Jan 18, 2012 | Community, Environment
A community service project on Kaho‘olawe turned into a renewed appreciation for the Hawaiian culture and the value of giving back. That’s what Kevin Gavagan of the Four Seasons Wailea said happened to some 35 hotel employees and their families when they volunteered to plant trees on Kaho‘olawe. “We went to give and we got so much back, Kaho‘olawe enriched us,” said Gavagan, a Native Hawaiian employed as the assistant director of engineering at the Four Seasons. Gavagan spearheaded the volunteer effort, leading two separate trips to Kaho‘olawe toward the end of last year. Employees gave up their vacation time for a four-day journey that featured two full days of tree planting, an island tour and lessons on Hawaiian history. Their employer, the Four Seasons, picked up the access fees to the island, priced at $125 per person. In honor of the hotel chain’s 50th anniversary, Four Seasons set a goal to plant 10 million trees around the world. The Four Seasons at Wailea kicked off their contribution to the goal by planting some 250 trees on the hotel property on Earth Day in April of last year. Gavagan followed that up by coordinating the tree-planting project on Kaho‘olawe.
There is archaeological evidence that Kaho‘olawe, the smallest of four islands in Maui County, was occupied by Native Hawaiians since 1000 A.D. It was taken over by the U.S. military after the outbreak of World War II and used as a bombing range for more than 40 years. After a $400 million cleanup of unexploded ordinance of the island, it was returned to the state of Hawaii in 2003. Now, the island is overseen by the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission. There are plans to do more tree planting in 2012. Gavagan said his views of Kaho‘olawe have changed his visits. “You get a completely different appreciation for the island when you step foot on it,” he said. “It really was a transformation for me and got me closer to Hawaiian traditions. Everybody wants to know when they can go back,” Gavagan said.
Jan 11, 2012 | Community
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Stone of Hope Monument, High Street, Wailuku
Maui retirees Terri and George Rainey have been involved in planning and promoting Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations in Hawaii for nearly two decades now. Terri Rainey recalled meeting the late civil rights leader for the first time in 1961 at her church in Los Angeles. “He inspired all of us to always do good and help others to help make a difference in their lives. I have carried his message with me all my life,” she said. Rainey and her husband, George, founded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition-Hawaii (Honolulu) and have extended it to Maui. The Coalition has been working with the nonprofit African Americans on Maui Association to coordinate events on Maui.
Rainey said it is the goal of the Coalition, which includes the Maui division, “to educate the community, especially the younger generation, about Dr. King, his principles, and how important it is to preserve his memory.” The 2012 Maui celebration runs throughout the week and officially opened Jan. 9 with Mayor Alan Arakawa signing a proclamation acknowledging the County of Maui’s recognition of the Dr. King holiday and his legacy. “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leading advocate for civil rights through non-violent means nationally and internationally, and we shall honor his memory through our actions and deeds as a tribute to his legacy,” Rainey said. Residents can learn more about King by visiting the island public libraries to see special book displays made in tribute to King. There are also churches including Grace Church, Ka‘ahumanu Congregational Church and the Temple of Peace in Haiku, which are holding services honoring King on Sunday, Jan. 15.
Celebrations culminate Monday, Jan. 16, with an inaugural bell ringing at 8 a.m. at the Ka‘ahumanu Congregational Church in Wailuku. A ceremony follows at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Stone of Hope Monument in front of the County Building on High Street. The Stone of Hope monument, the only one of its kind in the State, was dedicated in 2006 in memory of the life and legacy of Dr. King. From there, a march continues on to Market Street. The holiday will close with an entertainment program from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center stage. All events are free and open to the public.
Jan 4, 2012 | Community
Continuing our series on County Department leadership, reflecting the role of government in responding to community values and needs.
While residents enjoy the peace of living on an island with a relatively low crime rate, the job of maintaining public safety falls to Maui County Police Chief Gary Yabuta and the more than 400 employees of the Maui Police Department. “I have a great team,” said Yabuta, who joined the department as an officer in March 1983 and became chief in June 2009. “It’s a diverse organization with a variety of people who have highly technical skills.” “The greatest resource we have is our officers and our employees,” he said.
