Recently, all the Rotary Clubs on Maui were invited to gather at Lahainaluna High School to welcome the Rotary International President Gordon McInally, his wife and fellow Rotarian, Heather McInally, and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen. Over 150 Maui Rotarians, as well as some from other Hawaiian Islands and Canada, heard about a multitude of ways that Rotarians have met the needs of people harmed by the fires in Lahaina and Upcountry.
Mayor Bissen said, “I’m here to recognize the extraordinary work that Rotary District 5000 has done to help the Maui Fire Relief Fund. Your model of ‘service above self’ has transformed aloha into action in the aftermath of the August 2023 wildfires. Your response efforts, handing out hundreds of food and gas gift cards, and helping with internet connectivity, keiki supplies, and so much more in financial help, has been outstanding.”
The August 8th wildfires were a life-changing tragedy for many Maui families and friends. “Rotary members took immediate action,” said Joanne Laird, Maui Rotary Advisor. “As we came together to recover and rebuild, we formed a Fire Relief Fund through the Hawaiʻi Rotary District 5000 Foundation. A committee was organized shortly after to find the greatest needs for distribution of the $3.2 million collected.”
The Rotary Club plans to use $2 million for long-term projects such as rebuilding and a memorial park. During the event, McInally presented the Kanikapila Project – a ukulele program funded by Rotary to provide ukuleles and instruction to fire-survivor students – with a check for $20,745. In addition, he presented a check for $10,000 to support David Malo Day at Lahainaluna High School.
McInally concluded, “The money Rotary has raised and the work being done is a great service to Maui relief victims. We have to work into the future together. I believe that an organization like Rotary can make a difference in the world. I believe that we all have the spirit of caring in our hearts, and Rotary is a wonderful way to deliver that care for people. We can improve things and ultimately create hope worldwide.”
There are more than 1.4 million Rotarians in over 200 countries who have donated more than $3 million to help Maui’s recovery.
Gordon McInally, Rotary International President
On a beautiful Maui morning in Sprecklesville, Sarah Shim, retired Kaunoa Senior Services Specialist for Assisted Transportation and Meals on Wheels, presented an on-site fashion show with designs from Hawaiʻi’s past and present. A division of the County of Maui’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns, Kaunoa provides services and activities for seniors with diverse needs seeking to learn and grow through a variety of ongoing programs offered across the county.
Roland Prieto, Kaunoa Senior Services Assistant Administrator, said, “What a wonderful event this was! We have been looking forward to inviting our seniors back to events here since Covid. Sarah Shim did an amazing job, along with the models and guest speaker, Agnes Terao-Guiala, the 2021 Pele Award winner for her book, Hawaiian Women’s Fashion: Kapa, Cotton and Silk. The musical entertainment was provided by Richard Tom and Mele Fong.”
Shim explained, “Hawaiʻi, being very unique when it comes to fashion, has a rich and fascinating history. Hawaiian fashion from the past to present was showcased with traditional styles, patterns, and motifs relating to island history. The fashion show took attendees on a journey through time to show the evolution of Hawaiian fashion.”
Terao-Guiala shared, “Growing up I was inspired by my love for the beautiful fancy holokū, and I began to research the origin and evolution of all Hawaiian attire. I purchased and collected over 200 Hawaiian garments, mostly the muʻumuʻu (a loose-fitting flowy dress) that was introduced to Hawaiʻi in the mid-1800’s. Today’s fashion show showcased a remarkable chronicle of the fabrics and styles of Hawaiʻi, all interwoven with stories of the islands and its people, from early Hawaiians to historic royalty, to modern designers. Presently, Hawaiʻi’s contemporary designers are popular within the local and global fashion industry.”
A fashion show attendee exclaimed, “The show offered more than beautiful fashions! We were educated in how and when the styles came about. Even the men modeled Hawaiian shirts from different periods, including the famous Palaka shirt. Plus, the lunch and musical entertainment were great!”
The models wear a blend of Western, European, and Eastern cultures, truly representing the spirit of aloha in our island history.
Sarah Shim, Host, Hawaiian Fashion Show at Kaunoa Senior
In December 2023, Maui Academy of Performing Arts (MAPA) started construction on its new black box theater at 2027 Main Street in Wailuku. Completion is scheduled for March 31, 2025. The culmination of a 30-year dream, the Naylor Family Theatre will seat 185 audience members with a flexible seating system that can be re-configured to accommodate different types of performances. In the heart of historic Wailuku, the theatre will serve people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and economic circumstances.
“Recently, MAPA received a $1,000,000 donation from philanthropist Susan Naylor Moulton for the black box theatre,” said Carolyn Wright, MAPA Executive Director. “When tragedy struck Moulton’s family 17 years ago on Maui, she said it was the people in the arts who lifted her up.”
