HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0189.002 2020-2022 From: Tammy Aiona
Sent: Monday,April 19, 2021 12:26 PM
To: Council Testimony; maki@pogg.net; Matthew Rossman COUNTY CLERK
Subject: KE ALA KAKOU (HOLUALOA COMMUNITY FOREST) COUNTY OF HAWAII
RECEIVED
TimeM. By
April 19, 2021 Date APR 1 .9 2021 ,
Aloha distinguished councilmembers,
I want to thank you for your consideration in the acquisition of Ke Ala Kakou (Holualoa Community Forest).
For the last 20+years, I've had the privilege of working at Holualoa as an educational assistant. One of my greatest
joys has been the opportunity to both work and serve our community and school as an employee. Having both of my
daughters attend Holualoa as students and then having my oldest daughter Rita Kahoane return to serve as a 5th-grade
teacher has been amazing. Our family has always valued the close-knit Holualoa community that has faithfully
encircled and supported our students and faculty.
The charm of Holualoa, its rich cultural roots, established families and businesses all add to the uniqueness
and collaborative efforts to support each other. One example of a successful community collaborative effort, is
the coming together of farmers like Maki Morinoue to support the Malama Na Keiki program with fresh produce.
Initiated by St. Michael's food pantry is program provides food boxes every two weeks for our disadvantaged
population. The Malama Na Keiki program is just one of many outreaches that our Holualoa community has helped to
address the needs of the community, especially during this time of COVID. Another example of how our little
Holualoa Town has serviced our school through our annual 5th-grade stroll through Holualoa town. Students are
allowed to meet and engage in rich cultural historical dialogue with shop owners while capturing the unique
transculturation of this town's melting pot through video and words.
In regards to the safety of our students, the continuation of a walking path through Holualoa town is
invaluable in connecting our school and the Imin Center is invaluable. It will give our town and school safe access to
future cultural workshops, Kupuna outreach programs, a evacuation route for our students to access, while supporting
established historical events, all adding up to the cultivation of what makes our Holualoa town special. Your ability to
purchase this little lot of land, can help provide educational and trade learning opportunities for our students and
community, in addition to many other options. This is a rare opportunity for all of you to be a part of a bigger plan to
pilot a program that can be both impactful and sustainable to our community.
Thank you for your time and consideration for hearing from one of many who cherish our little Holualoa town.
Tammy Aiona
Educational Assistant
Holualoa Elementary School
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