Every year the Rotary Clubs in Hawaii have held ‘Rotarians-at-Work Day’ to coincide with the week of Earth Day. This year, Maui Rotarians, alongside community partners and volunteers, joined to pick up plastics and trash throughout the island. “Our goal was to pick up trash on the beaches, the shorelines, in parks and on trails,” said Dennis Bagshaw, President of Rotary Club Kihei Wailea. “We hope to continue to protect Maui’s natural beauty, marine life, and the health of residents and visitors from the damages of plastic pollution. Plastics threaten Hawaii’s water quality, vulnerable marine ecosystems and public spaces around the island.”
Eight Maui Rotary clubs engaged in the clean-up as part of the statewide Ridge-to Reef Clean-Up Day event. The plan was for Rotarians to partner and clean microplastics (pieces smaller than 5mm in size) from different areas around the island. For example, the Wailuku Rotary Club did a clean-up of the area adjacent to the Nisei Veterans Center, and the other clubs did their clean-ups.
Mariko Higashi, Assistant Governor Maui Coastal Rotary Clubs, explained, “Much of the litter we find on the beaches, trails and public spaces are plastic. Plastic of any size, particularly microplastic, is a health concern to both humans and animals alike. By not only collecting but also classifying the collected litter, we can better understand the source of the pollution, where the pollution is concentrated on our islands, and how we can best tackle this problem. The data will help advocate for policy and regulatory changes as has been done in the past such as with the banning of single use plastic bags at stores on Maui in 2011, and of smoking at beaches in Hawaii in 2015.”
Higashi added, “While clean-ups can help, it is also clear that we cannot recycle or clean-up our way out of the plastic pollution crisis. It will take sustained changes in our behavior, the products we purchase and the food we eat, to begin to correct this problem. The good news is we still have a chance to fix these problems, as we continue to explore ways to reduce or replace the plastic from our everyday lives.”
The Rotary motto, ‘Service Above Self’ keeps Maui club members involved in numerous projects throughout the year. Protecting the environment and growing the local economy are one of many areas of Rotary’s focus.
Dennis Bagshaw, President of Rotary Club Kihei Wailea
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is administering the Adaptability Fund, a program to help local small businesses recover and survive the impacts from COVID-19. Funded by the federal CARES Act, and as proposed by the MauiCARES Task Force, the County has allocated five million dollars to the Fund. Businesses use the grants to modify operations and invest in technology infrastructure to expand virtual platforms, web-based marketing, and E-commerce.
According to Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO, “Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the mandatory closure of many Maui County businesses and visitor-industry activities, health and safety protocols have required costly investments by Maui County businesses to operate safely, re-tool operations, and expand customer markets. The Maui County Adaptability Fund was established to help our local businesses adapt to this new economic environment.”
Malia Bohlin, Aloha House Development Director, said, “With funds provided through the Adaptability Fund, administered by MEDB, our organization was able to address concerns due to physical and technical limitations. We set up socially-distanced workstations, so clients could log-in from our facility, and we improved our technical capabilities to provide better content. Our staff are thrilled with the new tools, and are better able to provide necessary programs with more engagement and progress for the clients. We have also retained many clients who previously may have had technical barriers to treatment via telehealth. Thanks to the Adaptability Fund, clients at Aloha House’s outpatient drug treatment program have been able to participate safely in group and individual treatment settings.”
Aloha House, founded in 1977 as a treatment program for individuals struggling with substance abuse, makes it possible for adults on Maui to change their lives and the lives of those closest to them. “We help participants rediscover their strengths, learn from their experiences and create new pathways forward in health and wellness,” Bohlin added. “Since its beginnings, the Aloha House mission has expanded to include comprehensive, person-centered behavioral health interventions for the prevention and treatment of individual substance abuse and other disorders. Our staff members are passionate about helping people achieve lasting recovery.”
We appreciate MEDB’s work with the County of Maui to quickly manage the application and award process during this critical time.
Three new electric-vehicle (EV) fast-charging stations are now open to the public at the Queen Kaahumanu Center in Central Maui, Pi’ilani Village Shopping Center in South Maui and Lahaina Aquatic Center in West Maui. Owned and operated by Hawaiian Electric, the publicly accessible fast chargers offer a lower rate during daytime hours to encourage charging when solar energy is typically abundant.
Hawaiian Electric previously brought another fast-charging station online in August at the Pukalani Terrace Center in Upcountry Maui. These four completed sites were selected to cover a broad geographic driving range around the island. They previously accommodated charging infrastructure for the members-only EVohana program that was retired in July 2020.
