SPP-21-000227 03.22.23 C. OKUMURA TESTIMONY

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County of Hawai'i Leeward Planning Commission 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 Hilo, HI 96720 RE: Special Permit No. 21-000227 Dear Commissioners, My name is David Okumura; my wife Cortney and I are residents of West Hawaii and our six- year-old child participates in Kona Aerials Gymnastics. We have been informed that the facility in which the program is conducted, located at 75-438 Hualalai Rd., Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, requires a special use permit to continue operations. We are writing in support of Kona Aerials Gymnastics and Coach Nanette, and by extension to support our keild and community. We recommend that the special use permit be prioritized and granted based on their positive contribution to the community and the support they have provided to our daughter and her friends. Furthermore, I see no detriment to the community by the program's continued operation at this location. Our daughter has participated in Kona Aerials Gymnastics for over a year. In this time our daughter has learned many positive lessons that will support her in becoming a healthy, contributing member of the community. Through her participation, our daughter has learned to persevere, focus, and to overcome insecurities about her abilities. She initially believed that she was not capable of performing many gymnastics tasks which she now has cultivated the confidence and ability to perform Her burgeoning ability to overcome apprehensions and insecurities has been supported through this program and Coach Nanette's direction. Our daughter's accomplishments in Kona Aerials Gymnastics have been touchstones that our ohana has been able to reference outside of the program when our daughter approaches a challenge with a negative mindset. The positive experiences and the broader applicability that overcoming challenges provides children is critical to our community's ability to support the next generation. The Kona Aerials Gymnastics program also fosters health and wellbeing amongst our community's children through fun, challenging physical exercise, the promotion of healthy eating, and comradery. Mahalo for your consideration and support in this matter. Kind regards, Mk,. Davi Co -- mura 73-4156 Ka'ao Place Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 (808) 896-1260