HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0099.026 2020-2022 F„ F
From: Maki Morinoue =:
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2021 8;18 AM
To: Council Testimony ti
Subject: Holualoa Village Events for 2021
Aloha Council Committee on Human Services and Social Services,
This testimony is in regards to the County of Hawaii Non-Profit Grant application for Holualoa Village Ohana in
support of the Coffee &Art Stroll as well as the Music & Lights Festival in Holualoa Village, 2021.
I am a fourth generation coffee farmer, local small business owner and an active member of Holualoa Village Ohana
& Parent Teacher Organization for Holualoa Elementary School in the heart of Holualoa Village. I have seen the
changes of gentrification over the years and any of the cultural events that occur here in Holualoa Village delivers a
sense of place and culture to our community at large.
I want to thank you very much for the annual funding that we here in Holualoa Village Ohana have received over the
years to promote our history, the arts and culture. It has been utilised with gratitude and so many families look
forward to enjoying the festivities annually.
As vaccinations progress and our numbers show no signs of community spread and the number of infection cases
remain extremely low, our hope is that the CDC safety rules allow larger gatherings in public spaces this fall in order
to safely ignite cultural gathers to bring a sense of pride for our harvest season this year and fun for our keikis,
safely.
I know that our local community and our visitors would enjoy and appreciate these two annual events that have been
organized by the Holualoa Village Ohana in collaboration with our community organisers like Kona Coffee Festival,
Holualoa Elementary School and Donkey Mill Art Center to provide a nourishing cultural experience for our
community at large.
Mahalo for considering us for this valuable purpose to give our people a cultural platform. Please consider giving us
our full ask to be able to really make sure we make it safe and deliver cultural presents more than ever this year for
our local residents, farmers and visitors.
Culture and Arts heal us, and I believe we can all agree we all could use healing to help turn a new chapter as a
community.
Aloha
Maki Morinoue
Comm. No Aq.
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