“Thank you to our four partnering site owners and the EV drivers on the island for their continued support of our efforts to expand the public-charging options on Maui,” said Sharon Suzuki, president of Maui County and Hawaii Island Utilities. “Electrification of transportation is a major part of our goals to help reduce our state’s overall fuel consumption.”
The new fast-chargers can provide about 43 miles of additional range for a typical EV in 15 minutes. The fast-charger supports CHAdeMO, used by EVs like the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla with their proprietary adaptor, and CCS, used by American and European EVs like the BMW i3 and used as an option on the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Charging sessions can be initiated in several ways, including smartphone apps to credit cards.
Property owners who offer their sites for publicly accessible EV charging play a critical role in helping to increase the adoption of electric vehicles and use of renewable energy on the island. “My administration is committed to furthering our community’s clean energy and clean transportation transformation,” said County of Maui Mayor Michael Victorino. “We will help meet our community’s need for dependable EV charging and encourage EV adoption.”
Ed Krampitz, Queen Kaahumanu Center management added, “We are excited to partner with Hawaiian Electric to add these new EV chargers. Shoppers can now receive a fast and reliable charge, while enjoying a variety of stores and restaurants at the Center.”
The EV Maui charging rate is $0.28 per kilowatt-hour between 9 am and 5 pm, $0.40 per kWh between 5 pm and 10 pm, and $0.38 per kWh between 10 pm and 9 am.
Sharon Suzuki, President of Maui County and Hawaii Island Utilities
The Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce (MNHCoC) presented a virtual talk-story session about Hālau Perseverance. MNHCoC’s mission is to promote and sustain Hawaiian culture, nurture a strong community of Hawaiian values, and enhance opportunities for success in business and education.
Hālau hula (hula instruction) was discussed by speakers Kumu Hula Kealiʻi Reichel and Kauʻi Kanaka’ole. They talked story about cultural nurturing and endurance from a traditional hālau perspective. Reichel, a world-class performer, best-selling recording artist, and multiple award-winning kumu hula, has been at the forefront of the revival of Hawai’ian culture. Kanaka‘ole is a kumu hula trained in the renowned Hālau o Kekuhi with more than 20 years of experience in cultural advocacy. She has 14 years of teaching experience, including 11 years at Hana School.
“Kanaka’ole and Reichel are not only talented and experienced kumu hula, but also successful business and cultural entrepreneurs,” observed Frank De Rego Jr., President of the MNHCoC. “They remind us that adaptability in times of tremendous stress and volatility must be rooted in the foundational vision and values of a business, focusing especially on the welfare of others and not oneself alone.”
Reichel noted, “In the wake of the inconceivable, such as a global pandemic like Covid-19, cultural education, language, dances and storytelling have long thrived in the hālau hula. The hālau has survived multiple disruptions throughout Hawai’i’s history including the deadly epidemics of 1848, being forced underground during the missionary era, World War II, and the advent of industrial tourism. Businesses can learn from the hālau’s traditional values, ethics and cultural passion to emerge whole after this pandemic, through life lessons, character building and responsibility.”
Kanaka’ole added, “The hālau’s mission encourages a deep appreciation of Hawaiian cultural arts, leadership and teamwork skills, and the preservation of our āina. From generation to generation we must encompass many aspects of the cultural lifestyle in a learning environment where creativity thrives with a particular focus on music and hula. Students in the hālau range from keiki to kupuna. They are taught all aspects of traditional Hawaiian values that motivate and inspire them and can be applied in any circumstance.”
Covid-19 gave us time for reflection to appreciate and be grateful for all that we have. Hālau perseverance helps us adapt and still retain what is important.
Kealiʻi Reichel, Award-winning Kumu Hula and Recording Artist
The Sacred Garden, an upcountry Maui treasure, is an extraordinarily peaceful experience. Operated by the nonprofit Divine Nature Alliance and free to the public, the Garden serves as a place of rejuvenation, education, and inspiration for the community. Upon entering, visitors find a two-level greenhouse environment with exquisite Hawai’ian flora and fauna, water lily ponds, sitting and picnic areas, plus two labyrinths for walking meditations. The unique greenhouse and gift shop, stocked full of locally made artwork, jewelry, books, healing stones, and special Maui gifts, offer numerous ideas for holiday shoppers.
“The Sacred Garden is really a service of aloha, said Maui author Eve Hogan, Sacred Garden founder and executive director. “Whether you delight in our heartwarming displays, marvel over our myriad plants, or if your visit is of a more personal nature—to meditate, pray, grieve or walk the labyrinths—you will leave the Sacred Garden more balanced and restored than when you entered.”
