HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0338.056 1998-2000 Testimony presented by Alice L. Moon to
Hawaii County Council
Human Services & Economic Development Committee RECEIVED
Curtis Tyler, Chairman n'"°- ~ y
July 27, 1999 Date_--._-._-'~-~19_-
County Council ~P-I/SEpL
Thank you, Chairman Tyler, and members of the County Council Human Services and
Economic Development Committee for your time. My name is Alice Moon and I a member of
the board of directors of the East Hawaii Cultural Council. I am speaking to you on behalf of
that board and EHCC members in regards to the potential removal of our organization from
our current location at 141 Kalakaua Street in Downtown Hilo. My fellow board members
and other supporters today talk about who we are and what we have accomplished. I would
like to share with you a bright future for the center.
We desire to expand our on-going partnership with the County of Hawaii. George
Yoshida, former Director of the County Department of Pazks and Recreation, Julie Tulang,
current director, Roxcie Waltjen, coordinator of P & R's Culture and Arts Division, the
Depaztment of Research and Development, and several individual members of County
government, have all supported our efforts over the last eighteen years in a variety of typically
small but significant ways. With their assistance, as well as the assistance of hundreds of
volunteers and public and private funding, the center has kept a busy schedule of exhibits,
workshops, events, performances, school tours, and other community outreach programs. We ~
aze grateful for the support received from the County, but again, we'd like to expand that 1~ v
relationship. ~ Z ~
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When I was elected to the EHCC board one year ago, our organization took on the M LL I
challenge of broadening even further out already diverse programs. This (with financial z ~
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challenges at their very peak with the overall State budget crisis) did not prove impossible. .Z E-+ A
Rather than shut down, we tightened up, laid off two of our three employees, relied on a
steady stream of volunteers, and began actively pursuing funding sources. We didn't decrease
our programming, in fact, we increased it! We desire to increase our programming even
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further to create an even more diverse, exciting, and enticing slate of activities, by the
following means:
1. Expand our long-term relationship with the Depaztment of Education and private schools to
further global culture and arts understanding and provide values to our children;
2. Expand our visual and performing art offerings to adults, to include more frequent and
more diverse activities;
3. Expand and reinstate our slack key guitar master and beginning workshops and mini-
concerts, actively marketing to the global network of guitar players to entice more visitors to
our town;
4. Expand special events to dovetail with existing events in Downtown and the Hilo
community, including but not limited to, Merrie Monarch, International Festival of the
Pacific, Aloha Festivals, Hawaii International Film Festival, etc.;
5. Expand our existing paztnerships with other non-profit organizations, both cultural and
business, including but not limited to the Hamakua Heritage Corridor, Lyman House
Memorial Museum, Pacific Tsunami Museum, Hilo Downtown Improvement Association,
Merrie Monarch, Friends of the Palace Theatre, Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce,
Hamakua Music Festival, and Destination Hilo (I also serve on that board as does our EHCC
Chair, Vicki Rohner), among others;
and finally,
6. Expand our cultural and educational tourism programming by working with the newly
developing "edutourism" consortium being coordinated by Destination Hilo and by actively
mazketing these programs via the Internet and other expansive marketing tools.
There is a need for an organization with background and expertise in planning and
implementing collaborative culture and arts programs in East Hawaii. That should be, could
be the future of the East Hawaii Cultural Council! The perfect world scenario would allow us
to continue doing a great job at providing our community and visitors with a taste of as many
culture and arts activities and displays as possible. This is your opportunity to create at least
part of that perfect world by creating a resolution to support our efforts to renew our lease so
that we may continue our work. To remove us would upset our plans, force us to restructure
even further, and put a hold on all our programs. After all the excellent and diverse programs
we have provided and continue to provide, the natural choice is to keep us where we are and
invite us to participate in creating an incredible synergy of culture and azts offerings. The
East Hawaii Cultural Council has been and continues to be ready to collaborate, listen, and
work together to assist in the creation of a brighter future for Downtown Hilo and the Big
Island, if we are only given the support and the opportunity. Mahalo.