David Johnston and Carolyn Wright, MAPA
Named in memory of Moulton’s two sons, the facility will also include state-of-the-art audiovisual and lighting systems, lobby, box office, concessions area, dressing rooms, rehearsal studios, restrooms, and storage. Moulton shared, “The arts are the voices of the island. We have so many creative people here, from cultural practitioners, to chefs, to painters, to performing artists. I’m honored to be involved in building this new theatre in Wailuku where the community will experience the healing power of artistic performance at every level.”
In addition to the economic benefits of the project, MAPA’s artistic director, David Johnston, also underscored the healing power of the arts. “MAPA’s Naylor Family Theatre will be a space for the community to experience the creative benefits that stretch beyond just entertainment,” Johnston shared. “I believe that the arts can be a powerful force for helping us navigate the uncertainties of these times, providing solace, awakening curiosity, and inspiring us to imagine a new future in a thriving community.” Wright added, “The theatre will infuse a new vibrancy into Wailuku, sparking more economic activity for existing restaurants and shops while attracting new businesses to fill vacant storefronts. By creating jobs in the creative arts sector, our theatre will bring renewed energy to the town through creative expression and community engagement. Plus, it will foster a resilient local economy on Maui.”
The Naylor Family Theatre will be a gathering space where the community can generate a sense of collective healing.
Carolyn Wright, MAPA Executive Director
Two thoughtful and concerned students from Baldwin High School launched a campaign to promote a Pledge To Our Keiki. Through the pledge, senior Anica Ancheta, the Hawaiʻi State Student Council Representative, senior Penelope Tupou, the Baldwin Student Body President, and their advisor, Student Activities Coordinator Donna Vierra, are working hard to have students, their families, locals, and visitors preserve and protect Hawaiʻi’s environment and culture.
Ancheta explained, “Working with student leaders and ambassadors from across the state is how we implement important opportunities at our own schools. I learned about Pledge to Our Keiki, a statewide initiative, at one of the Hawaiʻi State Student Council leadership workshops and immediately knew I wanted to bring it to my school and island. In addition, I knew I wanted to make a difference.”
The Pledge was modeled on the success of the Palau Pledge, a commitment to personal action towards environmental responsibility and sustainable tourism. The Palau Pledge amassed over 900,000 signatories and the support of major global organizations, including the UN, the World Economic Forum, and Greenpeace. In Pledge To Our Keiki, the student leaders of Hawaiʻi are asking their communities to pledge to their future. It’s a commitment to show up, volunteer, donate, and strengthen our ability to respond to unforeseen challenges. The pledge is also a platform for every school and nonprofit in Hawaiʻi to help Maui recover and rebuild. It empowers student leaders to shine a light on their creativity and gives them a sense of responsibility that focuses on the culture and environment.
Tupou added, “When I read the pledge, I realized this is something I want to be part of because I truly believe in it. A statement in the pledge that inspired me is: ‘From our children we learn that Hawaiʻi is not just inherited from our ancestors, but borrowed from our future generations’. This inspired me to pursue a career in civil engineering. I want to develop sustainable infrastructures and projects on Maui that can help us adapt and be more resilient towards climate change and whatever may come our way. It’s about letting our keiki know that we care now about their future.”
Working together, we can create waves of positive change.
Anica Ancheta, Baldwin H.S. Hawaiʻi State Student Council Representative
Penelope Tupou, Baldwin H.S. Student Body President
As we celebrate Women’s History Month and Agriculture Week, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is happy to introduce a remarkable individual who embodies resilience, leadership, and a passion for community impact. Tambara Garrick, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for Hawaiʻi Farm Project’s Maui Gold Pineapple, is not just leading market initiatives, she is crafting a narrative of empowerment and sustainability in the agricultural sector. She was recently acknowledged for her contributions to a thriving future for Maui Nui by Pacific Business News as one of their 2024 Women Who Mean Business honorees.
A 2017 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow, Garrick participated in the year-long leadership development program and now serves on their board of directors. The uniquely designed program addresses the many challenges that face Maui. Garrick’s journey, from a childhood farm stand to becoming CMO at Maui Gold Pineapple, is a testament to her deep-rooted connection to agriculture. She is passionate about supporting small businesses and sustainable practices for our future generations. In addition to her long-time involvement with Future Farmers of America, she serves on numerous boards, including those for County of Maui Workforce Development, Chamber for Hawaiʻi Restaurant Association, and Lahaina Town Action Committee.
