Dr. Leonard Sakai of Kula was recently honored by the Maui Non-Profit Directors Association. Nominated by Habitat for Humanity, Sakai was named 2022 Humanitarian of the Year. The citation reads, “Dr. Sakai earned this award for his volunteerism and dedication to give back to our community. Mahalo Leonard, for all of your hard work and helping families build strength and stability through shelter.”
Sakai is a retired general surgeon with concentration in colorectal disorders including colon cancer, and was affiliated with several hospitals in the area including Maui Memorial Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and was in practice for more than 20 years.
Recognized for his ‘can-do’ attitude and positive personality, Sakai is the guy everyone working at Habitat for Humanity enjoys being around. He regularly volunteers each week on construction sites. To date, he has contributed over 600 hours of his time across Maui, helping families at both the Kahoma Residential builds in Lahainaand Hawaiian Homelands in Kula.
Humbled, Sakai said, “I truly appreciate this award. However, I get back even more than I put in. I have been working with Habitat for Humanity for over five years. And I’ll try whatever jobs come my way. There are so many different jobs to work on while building a house. In a certain way, it reminds me of surgery: a crew of five or six people and a work crew accomplish what they are supposed to get done, together. At Habitat, we also need to work as a team. At the end of the day, building houses is a different kind of exhaustion than doing surgery, but also a rewarding one. Habitat for Humanity has been on Maui for over 2 decades. It is an amazing organization.”
Sakai added, “So now, I am a beginning carpenter! I am learning a whole new and useful trade. Besides, I read in AARP that it is useful for old people to learn new skills.”
People talk a lot about affordable housing. The business model that Habitat has works very well. It actually created the affordable housing model.
Dr. Leonard Sakai, Maui Non-Profit Directors Association ‘Humanitarian of the Year’
Nationwide and on Maui, October is observed as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This health campaign, organized by major breast cancer charities and non-profits, was developed to increase awareness of the disease and raise funds for research on its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure.
Various Maui hotels, businesses, schools, and organizations, including the Maui Police Department, band together to educate the community. Their message emphasizes early screenings for cancer, currently the most effective way of dealing with the disease before it becomes too advanced to control. Awareness of the signs and finding help after a diagnosis are a vital part of this education.
Two Maui nonprofits, Mana’olana Pink Paddlers and Maui Cancer Resources (MCR) have joined forces in their efforts to assist cancer patients and survivors. Dr. Bridget Bongaard, Maui Cancer Resources Medical Director, founded MCR to offer Integrative Oncology consultations.
“Our goal is to create a comprehensive cancer support program and grow outreach services to support Maui cancer patients to achieve maximum positive outcomes,” said Bongaard. “By providing survivors with a personal cancer journey guide, we walk them step-by-step through the challenges that arise from diagnosis and treatment to recovery. In addition, MCR offers weekly on-line support groups, mindfulness training, cooking and nutritional education, self-care consults and quarterly day-long workshops which share different effective-movement strategies.”
Medical research shows the importance of physical activity in cancer prevention and survival. Findings demonstrate that those with high physical activity have a 40-50 percent reduction in the risk of cancer. Dr. Bongaard collaborated with the Pink Paddlers, Maui’s only nonprofit paddling club, to help cancer survivors regain health and fitness through outrigger paddling. Mana’olana’s paddling programs are open to persons with any type of cancer, both men and women. Mary Dungans, Mana’olana President noted, “Our program works magic for survivors wanting to regain mental and physical health after the grueling effects of cancer treatment. Paddling together builds confidence as we become part of something bigger than ourselves. Working with MCR, our mission is to create a comprehensive cancer support program and outreach service to help Maui cancer patients achieve the best possible results.”
MCR and Mana’olana Pink Paddlers are collaborating to help Maui cancer survivors achieve lifestyle changes that make a difference as well as lifelong friendships.
Dr. Bridget Bongaard, Maui Cancer Resources, Medical Director
World-renowned Maui artist Philip B. Sabado, formerly of Sabado Art Studios in Wailuku, has a new location. Still in Wailuku, he recently moved into a more spacious location on Market Street called Sabado Galleries, where his commitment to creating art that is historically accurate and expresses the essence of Hawaiian culture continues. His work, depicting his love for the nature and culture of Hawaii, has been commissioned for numerous public and private murals over the years, is in many businesses and hospitals throughout the islands, and is celebrated within the collector community.
