Ka'ū News Briefs Thursday, September 14, 2017
Filipino World War II Veterans will finally receive the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor on Oct. 25.
Photo from Asian Journal
FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS will receive the highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25. The ceremony, announced today, is the result of Sen. Mazie Hirono and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard's bill to honor more than 260,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers who fought in the Pacific Theater.
"The presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal to our Filipino World War II veterans is the culmination of decades of work to honor these veterans for their service to our country," said Hirono. "These veterans and their families overcame many challenges in their fight for
Filipino World War II veterans who fought for the U.S. will receive
the Congressional Gold Medal following passage of a bill in
Congress championed by Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
compensation, family reunification, and verification of wartime service. I look forward to participating in the ceremony to provide this long overdue recognition next month."
Gabbard put it this way: "The United States is indebted to the service, bravery, and perseverance of Filipino veterans of World War II. Their sacrifices were left untold in the United States for decades, as they fought for recognition by the country they served. I am proud that we can correct the record today, and finally honor the service and sacrifice of these heroes and their families, and ensure they are never forgotten."
The ceremony will be held in Emancipation Hall and will be live-streamed on speaker.gov/live. Filipino World War II veterans and their families who are interested in participating in the ceremony and receiving a bronze replica medal can register through the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project at filvetrep.org/registry.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will take part in the bipartisan, bicameral ceremony, along with Hirono and Gabbard.
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FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND A DINNER, sponsored by Nā'ālehu teacher Raina Whiting, will be held at Ocean View Community Center tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 15 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO HELP WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNITY is offered by The Nature Conservancy.
The Nature Conservancy has announced a call for applications through Nov. 3 for student projects that develop nature-based, green infrastructure solutions to an environmental challenge in their community.
Applications are open for public and charter schools to build or maintain a Nature Works Everywhere school garden, greenspace or green infrastructure project. Up to sixty (60) grants will be given in the amount of $2000 during the 2017 - 2018 school year.
Ka'ū High School Service Club volunteers at The Nature
Conservancy's Kaiholena Preserve in 2014.
Photo from The Nature Conservancy
"A Nature Works Everywhere project empowers students and teachers to work together to create and implement their own solutions to environmental challenges in their communities," says a statement from The Nature Conservancy. "Whether addressing issues surrounding access to healthy food, air quality, heat island effect, or storm water collection, youth are empowered as social innovators to model solutions in their school communities through design and implementation. Nature Works Everywhere projects connect students to a global challenge – to protect the natural systems that produce our food, water, clean air and energy."
For full details on requirements, eligibility, and how to apply go to NatureWorksEverywhere.org/#grants
RIDE SO THEY CAN WALK invites the community to help end polio worldwide with a Rotary Club biking event Saturday, Nov. 11 through Saturday, Nov. 18. Organized statewide by Volcano resident Charlene Meyers, Ride So They Can Walk invites everyone to ride on their own schedule, desired distance and place.
Charlene Meyers is ready to Ride So They Can Walk to help end
polio worldwide. Photo by Amos Meyers
Meyers, a Rotarian and Polio Plus Chair for the state, said, "Rotarians, individual community members, biking groups and clubs riding bikes, and those on stationary bikes in health clubs and gyms will ride in support of eradicating polio. This ride is different in that no roads need be closed as everyone will ride on their own schedule and desired distance."
Each rider will pay a $20 registration fee and "will also have friends and family sponsor their ride with all those donations going to Rotary's Polio Plus program."
When Rotary Club International started the campaign to eradicate polio in 1988 there were 350,000 cases a year in the world.
"As of the date of writing this there are ten cases worldwide – six in Afghanistan and four in Pakistan," said Meyers. "This isn't good enough – Zero is the magic number." Even with the few cases worldwide each year, vaccinations are needed to keep the disease from spreading again through vast populations of people, Meyers explained.
Each Ride So They Can Walk participant will receive a commemorative towel with the specially designed logo once they complete the ride and bring in a minimum of $100 in sponsor donations. Suggested Meyers, "Do even more by challenging another rider to see how many sponsor dollars you can bring in."
To sign up for Ride So They Can Walk, make the $20 registration check to Charlene Meyers, with Polio Plus Chair on the notation line. Make out contribution checks of $100 or more to Rotary D5000 - Polio Ride. Send both to: Charlene Meyers, Polio Plus Chair, P.O. Box 59, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, HI 96718.
Meyers is former President of Volcano Rotary Club and current member of Hilo Rotary Club. She also owns the company Images of Hawai'i.