Hogan continued, “One of our missions is to provide a serene place in the beauty of raw nature where guests can close their eyes in silence and feel safe and secure. We feel strongly that alone time in nature heals, inspires, and rebalances. The Garden is a place where you can let down your guard and go inward, creating a world in which peace, respect, and compassion are the norm.”
The Sacred Garden labyrinths are integral to the service that the garden provides. As a walking path of peace and contemplation, the labyrinths provide a place for introspection, prayer, gaining new perspectives and releasing stress. “When one understands that we walk the labyrinth to learn about ourselves, it becomes a rich field of self-discovery,” Hogan explained. “The language of the labyrinth is metaphor, and thus everything you experience or notice on the labyrinth can shine light on something you are invited to look at in your life off the labyrinth.”
Sacred Garden horticulturist Catherine Vangstad said, “When I think of the Sacred Garden I think of a safe place, a sanctuary for the community. It brings me great joy to be part of something so special.”
The Sacred Garden supports people in making the decision to care for themselves, each other, and the planet we live on.
Eve Hogan, The Sacred Garden, Founder and Executive Director
The 21st, and first virtual, Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference and EMER-GEN® program, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), helped foster important dialogue and international collaboration on the space environment, at a time when global security is rapidly changing. Known as the premier technical conference in the nation devoted to Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Traffic Management (STM), AMOS offers a cross-section of private sector, government, and academic participation worldwide.
On short notice, the AMOS team made the inaugural all-virtual conference experience engaging and fruitful. The combination of live-streaming, on-demand sessions, networking chatrooms, and digital exhibits gave participants the opportunity for sharing knowledge within the SSA and STM community. Additionally, an Aloha Reception featuring Hawaiian music and Tahitian dancing transported participants from around the world to paradise in anticipation for their 2021 in-person return to Maui.
“Even virtually, Hawaii’s unique sense of place set the tone for the AMOS collaborative exchange and discourse,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “We had 884 participants from 26 countries spanning 19 time zones around the world. We were honored that so many participants chose to share their time with us as we delved into three days of enriching discussions and technical excellence.”
Sandy Ryan, MEDB Conference Director, added, “We forged exciting new territory and our team developed a robust digital experience for our presenters, participants, sponsors, and exhibitors, The health and well-being of participants was our highest priority while maintaining the important dialogue, the networking opportunities, and the Aloha Spirit that AMOS is known for.”
Tim Flohrer, Space Debris Analyst and Co-Lead, Space Surveillance and Tracking Segment, European Space Agency, said, “I was delighted to see that despite being 12 hours away from Maui, and missing the scenic location, MEDB’s efforts made it possible to ensure a lively exchange in a virtual environment. The transition enabled the high quality technical, policy, and networking valued by the SSA community. Many important talks occurred about the future of space around Earth and beyond. We are all looking forward to the prospect of safely gathering on Maui for the AMOS conference next year.”
The continued growth in AMOS attendance and the number of participating countries reflects the growing interest in space sustainability and space industry initiatives.
On Thursday August 27 at 9:00 pm, PBS Hawai’i will present the world premiere of Hawaiiana, a new documentary about the late Winona Kapuailohiamanonokalani Desha Beamer, or Aunty Nona as she was fondly called. Credited with coining the term Hawaiiana as early as 1949, Aunty Nona used it to describe the absolute best of all things Hawaiian: the people, their knowledge, culture, wisdom, and aloha. Keola Beamer, Aunty Nona’s oldest son, assisted by his wife Moanalani and veteran Maui-based filmmaker Tom Vendetti, made the documentary about the well-known and much loved Hawaiian heroine who is renowned for her integrity, scholarship, and love.
“My mother is a lifelong teacher of helping to nurture the love of hula and mele in Hawai’i, and her legendary wisdom continues to spread much needed aloha around the world,” said Keola, a Hawaiian slack-key guitarist and Grammy Award nominee. “She was a revered Hawaiian cultural treasure and is warmly remembered by thousands of her students. When Moanalani and I think of her many contributions, we are filled with gratitude. Her existence on this earth was a blessing to all.”
Vendetti said Beamer, his dear friend, asked him to do the project. “Even though there have been other films made about her, with basically people talking about her, this film is focused on Aunty Nona telling her own story, along with family members,” Vendetti explained. “After hearing Aunty Nona’s definition of Hawaiiana, I thought it would make a wonderful title for the film, as she explores, in her own words, the journey of her life and her fight toward preserving, perpetuating and creating awareness of Hawaiian culture. I was truly touched and honored to take on the project, which will also be distributed this Fall around the nation and beyond by American Public Television.”
