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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWaikoloa Foundations Comment Letter dated 12-6-21 tkc WAIKOLOA /I December 6, 2021 Mr. Michael Vitousek, Chair Leeward Planning Commission 101 Pauahi Street, Room 3 Hilo, HI 96720 Dear Chair and Members of the Commission: First, please allow me a moment to thank you for welcoming my thoughts on the Kumu Hou timeshare development at the November 181h meeting. My passion for giving back to our community, for preserving and protecting our island and for educating our visitors is sincere. It is truly a privilege to devote my life to the realization of my family's vision for supporting the community of West Hawaii. Doing so through the creation and perpetuation of The Waikoloa Foundation has been my dream, which is why the Kumu Hou project excites me so greatly. As my counterparts at the Waikoloa Land Company illustrated, building substantial and lasting community benefit into this project has been a priority from the very beginning. Rarely, if ever, has a developer committed resort property to affordable kama`5ina housing and committed sales proceeds to so significantly endow a foundation. I took to heart your comments about what the community would be giving in approval of this request, and I believe that I may help assure you that the benefits returned would be extensive and enduring. To that end, I'd like to share with you more information about The Foundation's mission, its members, some of the programs we have supported and/or participated in and, moving forward with the guidance of our advisory board, the kinds of programs we anticipate doing in the future. The Waikoloa Foundation is dedicated to serving the community based on a careful evaluation of needs. Important recent and forthcoming initiatives include: COVID Education for Hawai`i's Keiki. The Waikoloa Foundation was one of the first business partners for the Keiki Heroes campaign supporting COVID prevention in educational settings. Keiki Heroes is a Hawaii STEM Community Care project that encourages keiki to adopt healthy habits and to recognize signs and symptoms of COVID illness. The Keiki Heroes campaign launched in mid-August with the goal of empowering keiki to adopt healthy practices in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses. Virtual Field Trips for Environmental and Historical Learning. We are developing virtual field trip experiences for students grades 2-5 island-wide, offering digital access to unique environmental and historical features of Waikoloa and the surrounding area. These virtual field trips will cover different topics from flora and fauna, to education on surrounding cultural sites, and ocean discovery. Our goal is to produce approximately six field trips each year. Food Basket Food Drive. Now through December 23rd we are working in partnership with the Food Basket, West Hawaii Today and our partners at both the Queens' and Kings Shops' to restock shelves at the Food Basket hit especially hard during the COVID pandemic. It is our hope that this drive will bring thousands of pounds of food as well as cash donations to assist island-wide communities. Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative. We are pleased to announce our partnership with the Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative to support and educate keiki about forest restoration and native plant conservation. In partnership with Waikoloa Dry Forest, we've already added more naupaka to the area, planted a wiliwili tree and continue to think through ways to protect and restore our native flora and forest. The Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative also partners with The Waikoloa Foundation on our virtual field trip experiences for local classrooms. Development of Local Community Music and Arts Festival. Once we are able to return to normal gathering sizes, we are planning an island-wide multi-day local community music and art/craft festival at the Queens' Bowl at Waikoloa. This festival will be 100% locally sourced — from vendors to musicians to artisans — with the goal of creating a world-renowned destination event for our Hawaii Island community to showcase the creative expertise of our local artists. Only Hawaii Island vendors and artists will be considered for participation. Parker Ranch Recreation Building. A pillar of The Foundation's legacy to the community will be the creation of the Waikoloa Cultural and Discovery Center, converting and preserving in perpetuity the beloved Parker Ranch recreation building near Lava Lava Beach Club back into the community hub it once was. The Parker Ranch building will be the new home for programming, education and historic preservation of the rich cultural heritage at Waikoloa and the surrounding area. These, along with other programs for the greater island community, will be continuously accessed. Enabling The Foundation's ability to remain connected to the community's timely and evolving needs is an advisory board