As of mid-December, the department has 344 officers out of 375 positions allocated and another 117 civilian employees. Yabuta has taken the step of opening dialogues with communities, holding several public meetings this past year. “I enjoy working with the community,” he said. “Our goal is to remove the fears of the community in their own neighborhoods.” Yabuta said his department is working hard to develop community partnerships and educate the community about crime. One of those steps was to develop, with the assistance of The Maui News, the weekly Crime Watch feature on Mondays that reports on property crimes throughout Maui County.
Another effort has been to continue work with establishing Neighborhood Crime Watch groups, which are organized neighborhood, residential or retail areas that come together to look out for each other and report suspicious activity to police. There are at least 45 such groups throughout Maui County, and Yabuta said he’d like to see more. The department continues its efforts to educate young people about the dangers of drugs and alcohol through its drug and alcohol resistance program, better known as DARE. That program has expanded to include anti-bullying education. Yabuta acknowledged that many officers and civilians in his department also work closely with the community on their own time, participating in a variety of charitable fundraisers and community events. “It’s not the chief telling them to do this. Good officers, good employees, they make the time to assist and help their own community; it’s what makes great character and a good law enforcement officer and employee.”
Dec 28, 2011 | Community
The New Year brings with it a sense of optimism as we look forward and prepare for exciting challenges ahead. Having been exposed to the Focus Maui Nui vision, Youth Alliance members shared a positive outlook on the county’s future and their role in it. “I want to be a part of the future of Maui,” 17-year-old Marie Sijalbo said. A senior at Maui High School, Sijalbo has been actively involved in the robotics program – a project supported by the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Education Fund. Sijalbo dreams of a career in engineering and a return after college to the islands where she hopes to serve as a productive citizen. “If students leave the island to go to college, I think they should come back and give back to the community who made them who they are today.”
Lavinia Sagario, 16, joined the Health Occupations Students of America group at Maui High, to prepare herself for a future in the medical field. “I want to be a physician,” she said. More specifically, Lavinia is contemplating the field of radiology. “Hopefully Maui will have need for more doctors and I can come back to my roots,” Lavinia said. The two members of the Youth Alliance said they’re hopeful that the island’s economy will improve and jobs will become plentiful again. “I think it’s scary right now that although you get an education sometimes it doesn’t mean you get a job after (college),” Marie said. “It makes me wonder what am I going to do.” Marie and Lavinia said their strategy now is to get involved at school and in the community. “I’m trying to get well rounded and be involved in community service to help my chances for the future,” Marie said.
Youth Alliance Project Coordinator Willow Krause organizes monthly community service projects in part to give participants a greater understanding of the community they live in and how they can give back. “I think teenagers are often given a bad rap,” Krause said. “Every student I’ve met has been wonderful and I think their future is bright.”
Dec 21, 2011 | Community, Sustainability
Hunger and the holidays were on the minds of Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance members as they sorted hundreds of donated canned goods at the Maui Food Bank. With Christmas only a few days away, about 15 high school students volunteered their time to learn about hunger in the community and how to help those who have very little to eat during the holiday. “When I think of hunger, I think of a big city like New York. It’s hard to picture hunger on Maui – but the reality is, it’s here too,” said Kristen Gilchrist, a 15-year-old sophomore at Lahainaluna High School. Kristen shared her thoughts about hunger as she scanned through cans of nonperishable items such as fruit cocktail, soups and pork and beans. “It’s hard for me to imagine what it’s like to be wondering where your next meal will come from because I’ve never had that. I’m fortunate, I’ve always had food,” Kristen said.
At Maui Food Bank, approximately 10,000 pounds of food is distributed weekly to families in Maui County. Volunteer Coordinator Tasha Mohline accommodated the Youth Alliance at a time the warehouse would normally be closed. “I’d take any opportunity to teach and educate the youth about hunger and what we do for the community,” Mohline said.
The teenagers spent about three hours sorting out approximately 20 packed shopping carts of canned goods. The items will eventually be picked up by the 100-plus agencies that rely on the Food Bank to provide them with supplies to serve needy families. Sharmaine Pasalo, a 17-year-old Maui High School student, said she was surprised at the sight of heaping cans of food. “It shouldn’t be this way, people starving in our community, that’s really not good,” she said. Tyler DiGiulio, also 17 and a student at Maui High, said his first visit to the Maui Food Bank left him feeling grateful that he doesn’t have to worry about hunger in his own life. “I think it’s great that we’re helping people in need.”
