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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0379.003 2002-2004 > Original Message > From: "Penny L. Kelii" <~kelii mail.health.state,hi._us> > To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> > Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 4:39 PM > Subject: Hilo - a Nice Place to Live! ! > > > Aloha! » '03 NOU y > > And now I'll add my two cents (hah! hah!)....a couple of months ago we 9 ~3 had COU, COUN7r ; _.,!~.~injgll > > the privilege of cruising to and about Alaska...many different ports, > some, > > only accessable by plane or boat.....these towns/settlements were not > > Destinations really, but boy, they had it pegged conectly...EVERYTHING > was > > prepackaged and ready to be shipped for you to where ever you wished. > > Heavy marketing of the whazf and airport areas.... > > Have we forgotten that we are "The Orchid Isle"? That we raise the most > > beautiful of flowers (and hazdy, good for shipping kind)....exotic fruits > > galore...these could be put on display in that huge almost always empty > > wharf building and after selection they could be packed and shipped/mailed > > offto tourists homes. Mac nuts/cookies, candies, flowers, fruit (banana, > > papaya, pineapple, tangerines, avocadoes etc...) even bags of red & black > > cinder. There are numerous, beautiful, creative and eclectic items that > we > > can "show off' and sell from this island. Our County has the power to > take > > down any barriers to accessing these mazketing possibilities and > > opportunities. » Hilo is not a "Destination", never has been, never will be....it is a > "pass > > through" and until we accept and understand that we won't know how to > > properly market ourselves. About the only time this town is a Destination > > is during the Haili Tournament and Merrie Monarch. > > The ships (thank god for them) come, but only stay a DAY and leave....even > > if they did over nite, the hotels azen't used by them. > > Besides our beautiful flowers and delicious edibles, we also have another > > GEM...our University!! We should focus on being a UNIVERSITY Comm. No. 379• TOWN....like Ref. Tp~Pf°f°~°Q > > Ashland Oregon....akamai those guys! Put money into attracting Ref. Dpta > > students/teachers -put our money into UHH expansion and maintenance of > the > > campus. > > Put some money into fixing up our sweet town for us who live in it! We > need > > the local people who live here to SUPPORT it....a good example of this > pride > > is the new Kaikodo Restaurant....look at what they've (the owners) done to > > dress up this place and the surrounding azea....check it out. > > More and very important GEMS....our children. We need to focus on THEM - > > support our Community by supporting our Police, and our Schools, our bus > > system, Pazks & Recs... put money into a much needed and up-graded > >mfra-structure... > > Put some of that Ice Money into the groups that aze DOING GOOD for our > > children....basebalUbasketball/soccer/tennis/paddling/etc. All their > > equipment costs big bucks, how about giving them some support money? > Think > > of the positive message it would give our kids! > > A dear friend from Waimea who works with these groups to keep our kids OUT > > of trouble spoke very passionately about this need. Part of cleaning up > > our community is supporting these wonderful pazent/grandpazent guided > > groups. > > But I'm getting off the track....so much to share! Let's work on > > Hilo.....and in doing so, it would include all the above! Count me in. > > This is my Hometown. With great aloha, Penny Keli'i-Vredenburg MY TURN Aloha Ka Kou! I was thinking about our wonderful town of Hilo - a lovely place to have been raised and to live in now! I wrote my thoughts down and sent them on to a few friends - one of them asked me to relate these thoughts to you all today. I thank you for the time and, hopefully the consideration to my suggestions. Recently, my husband and I had the pleasure of cruising to and enjoying Alaska. We visited many different ports, some only accessible by plane and/or boat. These towns and settlements were not "Destinations" really, but boy, they knew and understood their assets. They understood their area so well that consequently their "marketing" was very effective. All of the wharf and airport areas were set up for sales and marketing. They sold things RIGHT THERE. We can certainly learn from them! Our town of Hilo is very much like the rural areas and towns of Alaska. Everything they grew/carved/fished/smoked was prepackaged In various sizes and ready to be shipped to any visitor's homes. In many cases the shipping was free. There were always wonderful samples to entice people to buy. And always an expert present to teach about the items for sale. Have we forgotten that we are the "Orchid Isle?" That we raise the most beautiful of flowers -and hardy, good for shipping, exotic fruits galore, these could be put on display in that huge, almost always empty wharf building (which is the first thing that greets the cruise client's eyes and is UGLY. ) The island items for sale could bepre-packed, pre-inspected and ready for the tourists to take on board. (Just the way Big Island Candies does it) see, they understand that we are not a destination town - we are a pass through...to the volcano, to Kona....so all their items are in readiness for the tourists convenience. We have so many Hawaii Island grown things to market! Mac nuts/cookies/flowers/candies/fruits (bananas/papaya/pineapple/tangerines/avocadoes/lychee etc) Even bags of red and black cinder! Let's help our LOCAL people to market their goods. There are so many beautiful, creative and eclectic items that we can "show off' and sell from this island. OUR COUNTY HAS THE POWER TO TAKE DOWN THE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING THESE MARKETING POSSIBILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES. Hilo is NOT adestination -never has been, never will be. It is a "pass through" town -and until we accept and understand that, we will never get an effective marketing scheme. The ONLY time Hilo is a destination is twice a year....Haili Tournament and Merrie Monarch. The ships (thank god for them) come, but only stay a DAY (so that they can check out the volcano and do little tours around Hilo) Even if they did over night, they hotels wouldn't be used. Hilo's GEMS.....besides our flowers and our delicious edibles, we have our CHILDREN....we need to focus on them -put some of that drug money into supporting the parent/grandparent mentored groups, ie„ soccer, tennis, paddling, baseball etc...All of their equipment costs big bucks, how about giving them some support and some money? Think of the positive message this would give to our kids, not to mention the encouragement to walk the straight and narrow. We have a lot of kids doing GOOD, let's encourage them to keep it up! We need to support our town....our wonderful University!! We should focus on being a UNIVERSITY TOWN....like Ashland Oregon where the Shakespearean Festival is held each year. The whole town focuses on this University -they put their money into attracting student and quality teachers plus, the campus and town is beautifully maintained. Forget attracting tourists...they'll stop by anyway, but our biggest money maker is ourselves, our town, our children, our University. Support our police, firemen, hospital, Schools, Bus system, put money into a much needed upgraded infrastructure. Make this town attractive to ourselves! Who better? Count me in.....this is my hometown. Penny Keli'i- Vredenburg