Vendetti reflected, “Aunty Nona is still well-known as a pioneer, ali’i, musician and a humanitarian. Her wisdom of spreading aloha around the world is something that everyone should hear. Considering the current cultural issues that we are confronting, I think her message will resonate and offer hope for the world. She was truly a Lady of Aloha.”
Aunty Nona was the granddaughter of Helen Desha Beamer and cousin to Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame inductee Mahi Beamer.
Rotary International District 5000 announced the award of $31,000 in grants to Hawaii Rotary clubs to support COVID-19 relief projects. The Hawaii District 5000 funds come from dues and donations from club members across the islands. Funds that were budgeted this year for conferences, training and travel have been re-allocated to these COVID-19 grants. The clubs are using these grants to work with Hawaii nonprofit community partners to provide COVID-19 relief.
“Rotary is about helping people in our local communities,” said Eric Kaler, District Governor of Rotary in Hawaii. “We are mobilizing and re-deploying funds to enable our Hawaii clubs to do even more to provide relief for people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In addition to the grant, the clubs collectively contributed a supplemental $3,600 for projects. The Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise procured and assembled masks and other personal protective equipment for medical workers on Maui. The masks were sourced from Min Plastics, a Honolulu company with more than 70 years of fabrication experience, who began producing face shields in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Bridget Bongaard, Rotary Club of Maui President, said, “Our club has successfully transitioned from being a traditional club that meets at a local restaurant each week, to one that is able to meet and plan using Zoom conferencing. We choose a different community project each month that we all support and serve. Recently, we delivered a grant check to Na Hoaloha, a nonprofit that provides essential services to the elderly in our community, such as transportation, and currently a virtual volunteer program as well. Na Hoaloha used the funds to provide nutritious hot meals for their kupuna. Rotary supports numerous organizations like this in the community.”
Rotary clubs across the islands are staying actively connected during the pandemic using online meetings, social media, and email. Club members are volunteering to sew face masks, shop for supplies for kupuna, deliver food, provide financial information, and support food banks and programs in their local communities. Bongaard concluded, “It is so important to have the support of community organizations like Rotary in the face of this pandemic.”
Rotary members have created Facebook groups for “Care-mongering” on their islands. These groups are open to the public and serve to connect people and resources for COVID-19 pandemic assistance.
Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), the program that makes a big difference by matching children facing adversity with older role models in one-to-one relationships, is adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. While bringing people together in person to go out and share activities is their main goal, they cannot do that at this time. BBBS wants everyone to be safe, and to their surprise, their families of matches have embraced the moment and are having lots of fun connecting virtually.
“During this very challenging and uncertain time, our mission remains to build and support one-to-one relationships, and to ignite the biggest possible future for our youth,” said Courtney Ikawa, Maui BBBS Regional Director. “These are really scary times for all of us, but especially for the children. Since the stay-at-home orders were enacted on Maui, the youth have lost access to school meals as well as resources that connected them to the outside world. Our Maui staff, working from home, have innovated our service delivery to ensure the children stay virtually in touch with their BBBS mentors.”
BBBS is serving as a hub for families by directing them to community resources and by providing virtual workshops for both the parents and volunteers. Their one-to-one matches have been meeting through phone calls, video chats, texts, and email. In fact, they have become highly creative, and went on their first virtual matches tour to visit the USS Missouri, the historic battleship anchored at Pearl Harbor.”
“We are still enrolling children and volunteers, and we are continuing to support virtual relationships during this time of social distancing,” Ikawa said. “Our program is an essential service that we must continue to provide because the young people that we serve through this pandemic are likely to bear the heaviest burdens of trauma and economic fallout. Each child and mentor is connected with one of our staff who provides ongoing coaching for the youth, training for the volunteer, and resources for the family. We continually need investment in our mission to ensure our agency remains open, which community members can do in numerous ways.”
BBBS’s youth-centered program helps children to create goals that mentors can help them achieve. For more information visit www.bbbshawaii.org
The 21st, and first virtual, Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference and EMER-GEN® program, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), helped foster important dialogue and international collaboration on the space environment, at a time when global security is rapidly changing. Known as the premier technical conference in the nation devoted to Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Traffic Management (STM), AMOS offers a cross-section of private sector, government, and academic participation worldwide.
Rotary International District 5000 announced the award of $31,000 in grants to Hawaii Rotary clubs to support COVID-19 relief projects. The Hawaii District 5000 funds come from dues and donations from club members across the islands. Funds that were budgeted this year for conferences, training and travel have been re-allocated to these COVID-19 grants. The clubs are using these grants to work with Hawaii nonprofit community partners to provide COVID-19 relief.