A long-time Maui resident, also with a gallery in Wailea, Sabado was born and raised on Molokai where his mother regularly put aside enough money for paint and paper for the fledging artist. After serving in the United States Army, he began studying at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Sabado furthered his studies at the Art Center College of Design in California, worked in illustration and design, and carved out a successful career as an art director. Selected as one of the top 50 illustrators in the country, Sabado was chosen to attend an art university in Paris.
“I have been blessed with an incredible career,” Sabado said. “Yet, with all that success, home called me back to the islands where I began the next phase of my life within the fine arts. Back on Maui, I became immersed in painting the beauty of the Hawaiian culture and the Hawaiian spirit. As a young child I was absorbed in the local culture around me; however, painting it came later in life. My kumu told me that these things were waiting for me to paint when I was qualified, mentally, spiritually and physically.”
According to Sabado, the space in his new Market Street location will also be used to exhibit the work of other local artists and provide art lessons to children and adults. “We pride ourselves on teaching art students the fundamentals of drawing and painting in a variety of media and on recruiting UH students to work on commissioned murals, with college credits. We provide all of the tools and supplies for their journey into art!”
Wailuku is in the talking stage of becoming an art and cultural district with qualifications for art grants. We are hoping for a wonderful new area to emerge.
Philip Sabado, Sabado Galleries, Wailuku and Wailea
Linda Vincent of Kula has spearheaded the International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) project on Maui to honor her son who died on August 12, 2019, of an accidental opioid overdose. The IOAD is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose. It is a day to remember without stigma those who have died and to acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. Millions of opioid painkiller prescriptions are still written annually and Americans are dying every day from overdoses.
Vincent first learned of IOAD when the Mayor of Honolulu sent to her family a picture of the government buildings lit with purple lights. “It was so touching to me as a way to honor my son and all of those who have died from this preventable disease,” Vincent said. “I previously organized this project in Rhinebeck, New York with great success. Now that I live on Maui, I plan to continue the work with Malama Family Recovery Center, Aloha House Makawao, and other non-profits.”
Jud Cunningham, CEO of Maui Behavioral Health Resources, the umbrella organization for the non-profits Aloha House, Malama Family Recovery Center and Maui Youth & Family Services, noted “We are working on preventing overdose through our efforts at treatments for substance use disorder and care for long-term recovery. Our agencies have programs in Makawao and throughout central Maui, which help adults and youth with mental health and substance use issues. We appreciate all support for this initiative.”
Wade Maede, Acting Maui Assistant Chief of Police, added, “On behalf of Chief John Pelletier and Deputy Chief Charles Hank III, the men and women of the Maui Police Department would like to acknowledge IOAD annually on August 31 and each day. Every year, community members lose loved ones to narcotic overdose. The Maui Police Department is committed to reducing the number of deaths by providing each officer with a Narcan kit. We will continue to educate the public on the dangers of opioids and other narcotics, so no family has to suffer losing a loved one again. Together, we can make a difference.”
Over 25 Makawao merchants observed the first International Overdose Awareness Day. We hope in 2023 to go island- and state-wide. It’s time to remember and time to act.
During a recent Nisei Veterans Memorial Center virtual event, Bamboo Ridge Press (BRP) co-founders Eric Chock and Darrell Lum discussed the significance of publishing literature by, for, and about Hawaii’s people. Founded in 1978, and celebrating their 45th anniversary, Lum and Chock talked about the current state of literature in Hawaii and the importance of the written word.
Chock, a Hawaiian poet, scholar and editor, served as a professor of English and Humanities at the University of Hawaii and coordinated the state’s Poets in the Schools program for more than twenty years. He has also edited several anthologies featuring Hawaiian writers and received the Elliot Cades Award for Literature in 1996. Lum, a fiction writer, playwright, teacher and editor, with a lengthy list of awards, helped shape the landscape of Hawaii’s local literature and theatre, bringing national attention to the Hawaii stage.
“While special attention is given to literature that reflects an island sensibility, BRP is broad in scope and embraces a variety of work,” Lum said. “Some of our books have received recognition for literary excellence and for their contribution to the understanding and appreciation of Hawaii’s cultures and people. Our publications have been adopted as texts or recommended reading in high school and college classrooms, in Hawaii and nationally. Bamboo Ridge, named after an actual place to fish, has caught big fish in literature.”