“It’s all about being able to navigate challenges, including the recent Maui wildfires, which call for an enormous amount of resilience and strategic thinking,” Garrick said. “In response to the devasting fires, I helped initiate the Pineapple Pledge. With every purchase of a Maui Gold Pineapple the company donates to the relief organizations providing aid to the affected community. This initiative not only supports those in need, but also helps protect farm jobs and pineapple production operations. Additionally, Maui Gold recently contributed $2,000 to support Lahainaluna High School’s Robotics Team, assisting promising STEM students with travel and opportunity costs.”
In her role as CMO, Garrick oversees the planning, development, and execution of marketing and sales efforts across the company’s family of brands. Her responsibilities range from creative influence on business strategy to driving the company’s growth. “Our future includes continued Maui Pineapple Tours, exporting, consulting with other farms, and ensuring legislature to protect them,” Garrick noted. “Additionally, working with the MEDB STEMworks™ Ag Internship Program, our manager, Rudy Balala, teaches our youth the importance of agriculture. We are grateful to MEDB for helping to set that up.”
We continue to send pineapples to Maui Food Bank, the Food Hub, and others in need. The future of agriculture on our island is more vital than ever.
Tambara Garrick, CMO, Maui Gold Pineapple
A World Peace Event, presented by Mindfulness Presentations, Films and Concert, will be held on Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 at the Iao Theater in Wailuku. The fundraiser for Keola Beamer’s Mohala Hou Foundation, whose mission is to spread aloha around the world, will include a full weekend program. On Saturday the 23rd, the presentation kicks off at 1pm with the film Himalayan Prayer for World Peace 3D by PBS award-winning Maui filmmaker and humanitarian, Dr. Tom Vendetti, and a stage presentation on World Peace and Compassion byTibetan Flautist Nawang Khechog. The event will continue with a panel discussion on Telescopes, Microscopes and Human Consciousness, followed by two additional films.
On Sunday the 24th, the World Peace Concert begins at 3pm with Maui born and raised slack key master, Jeff Peterson and Khechog, plus Dr. Vendetti’s film: Tibetan Illusion Destroyer 3D. “Peterson, the son of a paniolo at Haleakala Ranch, was exposed to the sounds of slack key at an early age,” Vendetti noted. “His style fuses traditional slack key with elements of classical and jazz guitar, styles at which he is also adept. His most recent solo album, Maui on My Mind,shows his love for the island. His concerto for slack key guitar, Malama ‘Aina, has three movements dedicated to the three volcanoes in Hawaii, Haleakala, Kilauea, and Mauna Loa.”Peterson commented, “I am proud of the rich heritage of Hawaiian music my father introduced me to. In addition to performing, I have taught guitar online during the pandemic and at the University of Hawaii. Playing slack key has brought me peace. I strive to share this peace with others in Hawaii and worldwide.”
Khechog, born in Tibet and a frequent Maui visitor, is a self-taught musician, Tibetan flute player and composer. It has been said that his sublime flute playing defies time, leaving one speechless.“One of the marvels of music is that it cultivates kindness, compassion, and love,” said Khechog.“These precious human values are the foundation of true happiness. They are at the core of peaceful coexistence with one another and with our environment.”
I am honored to be part of this World Peace Event. The initiative serves to make the world a better place through music, film and aloha.
Dr. Tom Vendetti, Maui Filmmaker & Humanitarian
Observing Women’s History Month during March, Maui Economic Development Board celebrates revered poet and activist Dana Naone Hall, who was recently named the Hawaii Land Trust 2023 Champion of the Land.
A $3.2 million gift from the Laurence H. Dorcy Hawaiian Foundation established a new Hawaiian studies chair at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawai’inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge. In 2020, the Dana Naone Hall Endowed Chair in Hawaiian Studies, Literature and the Environment was named in her honor.
Hawai’inuiākea Dean Jonathan Osorio said, “Through this endowment, we teach new generations of Hawaiians about their ancestors who honed social, environmental and cultural management skills over a thousand years. Powerful, fearless community leaders like Dana Naone Hall have been key to the perpetuation of Hawaiian knowledge over the last 50 years, as they worked tirelessly to protect our oceans, streams and forests from urbanization and tourist-driven development.
A graduate of Kamehameha Schools and UH Manoa, Naone Hall writes about the inexhaustible relationship of the Hawaiian people to their native land. Among her many contributions is Life of the Land: Articulations of a Native Writer, covering more than three decades of her political and cultural engagement in public, federal, state and county processes.
In her book, Naone Hall defines activism as, “99 percent trench work.” She encourages engagement to benefit the life of the land by protecting and restoring cultural sites across the islands. She says, “This ensures that the life of the land will continue to be perpetuated for future generations.” Naone Hall seeks to leaven polemical language with poetic expressions of aloha ‘aina and conveys as much pertinent information as possible to aid those in decision-making positions. In her poem Keone’o’io Fishpond, she writes, “If you do not see / how those here raised / the soft-nosed needlefish, / Look again.”
