Jul 25, 2012 | Environment
It takes hard work, determination and perseverance to make L&R Farms the successful business it is today on Moloka‘i, according to founder Lynn Decoite. She and her husband, Russell, established the farm in 2001 along with their children, producing three varieties of sweet potato — Moloka‘i Purple, Moloka‘i Gold and the more universally common orange. While the purple potato variety has been a traditional part of Hawaiian luaus, it is now being served at commercial luaus on the other islands and on island style plates at many restaurants in Hawaii. The Decoites’ dream is to one day export their product throughout the United States.
For now, L&R Farms stocks up restaurants and other establishments with the Moloka‘i sweet potato that was initially developed by Lynn’s grandmother, Becky Mokuau. She started raising tubers in the early 1960s on the family homestead and passed the “secrets” to her son, George Mokuau. George’s daughter, Lynn Decoite now gets help from her husband and their children with growing the sweet potatoes in Ho’olehua in rural Moloka‘i. “We have seven employees and we all strive to make our product the best we can,” Lynn Decoite said.
Ten years ago, L&R Farms introduced their renowned Moloka‘i Sweet Potato Chips as a snack for residents and visitors to enjoy and share with family and friends. The farms’ website states that the product is prepared like regular potato chips but with select sweet potatoes grown on Moloka‘i. They describe it as having a “crisp taste of Moloka‘i found nowhere else.” Every day, Decoite said, the farm tries to keep up a tradition of satisfying customers. “We believe that people enjoy our product and we are happy to supply them with it.” She said running a farm has its challenges. “We see ourselves as a small contributor to the economy, but know that the daily struggles to keep a farming operation in business are tough in this economy.”
Jul 18, 2012 | Community, Environment
As a young girl growing up on Maui, Laura Souza Paresa remembers her grandma reciting the rosary in Portuguese. “I asked her to teach me but she said, ‘You’re American, you speak English.’” Now as an adult, Paresa and 14 other active members of the Maui Portuguese Cultural Club learn everything they can about their language, their culture, and the history of Portugal. “The more I researched the history, the more I was amazed,” said Paresa, a four-year Portuguese Club president. “I feel honored to be a descendant of these people.”
The Maui Portuguese Cultural Club spent this year baking loaves of white bread and cinnamon bread and making pots of Portuguese bean soup as part of two separate fundraisers that garnered some $7,000. Club members invested the money in sprucing up the Portuguese model home and surroundings at Kepaniwai Park, where Maui’s multi-cultural history is showcased. In the Portuguese model home, a colorful exhibit traces the country’s history and outlines pictures of Portuguese exports such as copper, crystal and linen, and practices such as festivals honoring Catholic saints. “Most of our traditions are centered on the church,” Paresa said.
Paresa said about 10 percent of Hawaii’s population has Portuguese ancestry, yet not many are exposed to the rich history of the culture. She said the club awards college scholarships and it does what it can to educate others about the culture and history of the people. Portuguese Cultural Club members have trekked to Portugal and enjoyed hearing stories about a Portuguese family’s daily life. “They were hardworking individuals,” Paresa said. “In these stories, we’ve found they had a very rich culture and they also had a lot of faith.” The Maui Portuguese Cultural Club plans to be more visible at events in the community and accepts new members any time. “You don’t even have to be Portuguese to join the club. If you’re interested in the Portuguese culture, we welcome you,” Paresa said.
Jul 11, 2012 | Community
Maui High School graduate Marie Alexie Sijalbo visited Hana for the first time this summer. Sijalbo said she liked what she saw as she traveled for the first time to the remote part of East Maui as a member of the Youth Alliance. “I have never gone camping before and this experience has made me see what I have been missing out on,” she said. Accompanied by Maui Economic Development Board staff, Sijalbo joined other high schoolers and rode a bus to Hana as part of the Youth Alliance’s “capstone” event for school year 2011-2012. The trip’s highlights featured kumu Francis Sinenci and his presentation on hale building, swimming at beaches and hiking trails in Hana.
Adam Skelton, a soon-to-be-senior at Kumu Wai Mauloa Academy, said he found a new respect for the Hawaiian culture. “Learning the old ways and how we can apply them to our ways now is a valuable lesson,” he said. Sinenci shared his knowledge of hale building and the use of natural materials including leaves and wood. “When I learned all of these things I realized that hale building is more complicated than I thought,” Maui High 2012 graduate Cyndi Segundo said. “However it is something that the Hawaiians did in the past and it is important for us to preserve it.” Skelton agreed. “It is important for us to pass along this knowledge that we have learned and keep the culture and history alive for future generations.”
