UPDATE: Tickets Still Available for MA`O Farm's Annual Fundraiser on 9/5/09

5TH annual MA`O ma TOWN Fundraiser

SEPTEMBER 5, 2009, 6-9pm
Downtown @ The Hawai'i State Art Museum

UPDATE: Tickets still available! Credit Cards now being accepted for ticket purchases, donations, and auction purchases. Call 696-5569 or email info@maoorganicfarms.org

Enjoy gourmet food featuring organic and locally grown produce. Live entertainment. Silent and live auctions (donations sought, see below).

Individual Tickets: $125
Tables: $5000 & $2000 for 8 people

Use the following link to reserve a ticket or make a donation:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dHlHZTQzSDZVVkV6UzZSMnY2Q2VFSXc6MA.

MA'O is a social enterprise movement growing 'ono organic foods and energetic young leaders. Proceeds from MA'O ma Town supports the education of a new generation of leaders working for a sustainable Hawai`i nei.

AUCTION DONATIONS SOUGHT

We write to ask for your support of MA'O Ma Town -- the annual fundraising event for MA'O Organic Farms in Wai`anae.
Thanks to past donations, we raised $15,000 in the silent and live auctions last year which supported scholarships for MA'O youth to enroll in an Associate in Arts degree program at Leeward Community College, earn a certificate in Community Food Systems, and attend conferences in San Jose and Philadelphia, as well as host a successful conference for other Oahu youth (featured in the Honoulu Weekly: http://honoluluweekly.com/feature/2009/06/young-and-hungry/)
We are happy to report that the 5th annual MA'O Ma Town will take place on September 5, 2009 at the Hawaii State Art Museum.
We ask you to consider donating an item or service to this year's silent and live auctions.
To Donate, please click here, or on the following link and fill out the form as instructed:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?key=rccXr6dYSKLFCnE2KpPbfHw
We will arrange for pick up and provide a tax deduction letter based on the information you have provided us.

Thanks again so much,

Silent Auction Committee:
Wei Fang wei@maoorganicfarms.org, Kristine Yoo yooky820@yahoo.com, Maile Shimabukuro maileshimabukuro@yahoo.com

http://www.maoorganicfarms.org/

info@maoorganicfarms.org • http://www.maoorganicfarms.org/ • 808-696-5569

WCRC, P.O. Box 441, Waianae, HI 96792

Waianae's Hawaiian Crusaders are Cal Ripken Champs!

Aloha Maile,

I'm writing on behalf of Paradise Chapel's baseball team The Crusaders.

In the past week this Crusader's team competed at the Cal Rip-Ken Baseball Tournament in South Carolina.

The team is made up of elementary aged students who come from the Waianae Coast.

While there, they earned an undefeated record and won the tournament to return home as Champions.

We are extremely proud of their accomplishment and this is a very proud moment for them and for our community.

Thank you for your time.

Mahalo,

LouAnn Kaaloa

For more information about the Hawaiian Crusaders, visit: http://hawaiiancrusaders.blogspot.com/

LCCW - Higher Education Opportunities

Leeward Community College, Waianae (LCCW)/Waianae Education Center offers courses to meet the requirements for a two-year degree, and access to UH 4-year and graduate degrees online through distance learning.

Click here to view a recent informational postcard that LCCW mailed out.


Contact information:
86-088 Farrington Highway
Suite 201
Waianae, Hawaii 96792
808-696-6378

Mai`li Warriors Car Wash Fundraiser

Aloha!

Can you please pass along to everyone that the Ma'ili Warriors Peewee football team will be having car wash fundraisers on Sun 8/30 at Waianae Store from 7am-3pm? We are asking for donations. We are raising money to go to Molokai and play a game against the Molokai Farmers. Our game is scheduled the weekend of Halloween. It would be difficult for the Molokai football team to come to Oahu every weekend to play football.

I would also like to coordinate something where our players can contribute to our community.

Mahalo!

