Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 2011 — OHA Board meets with Molokaʻi residents [ARTICLE]

OHA Board meets with Molokaʻi residents

By Cheryl Corbiell The Offlce of Hawaiian Affairs Board Trustees, visiting Moloka'i for its annual community meeting there, attracted a crowd of more than 100 people in an evening of thanks and partnership with the island's residents. The Kūlana 'Ōiwi Hālau was overflowing and energized during 22 presentations over four hours on July 20, as OHA grant recipients, beneflciaries of services funded by OHA, and individuals with concems took their tums at the microphone. Moloka'i Steel Guitar 'Ohana, whieh had received training and technical assistance at a grants workshop, entertained the Trustees and residents with the resonating steel guitar classic "Blue Hawai'i," and youths from the OHA-funded Nā Pua No'eau educational enrichment program, led by Milaala Pescaia, chanted their mahalo. Alu Like Ine. Kūlia Like Interim Di-

rector Leslie Tanoue, Moloka'i Program Specialist Edmund Pedro and supporters highlighted their multiservice contract with OHA. In the six months ending in June, 2,469 clients have been served statewide, including 168 on Moloka'i, in the areas of Ananeial literacy and emergencyfunds assistance, among others. Nā Pu'uwai Director William "Billy" Akutagawa and Resource Development Director Judy Mikami described the agency's new adult day care program, whieh provides enrichment day care for up to 1 8 seniors per day. "Caring for an elderly family member is an eeonomie dilemma because it means someone leaves a job to care for their loved one or the senior has to live off-island in a care facility," said Akutagawa. "(The program) provides a new option of a nurturing plaee for seniors on Moloka'i." OHA's $100,000 grant in support of the program subsidizes the cost of daily fees for Hawaiian seniors who can't afford to pay. I Aloha Moloka 'i leader Kanoho Helm

described the group's position on the proposed Big Wind project and how it would impact Moloka'i's rural community and cultural, marine and natural resources. "We are for sensible renewable energy, but only if we don't have to become 0'ahu's industrial wasteland," said Helm. "The land is needed for food production because open space is dwindling on other islands." The OHA Trustees said they will look at renewable energy and impacts on all islands. A proposed undersea cable would eonnect O'ahu to Moloka'i and Lāna'i as an interisland power transmitter. In a legislative update to the eommunity, OHA Chief Advocate Esther Kia'āina shared with the crowd that a bill that would have established a regulatory structure for the installation and operation of an undersea cable failed this year. Other OHA-supported projects and programs gave their mahalo, including Moloka'i's Agriculture Fair; Festival of Aloha parade, contests, and music; Habitat

for Humanity for homestead housing and renovation; Hale Pōmaika'i for a recovery facility; Ka Honua Momona for kūpuna interviews; Moloka'i Middle and High School for computers and a video-con-ference system; Kalama'ula Homestead Association for park renovation; Moloka'i Community Health Center for renovation and conversion of the former Pau Hana Inn for a community health facility; Wiliwili Surfboard Forest Project for native wiliwili reforestation; and the annual Makahiki. The OHA Board of Trustees will hold meetings on Maui in August. The eommunity meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 17, at 6:30 p.m. at Waiola Church, 535 Waine'e St. in Lahaina. The Board of Tmstees meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 18, at 9 a.m. at Kā'anapali Beach Hotel, Mana'o Room, 2525 Kā'anapali Parkway in Lahaina. For information, please eall Roy Newton or Thelma Shimaoka at the OHA Maui Offlce at (808) 873-3364. ■ Cheryl Corbiell is an Instructor at the University of Hawai'i Maui Col-lege-Moloka'i anel a reading tutor at Kaunakakai Elementary School.