The opportunity to swim in pristine water, hike in lush surroundings and bond with other Youth Alliance members made the Hana visit even more enjoyable. A Youth Alliance member of three years, Skelton encouraged others to join. “Not only for the knowledge that you will gain, but the friends that you will make,” he said. Youth Alliance members in grades 9 through 12 gather during the school year to explore facets of the Maui community. The behind-the-scenes look is accompanied by projects and activities that give participants opportunities to see how the Maui community works. For more information about the free program, contact Willow Krause at 875-2432 or e-mail willow@medb.org
Jul 4, 2012 | Community
Principal Randy Yamanuha retired in June after 30 years of service with the State Department of Education. At age 56, he leaves his post to serve as caregiver for his aging parents, Yoshio and Sadae Yamanuha. “I’ve always told my staff, family comes first and so I need to practice that same philosophy,” he said. “It’s with a heavy heart. I’ve enjoyed working and I love the staff and the school.”
Amongst the things Yamanuha is most proud of in his 10- year term as principal is his school’s care and attention to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM education. He said Maui High has built a rigorous curriculum that includes emphasis on science and math with the intention of preparing students for high-tech, high-paying jobs. “In education, we can’t really keep up with all the technology. We need the community to help us out,” he said. That’s where organizations like Maui Economic Development Board provide technical assistance to teachers yearning to learn more about STEM curriculum, and support for students successfully competing in national competitions for robotics, science and digital media. “It brings relevance to why they’re taking the math, why they’re taking the science. Programs, like the ones MEDB supports, lets them see the connection,” Yamanuha said. He’s especially pleased to see how technology-based projects have taught students life lessons in the importance of team work.
As principal of Maui High, Yamanuha has taken charge of a large campus — 1,850 students in grades 9 to 12 — and a staff of 120. “Our philosophy has been to create opportunity for all students,” he said, explaining why as many as a dozen Advanced Placement courses are offered to all students and do not require a teacher recommendation. “We challenge our students and if they’re willing to do the work, we’re going to hold them to that commitment.”
MEDB is holding its annual Ke Alahele Education Fund event on August 18 in part to continue its support of STEM education at Maui High and other schools across the county. For more information, go to www.medb.org.
Jun 27, 2012 | Community
Following his late grandpa’s footsteps, Otto “Uncle Joe” Thompson will serve as the 2012 Makawao Rodeo Grand Marshal. “I’m not nervous. Nothing can faze me at this stage,” the 75-year-old said. “I’m just going to have fun.” As an Upcountry youngster, Thompson remembers the Fourth of July Makawao Parade when the late Charley Thompson served as the rodeo grand marshal. “He was smiling and everybody was happy. We were all happy.”
The 57th annual Makawao Rodeo kicks up from July 5-8, highlighting Maui and the state’s finest paniolo for a weekend of bull riding, steer chasing, roping and other events for both adults and youngsters. “The Makawao Rodeo is a time to meet up with all your friends,” Thompson said. The rodeo itself takes place at the Oskie Rice Arena on Olinda Road in Makawao, while the annual Makawao Parade begins at 9 a.m. on July 7 from Baldwin Avenue to Eddie Tam Memorial Center on Makawao Avenue. For more information, call 283-2741. Thompson said even those who don’t find rodeo entertaining can find enjoyment. “No sense stay home. This is for everybody. If anything, you can come and eat hot dogs and hamburgers and just have fun.”
This year’s rodeo grand marshal currently resides parttime on the Big Island, retiring after 37 years of service as a semi-trailer driver for Maui Land & Pineapple Company. He is a father of three children, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Uncle Joe was born in Paia and raised in Kokomo around horses. He could be found either at the Kahului fair grounds exercising race horses, at the polo field grooming the polo ponies or at the Thompson Ranch taking out trail rides. His hobbies today are raising parakeets and chasing Palominos. He says he’s been to almost every one of the Makawao 4th of July parades. “I like it,” he said. “They’re a lot of fun.”