Runda Troutman
Ma'ili Warriors Peewee Team Manager
rnchawaii@yahoo.com

Hearing Aug. 28 Challenging 12,000 Homes Planned on 'The Best Agricultural Land' on O`ahu (Located Between Kapolei & Waipahu)

Friends of Makakilo has challenged D.R. Horton-Schuler's petition to reclassify over 1,500 acres of agricultural land in Kapolei to residential zoning. The challenge will be heard by the Land Use Commission (LUC) on August 28, 2009. The following is the hearing information:

What: Contested Case Hearing against D.R. Horton-Schuler's plans to build 12,000 homes on agricultural land in Kapolei

When: Friday, 8/28/09, 8:30am

Where: LUC, Leiopapa A Kamehameha Bldg., 235 S. Beretania St., Conf. Rm. 405

Who: Friends of Makakilo has filed the challenge to the proposed development

Why: Opponents say the land in question is "the best agricultural land" on Oahu

How to Testify: Come in person, or send an email (luc@dbedt.hawaii.gov), or send a fax (587-3827)

For more info: Visit http://stophoopili.com/ or call Dr. Kioni Dudley at 672-8888

To view D.R. Horton-Schuler's petition, click on the following link:

http://luc.state.hi.us/dockets/a06771drhorton/pndg_docket_a06771.htm

To view the 8/24/09 front page Star-Bulletin article entitled: "Developer Plans 12,000 homes on 'the best agricultural land' on O`ahu, click on the following link:

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090812_Developer_plans_12000_homes_on_the_best_ag_land_on_Oahu.html?page=1&c=y

UPDATE/MAHALO AD re: Donations pour in for Waianae's Project Grad

Apologies for this delay!

This Mahalo Ad ran in the Westside Stories.

Thank you again to all who responded and helped the 2009 Project Grad become a reality.

REMINDER: Project Grad is an annual event that the families and supporters of each graduating class work very hard on to ensure the seniors have a safe and enjoyable celebration. Please support these efforts every year!

FROM THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER

June 5, 2009


Donations pour in for Waianae's Project Grad

Last-minute appeal gains enough to give seniors a graduation to remember

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer

WAI'ANAE — Gail Gomes awoke bleary-eyed yesterday morning to repeated phone calls from people offering to give her thousands of dollars.

"At 7 o'clock this morning my phone is ringing and people are going, 'I have money! I have money! I have money!' " Gomes said later in the day, still stunned by the barrage of calls. "And they weren't just calls from Wai'anae. They were from Kailua and all over the Island. I even got a call from Japan!"

Many of the callers said they didn't have much, but they could give $100, or even $200.

Gomes quickly realized folks were calling to donate to Wai'anae High School's Project Graduation, the all-night, substance-free senior party set for tonight, following the commencement ceremony on campus.

Wai'anae High's Class of 2009 had hustled long and hard to raise enough money to finance the party. But by midweek, with deposits paid for the venue, meals and buses, the seniors' Project Graduation coffers were still $10,000 short, said Gomes, the event chairwoman.

In desperation, Gomes made a plea for help to state Rep. Maile Shimabukuro, D-45th (Wai'anae, Makaha, Makua).

"I said, 'Can you pop this on your blog?' and praying that I could at least get some money," Gomes said.

With less than 60 hours until party time, Shimabukuro decided to make an 11th-hour appeal to the public for contributions.

"These kids deserve a night of fun for all their hard work," said Shimabukuro.

By 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thelma Dreyer, assistant communications director for the state House of Representatives, had issued a Shimabukuro press release that listed Gomes' mailing address and telephone number. It said Gomes would personally pick up any donations.

The problem was Gomes — who was feverishly Twittering appeals of her own to anyone and any organization she could think of — never got the word about the press release. She went to bed Wednesday night fretting about the fate of Wai'anae's Project Graduation celebration.

"My husband looked at me and said, 'My God, you look like Popeye the Sailor,' because my eye was swelling shut," said Gomes. "And I said, 'It's stress! I've got to find money!' "

Instead, the money found her, first thing yesterday morning.

The Advertiser yesterday published a four-paragraph news brief on its My Communities page. Hawaiian 105 KINE Radio deejay Billy V saw the article and began talking about it on his 5 a.m. program.

"I read the article just before we went on the air," Billy V said. "And then I mentioned it in my first break in the morning and I said, 'You know what, I'm going to throw in a hundred dollars from me personally, so if anybody else wants to, the information is in the newspaper.' "

He posted the article on the radio station's Web site and advised callers to check it out. He also broadcast a link to the article via Twitter, and posted another link on his Facebook page.

Gomes' telephone started bouncing off the hook shortly thereafter. By noon, she had enough money to pay off the party bills, with enough left over for door prizes.

By yesterday afternoon the news had reached some of the graduating seniors, who expressed their gratitude to all who cared enough to contribute.

"Thank you to all the people who donated," said Samuel Spake. "We're really happy now that we have a Project Grad and we won't be disappointed on grad night."

"That shows we're supported by the community," added senior Sean Bongo.

No one seemed more relieved than Gomes.

"Project Graduation is rolling forward," she shouted. "I am overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone. And it's wonderful."