University of Hawaii President David Lassner said, “We are humbled and honored to have this new endowed chair honoring such an influential and inspirational educator and advocate as Naone Hall. She will have an impact stretching across generations that will infuse new energy into the application of Hawaiian knowledge, enriching not only our Hawaiian communities, but our world.”
Naone Hall’s political activism culminated in the protection of numerous sacred places. She challenges us all to reflect on our values, to live them, and to act.
Jonathan Osorio, Dean, UH Manoa Hawai’inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge
Black History Month honors the achievements, triumphs, and contributions of African- Americans to U.S. history and culture. As we recognize and reflect on influential voices, past and present, and also enter Women in History month in March, Maui Economic Development Board celebrates Maui resident Judge Bevanne J. Bowers. Appointed Per Diem Judge in the District and Family Courts of Hawaii’s Second Judicial District on December 20, 2021, Bowers became the first African-American female appointed judge in Maui County. She is also a member of the Maui County Bar Association, the African American Law Association of Hawaii, Maui County Nonprofit Association, and much more.
Additionally, Bowers was appointed Executive Director of Maui Mediation Services in May 2015. Formed in 1982, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization provides alternative dispute resolution, facilitation, and training to residents of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. The nonprofit was selected as Maui United Way’s Partner Agency of the Year for 2019-20. Upon moving to Maui from Tennessee in 2011 to start her own law practice, Bowers took the basic mediation training and became a volunteer to help serve the community. “It’s the best decision I ever made,” she explained. “Mediation is a voluntary process that offers an effective and inexpensive way to resolve a dispute quickly and provides an alternative to court proceedings.”
Bower’s dedication to helping others was honored in 2020 with a distinguished O’o Award as Maui County’s Outstanding Nonprofit Executive Director. “Our mediators are all professionally trained volunteers who have undergone extensive training, “she said. “We provide creative ways of resolving all types of disputes, from family matters and landlord/tenant conflicts to consumer/merchant and employment issues. We help people find their own best solutions, and also teach conflict resolution skills in our Youth Program for ages 8-18.”
Bowers added, “Everyone should take this training! Even if you don’t want to become a mediator, these important skills can be used in any context, anytime, in all types of situations. It’s an opportunity to make a difference. My judgeship is a privilege I don’t take lightly. My joy has always come from helping others. There’s no greater gift you can give than to be of service.”
Never give up! You can accomplish what you set out to do if only you believe in yourself.
Judge Bevanne Bowers, Per Diem Judge, District and Family Courts of Hawaii’s Second Judicial District
The Maui Quilt Shop on Central Avenue in Wailuku is packed full of fabrics, quilt patterns, and quilt kits with a contemporary Hawaiian style, besides patterns and kits for basic quilting. In this distinctive Maui store, a haven for any quilter and fabric lover,a remarkable humanitarian gesture occurred. Owner Marilyn Sameshima shared, “I am astounded by the generous and beautiful quilt donations that came to the Maui Quilt Shop’s Aloha Quilt Donation Drive for those affected by the Lahaina and Upcountry fires. The Maui Quilt Shop received approximately 5,650 quilts from Hawaii and around the world! To date we have distributed over 5,000. The fire recipients are very appreciative and touched by the quilts. They will always hold this expression of caring dear to their hearts. My incredible staff and volunteers assisted in the effort and their continued support and endless hours of work contributed to the success of the mission.”
In addition to the quilts, people donated blankets, pillowcases, and other items made by quilters and guilds from across the country, Canada and worldwide, to distribute to survivors in Lahaina and Kula. “Survivors continue to visit us to pick up these treasures given to them by generous people in their time of need,” Sameshima noted. “We send our thanks to those who kept Maui in mind. We hope the entire community will continue to remember our survivors and donate to other recognized groups such as the Maui Food Bank, Maui Strong Fund, and Maui United Way.”
Sameshima knows how much time, effort, expense and tender loving care goes into making quilts. She continues to be awed by the worldwide response of donations. “These handmade quilts were made with loving hands,” she added. “The donated quilts have been, and continue to be, appreciated by the survivors of this horrible fire. They have also been received by first responders, firefighters, and their families. Many of them also lost their homes and loved ones. Using a grass-roots network to get the word out that quilts are available, we were able to make sure they found caring homes.”
Mahalo to all who contributed to our Aloha Quilts Donation Drive. Thank you for caring about Maui!
Marilyn Sameshima, Owner, Maui Quilt Shop