Jun 20, 2012 | Community
Members of the Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance planted native species and uprooted invasive ones in an effort to contribute to the reforestation of Honokowai Valley. The project, completed in May and prior to the summer break, was an opportunity to learn about and support the work of the nonprofit Maui Cultural Lands. “It was a great way to end the year within the theme of Community Enrichment Through Volunteerism,” said Youth Alliance Coordinator Willow Krause. Youth Alliance members attend monthly events during the school year to explore and gain a greater understanding of key components in the Maui community. Their gatherings are coordinated by the Maui Economic Development Board, which is marking its 30th year here on island.
Youth Alliance member Alisha Summers said she was impressed by Maui Cultural Lands, a Maui-based grass roots land trust organization whose mission is to stabilize, protect and restore Hawaiian cultural resources. The goal in Honokowai Valley and Kaanapali is to reforest the areas with native and endemic Hawaiian plant species. “It is wonderful to know there are people who have dedicated themselves to uncover what the ancient Hawaiians left behind,” said Summers, who will be entering her senior year at Baldwin High School this fall. She’s completed her third year with the Youth Alliance and is considering a career in medicine or environmental science after college.
Summers said her first trip to Honokowai Valley included lessons on how Native Hawaiians lived sustainable lifestyles in the area and why it is important to protect and restore the cultural resources of the land. Students toured parts of a restored Hawaiian village and were invited to taste kukui sap, which Summers described as an ingredient used for medicinal uses and as a mouth cleanser. She said the highlight of the daylong trip was to plant native species. They picked up river rocks and placed them around the trunk of each new plant. “Surveying the work that I did gave me a sense of satisfaction that I was contributing to the preservation of our historic sites,” Summers said. “By educating our youth, Hawaii’s next generation will become aware that without sustainable practices, many outdoor activities may be significantly compromised.”
Jun 13, 2012 | Community
On any given Tuesday night, Flatbread Pizza in Paia is packed with hungry, appreciative diners while funds are being raised for charitable causes. “The benefit nights are hugely profitable for the recipients,” explains Josh Stone, a former professional windsurfer and one of the owners of the popular restaurant. “We’re happy to help and support our community,” said Stone, who also chairs the Maui Charter Commission.
Charity nights at Flatbread date back to 1998 when Jay Gould opened his first restaurant in Amesbury, Mass. According to Josh Stone, as many as 200 residents responded to Gould’s call to build a wood fire pizza oven for the restaurant. “So it became the town’s oven,” Stone said. From there, benefit nights began with school groups and non-profits sharing in the event’s proceeds. Charity nights have become a mainstay at all of Flatbread’s locations on the East Coast from Boston to Maine, on Maui and in Whistler, British Columbia. “We’re happy to connect with and support our community,” Stone said. Starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Flatbread donates $3 to the beneficiary for any and every pizza sold on the night. Beneficiaries include local schools, athletic clubs and organizations such as Na Mele O Maui, Women Helping Women, Surfrider Foundation Maui Chapter, Hawaii State Dressage Society and Somos Ohana Nicaragua.
The Paia location employs 52 people, overseeing 145 seats in a 3,400 sq. ft. restaurant. Stone said Flatbread practices the philosophy of founders Jay Gould and John Meehan. “I call them J and J. One of the J and J mottos is there is no VIP,” Stone said, explaining that the business’ goal is to provide tasty pizza and good service to everyone. Stone said as many as 80 percent of new restaurants fail in their first three years, but Flatbread Pizza has thrived from the beginning in November 2006. “You have to be consistent. We tirelessly monitor the quality of service and the food,” Stone said. “We know our food is good, but we’re always checking and we’re always making sure everyone feels welcome here.”
Jun 6, 2012 | Community
Maui High School teacher Clint Gima has built a digital media lab, exposing students to the field of video journalism through the high-tech world. With the support of the Maui Economic Development Board Ke Alahele Education Fund, Gima and his students have traveled to the mainland in recent years for Student Television Network conventions. They’ve returned with national awards and gained a better appreciation for the media field and new friendships with others who share their passion.
Graduated senior Roselyn Domingo enrolled in Gima’s classes in three of her four years at Maui High. She’s eyeing college studies in dental hygiene. She said the digital media lab experience has been worthwhile and a means to learn about cameras and the value of camaraderie. “I didn’t really know how to use a camera when I first started,” she recalled. By the end of her senior year, Domingo earned two national awards and partnered with classmate Allysa Ferrer, who co-produced award-winning videos with her. “We’d go to each other’s house and we’d stay up all night to work. … I’m going to really miss it.”