Chock added, “Currently BRP publishes a literary journal of poetry and fiction featuring work by both emerging and established writers, as well as single-author books and anthologies focused on special themes. In forty-plus years we have published a diverse catalog of poetry, prose, screenplays, stage plays, novels, and more, plus BRP work has been adapted for speech and storytelling performances, plays, and readings. As we digitalize the BRP archive to preserve four decades of local literature, we will continue our mission to foster the voices of Hawaii’s people through new publishing projects, educational programming and community outreach, such as workshops for adults and youth, and free public readings. In addition, we are offering open access to issues that are no longer in print.”
Everyone has a story to tell. We welcome all writers to submit work that celebrates Hawaii’s literary tradition.
Maui resident Lin ter Horst, a former investment banker, fell in love with the art of pastry and confection-making after she completed a pastry diploma program at Le Cordon Bleu London. Prior to receiving her pastry training, Lin, with degrees from Wesleyan University in Connecticut and Columbia Business School in New York City, held positions in financial services and internet marketing. Life’s unpredictable turn of events brought her to pastry-making classes at Le Cordon Bleu where she was swept away by the Pates de Fruits, a popular gourmet confection found in France.
“I was overwhelmed by the exquisite flavors these little fruit jewels imparted,” Lin explained. “With an intensity so pure, I was astonished by those exquisite jewel-toned delicacies that practically melted in my mouth!”
In 2012, Lin moved to Maui with her husband Chris, a professional triathlete with a background in industrial engineering. They co-founded Maui Epicure LLC to launch their award-winning business, Maui Fruit Jewels. Chris noted, “At the heart of each Maui Fruit Jewel is a love story buried in the juicy center. Our exotic jellies, fresh purees, fruit-studded shortbread and fruit pastes are filled with wines, spices, fruits and more, all home-grown on Maui. The fruit puree, cooked with other ingredients to a high temperature, are reduced to a thick paste, and poured into molds to set before being cut into small pieces. The little shortbread squares come in a rainbow of colors with flavors like guava, lilikoi, mango, pineapple, papaya and others.”
Maui Fruit Jewels remains a family-run operation, inspired by Hawaii and its people. Chris and Lin sell their ever-growing product line weekly at the Maui Upcountry Farmer’s Market and at numerous stores and hotels. On Saturday, September 17th from 9am-4pm, Lin will chair the annual Kula Festival at St. John’s Church where attendees have traditionally been drawn to talented musicians, homemade foods, artisan crafter booths, and the popular silent auction featuring generous donations from local artists and businesses. Lin added, “This year’s zero-waste event, with its rich history of celebration and service, will help support Maui Cancer Resources and Malama Family Recovery Center.”
We warmly invite our island ohana to the 2022 Annual Kula Festival and to try our Maui Fruit Jewels. Every bite gives back to the Maui ‘aina it comes from.
Renowned Maui artist Sherri Reeve is celebrating a 25-year anniversary in her Makawao gallery. Reeve, who supports numerous Maui-based nonprofit organizations, also captures the spirit of aloha in her artwork with watercolors that shimmer and shine. Offered in a wide variety of forms, her work includes originals, as well as copies on canvas, paper, metal, clothing, stationary, and much more. Inspired by the colors and scenes of Hawaii, Reeve’s originals can be found in private art collections throughout the islands and around the world. In addition, her iconic apparel line is worn by men and women on several continents.
Reeve’s story is one that can serve as an inspiration for any young artist. One of the many things that makes her artwork unique is that she is primarily self-taught. Her innate skill, woven together with fortuitous early job choices and some graphic art courses, laid the foundation for her to become the successful artist and business owner she is today.
“My career came full circle when the retail store where I worked in the early 1980s began distributing my products,” Reeve explained. “This success also facilitated my transition into the Lahaina art gallery scene in the 1990s. During that time, my daughter Hailey was born; she also became an artist and now helps manage the gallery.”
In 1997, a perfect store location became available in Makawao. With the support of her sister Lori and mother Clara, Reeve opened her own gallery. “After all these years, it is still fun for me,” she reflects. “I love having the flexibility of working from my home studio and also spending time in my gallery meeting people and producing artwork and creative products that are both unique and affordable. Having this gallery has enabled me to maintain a more personable connection with my customers.”
