Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 5, 1 May 2015 — A living community treasure [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A living community treasure

Trustee's Note: This month's eohmm is written by Waūana Moses, The Nature Conservancy Weed Control Coordinator.

very year the Earth Day Planning I Committee identifies a

Ecommumty member who has made an outstanding contribution to conservation on Moloka'i, and in honor of their accomplishments presents them with the "Mālama Kuleana Honua" (Caring Responsibly for Earth) award. I'm happy to share with you that this year we have chosen one of our very own . . . a woman who has contributed a lifetime to aloha 'āina. She is Penny Rawlins Martin!

In 1976, Penny helped retrace the journey our ancestors made from Tahiti to Hawai'i on Hōkūle'a, and she learned an important lesson that shaped her into the conservation

ambassador she is today. "The eanoe is like an island,"

Penny said. You have to Iearn to live with limited resources and work together to manage them." Since that life-changing experience, Penny has volunteered countless hours for schools, multiple environmental organizations and all kinds of community events, including co-founding the Annual Earth Day Event in 1995 to infuse us with awareness of aloha 'āina. Penny drives from one end of Moloka'i to the other throughout the school

year to work with teachers and teach our ehildren to be r e s p o n - s i b 1 e caretakers. She has guided our youths to reconnect

Hawanan values and traditional use to conservation for over 28 years! Penny's dedication has been unfalter-

ing, inspinng muUiple generations to aloha 'āina and

ensuring a sustainable future for Moloka'i. "My mission is to teach about the culture and the environment. I teach about streams, trees, forests, the oeean and land. Kids love learning about it," Penny said with her beautiful smile and twinkle in her eyes. We cannot thank Penny enough for everything she has done and continues to do for our community and for Moloka'i. Penny is truly a living community treasure. This year's theme of the annual event was Mai Ke Kupu Mole Hawai'i - All is Found in the Source. The 2015 Earth Daylogo was designed by Haku Designs' Zennie Sawyer, a block-print artist from Moloka'i. ■

Cūlette Y. Machade TrustEE Muluka'i and Lāna'i

--Ji i-i Imlu-i.-I n tVic -M.-\ire£-