Image from Braddah Ben and Kaniu
KA'Ū NATIVE AND KA'Ū HIGH GRAD Ben Mejia, who lives and performs on O'ahu, wants to bring home his band, Braddah Ben and Kaniu, with its first album, Hawai'i Is My Home.
The trio seeks sponsors to allow them to make their way back to the Big Island to perform, says Mejia.
Braddah Ben and Kaniu play Contemporary Hawaiian island music. Mejia is lead guitarist, with Al Rowland on rhythm guitar and Herman Coiser on bass.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser columnist John Berger gave the album an "excellent review in the newspaper welcoming us to the Hawaiian Contemporary music scene. We are so excited to see our music spread around the island and expand throughout the world," says the bands official website, mejiamusic123.com.
In Ka'ū, find the Braddah Ben and Kanio Hawai'i Is My Home album at Punalu'u Bake Shop in Nā'ālehu and Hawai'i's Local Buzz on South Point Road. It is also available at Bishop Museum on O'ahu and on iTunes, and over 150 online music retailers. Braddah Ben and Kaniu can also be heard on YouTube.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR FALL TROJAN SPORTS:
Eight-Man Football: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away game.
Cross Country: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Bowling: Saturday, Sept. 16, Ka'ū vs. Hilo & Konawaena at Kona Bowl.
Girls Volleyball: Monday, Sept. 18, Ka'ū vs. Makualani, away.
Wednesday, Sept. 20, Ka'ū vs. Konawaena, away.
REGISTER 5TH GRADE GIRLS FOR GEMS BY TOMORROW SEPT. 15. Ka'ū fifth grade girls are invited to start registering for GEMS, Girls Exploring Math and Science. The annual all day event has been set for the Crown Marriot King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel for Nov. 9.
Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and space is limited. Registration fee is $20 and scholarships are available. No girl will be turned away because of financial need.
For more details, see the Ka'ū News Briefs from Aug. 30, 2017.
All fifth grade girls residing in the West Hawai'i School complex in public, private, or home-schooled are welcome. Sponsorship of girls by individuals or businesses will be accepted. For more information about GEMS, to sponsor a girl, or to request a registration packet, contact Cindy Armer, GEMS chairperson at cbarmer@hotmail.com or 808-896-7180. Remember GEMS registration form must be postmarked by 9-15-17. See more details on Ka'ū News Briefs from August 15, 2017.
REGISTER KEIKI FOR SUNFLOWER CRAFT until tomorrow, Sept. 15. The craft class, for keiki ages 6 to 14, will take place on Monday, Sept. 18, at Kahuku Park from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 929-9113 for more.
REGISTER FOR A VOLLEYBALL CLINIC for five to 14 year-old youth, co-sponsored by the Hawai'i Police Department. It will be held at Ka'ū District Gym from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday Sept. 25. Instructors are Ka'ū High School Girls Volleyball coach Joshua Ortega and coaching staff, assisted by Ka'ū High School Girls Volleyball team. Gym or court shoes required. Participants must turn in a signed registration waiver form. For more information, and to register, call Ka'ū District Gym at 928-3102.
REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR TISSUE ART CLASS until Sept. 19. The class will take place at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
WOOD VALLEY WATER COOPERATIVE will hold its annual meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, 96-3209 Maile St., on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
REDEEM HI-5 RECYCLABLES AT NĀ'ĀLEHU SCHOOL GYM on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and receive 5 cents per container (sorted by type) and an additional 20 cents per pound on all aluminum. Atlas Recycling donates 20 cents per pound on all aluminum redeemed to the school. For more details, call 939-2413, ext. 230.
DISCOVER THE HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI'IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomena they represent on a free, moderate, one-mile walk this Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit nps.gov/havo.
PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU is a free, guided, 2.5 mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park that focuses on the area's human history from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17.
A GILBERT & SULLIVAN CHRISTMAS CAROL will be the December play by Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network. Auditions will be held on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. at KMC's Kīlauea Theater. Auditioneers should prepare a song that best features their vocal ability. There are parts for all ages, from Scrooge to Tiny Tim.
A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol with story by Charles Dickens, music by Arthur Sullivan, and Words by Gayden Wren (inspired by W.S. Gilbert) is another look at the Christmas classic with the bonus of Gilbert & Sullivan music. The show uses songs from many of the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas; an example is the three ghosts sing Three Little Maids from School from The Mikado but with lyrics that suit the show. Suzi Bond is directing the show with musical direction by Walter Greenwood.
A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol will play for one weekend only Dec. 14 to 17; Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.. For more information call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.
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