Hailey Reeve added, “One of the greatest lessons so far from growing up in my mom’s gallery is that we strive for human connection. That’s what really matters. I truly appreciate all the care and aloha everyone has shared with my family and I over the last 25 years.”
The magnificent colors of the islands have always had a profound influence on me and have inspired me to create a gallery space of color and peaceful beauty.
Trish ‘da Dish’ Smith is living her dreams on Maui. An award-winning community journalist, wordsmith and event producer, Smith currently hosts MANA’O@HOME, a talk-story and live music experience celebrating Maui’s finest musicians. The live show, presented on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 4pm HST, is online via the Mana’o Radio Facebook page. Smith also provides a catalog of past shows on www.manaoradio.com, which includes over 50 Maui artists, a treat for all music enthusiasts.
Mana’o Radio Managing Director Michael Elam noted, “A key part of our mission is to support live music and the local Maui entertainers who make it thrive. We can now reach people who cannot otherwise see an artist perform locally──fans from all over the world can tune in.”
Smith added, “The Mana’o Radio ‘ohana and I are proud to showcase Maui artists by providing this live platform to share their music and be interviewed. It is great that now you can get your live-music fix from the comfort of home and learn more about your favorite Maui performers. Support for the show comes from underwriters da Playground Maui, the island’s multi-faceted live event venue in Maalaea, and from family business, Venture Physical Therapy.”
The show attracted an array of talents from the start and Smith was able to form a solid team to produce a full-fledged broadcast for audiences. Smith recalled, “What began as a Zoom show from a bedroom is now a sophisticated livestream broadcast with tech wizard Cody Quintana from BackLit Buddha Studios, a state-of-the-art artist space. The show not only brings together extraordinary musicians; it also provides a unique platform for them to share their stories and their vulnerability in an online setting. It is just the kind of journalism I have always loved to share!”
During his MANA’O@HOME performance, Maui’s Reggae Ambassador of Hawaii Marty Dread remarked, “Speaking for myself and for all of my contemporaries, thank you Trish and Mana’o Radio for providing a place where we can come talk story and play music, especially after the long lockdown. It is wonderful to share music again in such an amazing format.”
MANA’O@HOME presents an hour-long talk-story, interview, and live music experience featuring Maui’s extraordinary talent.
In November 2021, The Hawaii Wildlife Discovery Center (HWDC), a much anticipated 5,000-square-foot space, opened at Whalers Village in Kaanapali. With contributions from several partners, HWDC features more than 30 exhibits about Hawaii’s undersea life, whaling era, cultural values and conservation work. The space also allows the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to offer education and outreach programs, Additionally, the Maui Visitors Bureau (MVB) provides volunteer opportunities and community gatherings.
“We have long needed a place that helps our visitors better understand how to respect native wildlife while simultaneously gaining a deeper appreciation for the islands,” said Hannah Bernard, HWDC Executive Director. “We depend on partnerships like the one we are sharing with Whalers Village, MVB, and the whale sanctuary to succeed in our conservation efforts, and I could not be more excited about this wonderful place we have co-created.”
There are 45 locally produced, Maui-focused videos with topics ranging from ‘Voice of the Sea’ to ‘Kumukahi: Stories of Living Hawaiian Culture’ and ‘What Does it Take to Disentangle a Whale?’ Allen Tom, the regional manager for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary said, “The Discovery Center’s goals and approaches are well-aligned with the sanctuary’s mission. We are thrilled to work together in this space.”
Among the many featured artists and photographers are cousins Kahi and Patrick Ching, who created spectacular murals on display outside and inside the center. Other local artists specialize in utilizing marine debris and beach-cast plastics in a variety of 3-D and video displays. Marine debris is a focal point of HWDC, and the Kids Zone is a place where keiki can learn about how plastic and other types of pollution directly affect local wildlife and habitats. Also, the HWDC Shop offers numerous sustainable products with an emphasis on merchandise locally sourced in Hawaii.
Melissa Aguilar-Craft, Whalers Village General Manager, noted, “We are honored to play host to this one-of-a-kind tenant, bringing more than just retail offerings to our shoppers. Our customers, many of whom are visitors, are looking for the complete Hawaiian experience, and HWDC provides that.”
A portion of the proceeds from gift-shop sales and entry fees into the Discovery Center supports conservation work of Hawaii Wildlife Fund, new exhibits and special displays.
Hannah Bernard, HWDC Executive Director, President, Hawaii Wildlife Fund