TO SEE THE ONLINE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seeking Applicants for Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund 2009-2010 Cycle

Interested parties may now apply for the City and County of Honolulu Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund 2009-2010 cycle to acquire real estate or any interest therein for land conservation within the City and County of Honolulu for the following purposes:

* Protection of watershed lands to preserve water quality and water supply
* Preservation of forests, beaches, coastal areas and agricultural lands
* Public outdoor recreation and education, including access to beaches and mountains
* Preservation of historic or culturally important land areas and sites
* Protection of significant habitats or ecosystems, including buffer zones
* Conservation of land in order to reduce erosion, floods, landslides, and runoff
* Acquisition of public access to public land and open space

For more information on the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund, including a PDF fillable application, please visit http://www.honolulu.gov/council/cbc/cwnl.htm or email cclbc@honolulu.gov. Applications may be submitted starting August 1, 2009 and received no later than 4:00 p.m. on September 30, 2009.

Parents for Righteousness Conference on `Olelo

Maile spoke at the recent Parents for Righteousness conference regarding CPS issues. Here are the airdates:

Adoption Law (aka, Parents for Righteousness) Update
8/23/09 Sun 11:00 pm Channel 54

Makaha's Own Pioneer Female Surfer Betty Winstedt

Here is a web page created by Donald Hutton featuring Maile's interview of Betty Winstedt. Betty is a Makaha resident who is in her 90's, and one of the pioneer female surfers. The web page includes links to a 45 minute video, 15 short takes of her haikus, and a couple of excerpts from the program about her pottery and trip to Peru. Here is the link:

http://sites.google.com/site/bettywinstedt/home/

The program will also be aired on `Olelo the following dates and times:
Betty Winstedt: A Legend
All on Channel 52
8/19/09 Wed 4:30 pm
9/8/09 Tue 5:00 pm
9/15/09 Tue 6:30 pm

PHONEBOOK RECYCLING DAY

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20 10 am - 2 pm

DROP-OFF:
Bring old phone books (from home and office)
to WCCHC's Central Walkway:
August 20th from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

- AND -

Go to YELLOWPAGESGOESGREEN.ORG if you would like to be removed from the phone book delivery list. Information is always available online!

Sand Theft Issue

Dear Mr. Dexter Liu (City Parks Department):

I am writing to extend a heartfelt mahalo to Tom Lenchenko and his excellent City Roadside crew. This past weekend, the crew not only cleared the canal in preparation for the expected storm, but also responded to several neighbors' concerns regarding theft of sand and 4- wheeling in the area.

I have attached a photo of the sand they cleared from the canal, and boulders they set up at the neighbors' request. If there is any way to place boulders like this along the entire stretch of Pokai Bay street, we would be eternally grateful. People come and take sand from the beach on a daily basis, often by the truckload. Although we have repeatedly called the police, the wrong- doers are very difficult to catch since they move fast and often come in the middle of the night. Sand removal is a major environmental and safety concern, ie, loss of sand is causing rapid erosion, which will cause flooding and put the lives of residents at risk.

If government does not act fast to stop people from stealing sand across the state, we will be faced with major liability and lawsuit concerns in the near future. Mahalo for your consideration, and thanks again to your hard-working staff.

Aloha,
Rep. Maile Shimabukuro

UPDATE: Farrington Highway drainage, Vicinity of Lahilahi Road

Excerpts from the Response from Brennon Morioka, Director – Hawaii State Department of Transportation:

Dear Representative Shimabukuro:

In response to the requests from your constituents regarding clearing of the storm drain along Farrington Highway in the vicinity of Lahilahi Road, Work Order No. 30479 has been issued for this work [to be done].

[For further information on this issue,] call our complaint line at (808) 831-6714.
Very truly yours,

BRENNON T. MORIOKA
Director of Transportation

UPDATE: Camping permit shortages & concerns

Excerpts from Response of Lester Chang, Director of the C&C Dept of Parks & Recreation, to Maile’s email from the previous page re camping permit shortages and concerns:

Dated July 20, 2009

Dear Representative Shimabukuro:

Thank you for your [letter] regarding the issuance of camping permits on the Waianae Coast.

Due to the numerous requests for more campsites on the Waianae Coast, the Department of Parks and Recreation is currently looking into the possibility of adding more campsites to the existing parks where camping is allowed and to open new campsites at parks that are currently designated as picnic sites only.

A recommendation will be made to both the Waianae/Makaha and Nanakuli/Maili Neighborhood Boards to support the development of more campsites on the Waianae Coast.

Sincerely,
LESTER K.C. CHANG
Director
City & County of Honolulu Department of Parks & Recreation