deeply rooted in West Hawaii and keenly aware of the challenges that exist and opportunities where we can support them. Our eight advisory board members, respected leaders in our community, contribute ideas, perspective and leadership to The Foundation's mission of stewarding the precious cultural and environmental attributes that make Hawaii unique. With their guidance, The Foundation primarily focuses on protecting and restoring historical and cultural sites, preserving Waikoloa's natural resources, empowering Hawai`i's future generations, leaders and change- makers through education and community initiatives, leading responsible tourism efforts on the Kohala Coast and encouraging sustainable development to protect Hawai`i's unique ecosystem. Their support helps identify and determine The Waikoloa Foundation's giving priorities. A list of our board members is enclosed with this letter. Once again, I thank you for the opportunity to elaborate on the reach and impact of The Waikoloa Foundation and its activities. We all envision a thriving Hawaii, rooted in its rich history and reverence for the land. To the extent The Foundation can support neighbors, friends and future generations by preserving Hawaii Island's archeological and ecological resources and supporting advancement and education that benefits both the `5ina and `ohana of our community, we are honored to serve. Please do reach out to me with any additional questions and or comments. I look forward to seeing you again on December 161n Mahalo nui, Cary Boeddeker Egan President The Waikoloa Foundation 69-150 Waikoloa Beach Drive Waikoloa, HI 96738 Phone: 702-497-3102 Email: cboeddeker@waikoloaland.co m www.waikoloabeachresort.com Join us by taking the Pono Pledge. It's all of our Kuleana. -Island a�f Hawai P L E 0G https://www.ponopledge.com/ The Waikoloa Foundation Advisory Board Composition Nani Lim Yap. Yap is an award-winning hula instructor of Halau Manaola and a renowned entertainer, hula dancer and teacher. Through music and hula, Yap shares her family's legacy and her aloha with the world. Yap's career spans over four decades, and for many years she's served on the advisory board of the Moku O Keawe Foundation. Margo Harumi-Mau Bunnell. Bunnell brings extensive experience in the hospitality industry. A Hawaii Island resident, she previously worked for the Mauna Kea Resort, Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii Island Visitors Bureau, the Waikoloa Land Company and Roberts Hawaii. She remains highly involved in the community, volunteering on the committee for the Waimea Heritage Cherry Blossom Festival, Hawaii Island's Food and Wine Festival, Asian Fest at the Waikoloa Beach Resort and the Waikoloa Great `Ukulele Festival. She has also served on the board of the Moku O Keawe Foundation, Hawaii Island Food Basket, KONISHIKI Kids Foundation and M.Y.T.H. Youth Foundation. Ed Teixeira. A Waimea resident, Teixeira has vast government experience, including 42 years of service in various leadership positions. Teixeira is a private consultant specializing in emergency preparedness planning and training. Since 1999, he has been a proud member of the Waikoloa Canoe Club, serving as the head coach from 2017 through 2020. David Honma. Honma is the senior vice president and Hawaii region manager at First Hawaiian Bank. Born and raised on Hawaii Island, Honma maintains an active role in the community, currently holding board positions with the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, Family Business Center of Hawaii and Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference. Waikoloa holds a special place in his heart as he held his wedding on the grounds of `Anaeho`omalu Beach. Kanani Aton. Senior design specialist in Hawaiian Culture-Based Education (HCBE), Aton specializes in designing and executing professional development retreats and workshops rooted in HCBE. Her work benefits teachers, administrators, counselors and the private business community. Aton resides in the uplands of Hilo in Kaumana City. Kanani also serves as Community Liaison for Waikoloa Land Company. Scott Dodd. Co-founder of Lava Lava Beach Club and a 29-year resident of Hawaii Island, Dodd has a deep respect for the significance of Waikoloa. He is passionate about educating visitors on the importance of preserving the area. Rob Pacheco. Pacheco is the Founder and CEO of Hawaii Forest &Trail and Kohala Zipline. With extensive leadership experience dealing with Hawai`i's conservation challenges, land use issues and the tourism industry, Pacheco has spent three decades sharing his passion for nature with the community. He has a keen interest and appreciation for the abundant natural and cultural resources of Waikoloa. Judi Jennet. Jennet is the President and CEO of the locally owned and operated Ocean Sports. She is deeply committed to sharing her love for the ocean and Hawaii with residents and visitors alike. Jennet previously served on the board of directors for the American Red Cross Hawaii State Chapter.