fairmont Hawaiʻi and General Manager of Fairmont Kea Lani, added, “Locals and guests are also invited to Hale Kukuna, the hotel’s newly opened Hawaiian cultural center. It proudly represents a sharing of the origins, practices, and beliefs of the Hawaiian culture. Most importantly, it provides a place for our community and guests to join together for generations to come.”
In addition to the Aloha BackPack Buddies program, the Maui Food Bank offers services for all age groups, including their Senior Mobile Pantry and their Go Fresh “‘ohana drops,” with multiple drop-off sites across the county to provide easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Community members can support the Maui Food Bank by donating food at any of their locations across the island (listed online at https://mauifoodbank.org/food-drop-off-locations/) or by making a monetary donation at mauifoodbank.org/donate/.
Together, let’s spread hope and joy to those in need in our community!
Chelsea Livit, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Fairmont Kea Lani
Remembering Lahaina, a touching, nostalgic, and beautiful coffee table art book compiled by the Maui Arts League, is a collection of high resolution photographs of original artwork from the Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational events from 2006 to 2020 and 2023. It is a tribute to the places, people, and culture of the historic town as well as to the galleries that lost thousands of pieces of artwork due to the August 2023 wildfire.
“Measuring 10 by 12 inches, this 208-page full-color hardcover book contains 251 images of paintings created by acclaimed professional plein air artists,” said Lois Reising, President of the Maui Arts League, art collector, community volunteer, and publisher of Remembering Lahaina. “Plein air artists paint outside, not in their studios, creating works that document a point in time under natural atmospheric conditions. The book also shares messages from the artists, which include what neighborhood their scene is from, why they were drawn to the scene they painted, as well as the Hawaiian names of the locations.”
The collection offered in Remembering Lahaina documents not only Lahaina’s historic architecture, but also its rich multicultural community and endearing charm. Some of the 87 plein air artists who contributed to this book lost their homes, studios, and art inventories in the fire that destroyed Lahaina town. The dust cover features “Lahainaluna View” by Ronaldo Macedo. A prolific local artist, Macedo also recently won the 2024 Lahaina poster contest with his artwork, “I will always remember you this way,” a piece featuring Lahaina’s iconic harbor.
“Each section of the book – Places, Harbor, Culture, Lifestyle, ʻOhana, and Around the Island – offers readers a look back at the historical town of Lahaina, memorializing the town we once knew,” Reising added. “Net proceeds from sales of the first release of Remembering Lahaina will be used to benefit Maui artists, their families, and staff who were impacted by the Lahaina fires. This limited-run, first-edition, and one-of-a-kind commemoration of the Lahaina we love enriches lives and supports artists in need.” The book can be preordered at mauiartsleague.org/book.
Founded in 1975, the Maui Arts League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Lahaina that showcases and builds appreciation for visual fine arts through a variety of community activities. They are most well-known for their Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational, first organized in 2006, which brings both local and visiting painters together on Maui to produce artworks that feature the unique landscapes and communities of the island.
We hope to encourage these artists to regroup and reshape their careers as they are faced with many daunting challenges.
Lois Reising, President, Maui Arts League
During this season of giving, we take time to offer grateful acknowledgement of the oldest women’s service organization in Hawai‘i, ‘Ahahui Kaʻahumanu. Its founding in 1864 was motivated by the social concerns of Victoria Kamāmalu (1838-1866), Lydia Kamaka‘eha Dominis (1838-1917; later Queen Lili‘uokalani in 1891), and Bernice Pauahi Paki (1831-1884), who were worried about the poor health and grim social conditions facing native Hawaiians at the time. They believed an organization for Hawaiian women was needed to address these social issues and created ‘Ahahui Kaʻahumanu, or the Kaʻahumanu Society, named after Queen Kaʻahumanu (1768-1832) in honor of her work championing the rights of Hawaiian women.
Maui resident Sarah Shim, recently initiated into the ‘Ahahui Kaʻahumanu Wailuku Chapter IV, explained, “We honor and uphold the Queen’s legacy. The organization’s original mission was nursing the sick and the elderly, aiding in proper burial for the deceased, and fundraising for charitable causes. Giving back and being a blessing to others is still the vision of our ‘Ahahui.”
The original group disbanded after Princess Victoria’s death in 1866, but in 1905, under the leadership of Lucy Kaheiheimālie Kaopaulu Peabody, the group was rechartered. Today, ‘Ahahui Kaʻahumanu thrives with nine chapters throughout the islands and enjoys a growing membership. Women of the society are easily recognizable at community events thanks to their black muʻumuʻu dresses, yellow lei hulu, and black gloves and hat, all symbolizing Queen Kaʻahumanu.
Member Leihuanani Bissen explained, “Our ‘Ahahui provides official representation at royal Ali‘i events and church functions, promotes the language and culture of the Hawaiian people, and supports the elderly through contributions to Lunalilo Home. We also provide involvement in adult and youth educational programs and encourage education that focuses on the health and well-being of our members and the community.”
Shim concluded, “It’s a great honor to be invited into this Society. Paying tribute to Queen Ka‘ahumanu, I hope to do service to benefit all aspects of life in the community. The Queen was a woman ahead of her time. She changed the social and political life of Hawai‘i and has inspired me to focus on what I want to do with the rest of my life.”
Caring for others is a blessing for us as well.
Sarah Shim, Wailuku Member, ‘Ahahui Ka’ahumanu Royal Society
