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HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0021.121 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fundIris Wells 6th Grader Volcano School of Arts & Sciences Volcano Hawaii, 96785 February 7, 2019 Charter Commissioners Hilo Hawaii 96720 Regarding 2% Land Fund Program Aloha Commissioners, My name is Iris Wells, my parents are Jane and Keoki Wells. I am a 6th grader at Volcano School of Arts and Sciences and I live in Volcano Village. I feel very lucky I can go to Kawa at least once a month. I learn to work with all my classmates and work with my hands. I also learn about Hawaiian culture and how to observe my surroundings, and how they change over time. Kawa is important to the Hawaiian Islands; my family, my friends, the community, and everyone. There were thousands of Hawaiian ancestors who cared for the land, and we want to maintain the integrity of the Hawaiian land and culture for everyone. When I go to Kawa, I learn Hawaiian culture and science. I learn about native and invasive plants. I learn how to pull out invasive plants, including christmas berry and haole koa. I learn at Kawa how to plant native plants like wiliwili, and I also learn how to take care of them. I learn how to observe my surroundings over a period of time. I have been working and helping Kawa for many months now and it is growing to be beautiful. I hope in the future I can bring my children and grandchildren to Kawa. I will tell them about how I helped Kawa and that they should help Kawa too. All of us help Kawa and give it a lot of aloha aina. When people who come from the big city to see Kawa, they will be so Comm. No. 21.121 happy because they are seeing a place in Hawaii that is natural and not artificial and it will make them happy. In the years 2006, 2010 and 2012, 63% of people voted to keep funding Kawa, and we should continue this funding. To take that away from them and us would be wrong. I would very much appreciate it if you would please buy Waikapuna. I would like that because it is very beautiful land and it has native plants that are very hard to find in Hawaii. We want to preserve and protect these native plants, and keep the history of the Hawaiians. Kawa is important to me because I can work with younger students and teach them about the culture and love of Kawa. I can also tell the younger generations about how much we care for this land. I would love to take my children here to Kawa and them see how unartificial it is. I would not like it if when I bring them back to Kawa, it is an artificial golf course or hotel that would break my heart. I really would like you to keep funding Kawa so we can keep the Hawaiian culture. I would like to show many people from all around the world Kawa so they can understand how much love we have put into Kawa. I don't want people from all over the world to come and see Kawa as an artificial resort ,it would destroy all the work everyone of us that has put so much care into Kawa. Please do not stop funding Kawa, everyone would be devastated. Sincerely, Iris Wells