Dec 14, 2011 | Small Business
Curtis and Naomi Takaoka
The Takaoka family, led by the late Mike and Patsy Takaoka, first assumed ownership of Tasty Crust in 1957, sold it in 1982, and took it back in 1997 with Curtis and wife, Naomi, offering to assist as Curtis’ parents took a well-deserved retirement. With 27 employees on the payroll today, Tasty Crust provides a menu of local favorites including saimin, teriyaki steak and the ever-popular hot cakes. From Monday to Friday, as many as 20 gallons of hot cake batter is prepared – and up to 30 gallons on weekends. The Mill Street restaurant sits in the same spot it was built on in 1944 and still uses recipes from Patsy Takaoka and her closest friends and family.
Sustaining the business success could lead to adding more staff and/or raising prices. “It’s a constant battle having to take care of business in this economy. Eventually we’re going to have to tool the business a little bit, but I think we’re going to keep the menu the same.” Takaoka said he appreciates the support the community has given his restaurant. “We’re so thankful we’ve been able to do business on Maui. Everyone has been so supportive and we’ve got a lot of people who have been very, very loyal to us.”
Dec 7, 2011 | Community
Major Brian West and his wife, Iva, are celebrating their first Christmas on island as the Salvation Army Maui County Coordinators. This holiday season, the Wests are spearheading a group of volunteers who are seeking pennies and presents to help those most in need on Maui during the holiday season. So far, no good. “Our kettle drive is going a little slower than usual,” West said, referring to the annual Red Kettle Drive. Bell ringing volunteers began the campaign the day before Thanksgiving and after the first week, came up short as much as $1,200 per day compared to the year before.
The traditional Angel Tree gift giving campaign is also underway with the wishes of children from low-income families outlined on paper angel cutouts set up at Queen Kaahumanu Center, Kmart and WalMart. “We’re a little bit concerned about that too,” West said, adding that the normal Angel Tree drive for children in need is not up to par as previous years. “I can’t put my finger on it,” West said. “I don’t know why it’s down…I think we’ve got good greeters and volunteers. The weather’s been good, but we’re still off.” West said he hopes that gift givers are just getting to a slow start.
This year’s Kettle Drive theme: “Sharing is Caring” has always lived up to its name on Maui, West said. The 2011 holiday goal is to raise $165,000 by collecting spare change from people dropping by the red kettles. Collections, if successful, can repeat what 2010’s donations were able to do on Maui:
- Provide 10,800 bed nights to homeless men.
- Serve 78,892 meals to homeless men, women and children.
- Distribute 15,680 hygiene kits to residents in need.
- Give 34,287 food bags to Salvation Army clients.
Angel Trees will accept gifts for children up until Dec. 19; and the red kettle drive will remain in place up until Christmas Eve. For more information, call 871-6270.
Dec 1, 2011 | Education, Stemworks
Eleventh-grader Cheska Liwag never dreamed of a career in engineering until she enrolled in the Maui High School robotics program. Robotics has been at the heart of many opportunities for Cheska, one of 45 students at Maui High immersed in robotics and in competitions across the county and in the state. “Robotics has helped me to grow and make new friends. I’ve learned a lot about team work and what it takes to compete,” Liwag said. The Maui High School Robotics Program is one of a dozen recipients receiving grants totaling more than $51,000 in the final quarter of 2011. Funding comes from the Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Education Fund.
The latest distribution of funds has gone to support a variety of programs that encourage hands-on experiences and learning in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. The money enables students to compete in state robotics tournaments, provides professional development for teachers and helps to procure needed equipment for various projects in science and technology. For Maui High, the grant money has been the means to compete at the upcoming Pan Pacific tournament on Oahu. Liwag serves as captain on a team of six students from her school. “We’re excited,” she said.