Gima said the media lab aligns with the State Department of Education’s goals to offer rigorous and relevant curriculum. “The kids do authentic work. In digital media they have a lot of ground to cover and they’re producing original work,” Gima said. Students have produced videos covering topics like Domingo’s winning piece on fire knife dancing. Another video featured the declining population of honeybees and why that’s important in Hawaii. “When they engage in projects, they have to work with others and they learn job skills they’re going to need in the future,” Gima said. Having already seen the value and benefits of attending the Student Television Network conventions, Gima said he plans to apply a third time for Ke Alahele Education Fund support. Domingo said off-island trips are one of the most memorable experiences of the media lab. “I can’t pay for it myself so I’m really happy for the chance to see things outside of Maui,” she said.
May 30, 2012 | Community
Phyllis McOmber fights cancer with the same zeal she initiates community projects — fearlessly. Through it all, the 74-year-old organ player at the Lāna‘i Baptist Church says her faith in God sustains her. McOmber has been at the forefront of numerous Lāna‘i initiatives from building a preschool to opening a new health care center. She’s served on the Maui County Urban Design Review Board and the Lāna‘i Art Program board of directors. Her most recent project as an advisor to the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association netted $10,000 for the annual Lāna‘i Charity Walk.
A Florida native, McOmber moved in the 1960s to Lāna‘i where she worked as a college educator and created continuing education and university extension programs on the island. She founded the Lāna‘i Community Health Center, a project 10 years in the making. A temporary clinic site currently serves as many 900 patients a year, many of whom are uninsured. There are plans to build a permanent facility, but the project still has to raise another $5 million to go forward. McOmber said her volunteer efforts sprang from a motivation to support the community she lives in. “No matter how much time it takes, it’s been twice worth it,” she said. “Basically this is my home and I want to do everything I can for my home.” She said she appreciates recognition, but notes that many others join her in carrying out community projects. “Everything I’ve done, I haven’t done by myself,” she said. “Everything has really been supported by community needs and I’m proud of that.”
A survivor of breast and colon cancer, McOmber was being treated for bone cancer this year. She was diagnosed with brain cancer in early May. The day after returning home from radiation treatment on Oahu, McOmber said she felt weak but her spirits remained strong. “I don’t feel bad. I don’t hurt. … I have my faith,” she said in a phone interview. She vowed not to let cancer stop her from continuing to contribute at home. “I hope it doesn’t get me down. I don’t plan on it.”
May 23, 2012 | Community
Wailuku attorney Bill Kinaka donated his first pint of blood more than 20 years ago. He did so by brushing aside his fear of blood and sharp needles. He said he focused on the appeal that he was supporting: a blood drive for a young child with leukemia. “I was so afraid the first time but I couldn’t say no,” Kinaka recalled recently. He said his experience with the Blood Bank of Hawaii was painless and now he looks forward to every time he gets to donate. “It’s become so automatic for me.”
The Blood Bank of Hawaii distinguishes Kinaka as a century donor because he has given more than 100 pints of blood. Kinaka’s also helped collect 481 pints of blood and recruited 30 first-time donors, enough to save 1,443 lives, according to the Blood Bank’s estimates. “Bill is not only a century donor, he’s also a volunteer recruiter,” said Aaron Knapp, director of Donor Services for the Blood Bank of Hawaii. “Bill goes the extra mile, he goes above and beyond.” Depending on his work schedule, Kinaka will wear a shirt with the Blood Bank of Hawaii logo and carry with him written information about how to make a donation. “As soon as people ask, they’re trapped. … I’m a walking billboard for the Blood Bank.”
Separate from his Blood Bank support, Kinaka has volunteered for more than 30 years as a board member for Maui Adult Day Care Center, and Hale Mahaolu, a nonprofit that owns and manages low and moderate-income unit housing for the elderly and families. Kinaka, an Eagle Scout, said he vowed as a youngster growing up in Lahaina that he would do something to fight discrimination and honor the county’s senior citizens. “People didn’t used to give them much care or thought yet they are the people that made the community what it is today.” He said he’s very proud of the Maui Adult Day Care Center’s programs and the national recognition Hale Mahaolu has received for its housing projects.