Among others receiving grants this past quarter are:
Molokai Robotics (FIRST Lego League), $4,991; to support three teams from Kaunakakai Elementary and Kualapu’u Elementary schools to compete in a Maui tournament, as well as robotics equipment and supplies.
Kalama Intermediate School PLUG-INN project (Problem- Based Learning Using Geodatabases: Innovative Native Network), $5,000; for STEM collaboration between Kalama students and schools in Alaska, including shoreline field trips, use of GIS wireless technologies, and shared collaborative data analysis.
Maui Navigators (FIRST Lego League), $3,655; for robotics equipment and supplies for Central Maui robotics club for 9-14 year olds.
Hawaii State Science Olympiad, $5,000; for participation by approximately 200 students from 10 Maui County schools in statewide hands-on, team-based science competition and program.
Iao School VEX Robotics program, $3,989; for competition by middle school team at VEX competition at the Maui Fair and regional tournament on Oahu.
Nov 24, 2011 | Small Business
As we recently celebrated Veterans Day and are mindful of the service given to our nation by members of our armed forces, disabled Iraq veteran and entrepreneur, Chelsea Ann K.E. Fernandez, is fulfilling a dream of serving the disabled community of Maui. The president and co-founder of FernanTECH Inc., Fernandez and her husband, Joey, are opening a new branch called Hawaii Assistive Technology Company. Its mission will be to provide people with disabilities a chance to live independently with the use of technology. “It was always in my heart to help the disabled,” Fernandez said.
At age 14, Fernandez, a graduate of Hilo High School, saw her two-month-old sister die in part because of complications from both physical deformities and Down syndrome. Fernandez said she vowed that she would do what she could in her adult years to support impaired youth and adults. Her vision is to find technological devices that assist the deaf, the blind and the disabled in everyday living, concentrating on education and communication. “The range is so wide,” she said, adding that products could include walking canes for the blind and iPads for autistic children. Fernandez was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Syndrome Disorder as a result of her service in the U.S. Army Reserve and a tour in Iraq. Following her year of military service in 2004, she moved to Maui in 2006 and established FernanTECH Inc. She also earned an associate degree in business from the University of Hawaii Maui College and earned certificates in entrepreneurship, management, marketing and accounting.
The current treasurer of the Maui Lions Club, Fernandez has made connections with the group that empowers volunteers to encourage the deaf and the blind. Fernandez also started the Maui Deaf Club and she’s partnered with the Hawaii Independent Living Center on Maui and a panel of service providers for the disabled to learn more about the community she wants to serve. She has invested some $10,000 in educating herself about the needs of the disabled including registering for a February 2012 international conference sponsored by the California State University. “I really want to do this,” Fernandez said.
Nov 17, 2011 | Small Business
Valley Isle Gymnastics is not just Maui’s longest-lived gymnastics training center offering wholesome and healthy activities for young athletes of all skill levels in a fun and safe atmosphere. Once again this September, the gym hosted the Special Olympics Cartwheel Festival, which has raised $26,500 for Special Olympics Maui over the last eight years. Being involved in voluntary community service has resulted in numerous awards and recognitions, and Valley Isle Gymnastics’ success as an enterprise as has brought it the Maui County Small Business of the Year Award.
Founder and co-owner of Valley Isle Gymnastics, Rusty Gage, believes his business also stands out because of the honesty and character in its members and staff. “I think our business has been successful because its foundation is based on work ethic and passion,” said Gage. “I’m thrilled to have staff members with spirit, in a world where workplace complacency is all too common.” The gym goes to great lengths to screen potential staff members and seek the most positive character traits. “Character and integrity probably best sums up our daily operations.” Gage believes business success is down to “implementing and knowing your craft, knowing how to be financially responsible with the business, and knowing how to relate to the clients who are responsible for your existence.”
Gage moved to Maui from Texas, where he ran a similar business. In pursuing his dream of living in the tropics, Gage now has nine employees and the center currently serves nearly 500 young athletes from infants to 18, offering developmental, recreational and competitive gymnastics. “We do not seek to convert every young person into becoming a gymnast,” Gage said. “Rather, we seek to motivate and encourage Maui’s youth to explore the fun things their bodies can do, and to challenge themselves while ensuring that they know the option to become more of a focused gymnast is always available.”
