A Kaua‘i Parade Fit For A King

So lovely to learn from the county’s own Nalani Brun the history of King Kamehameha this past parade day. Kaua’i’s theme this year is E Ola Mau Na Hawaii a me ka Mo’omeheu Hawaii – “May Hawaiians and their Culture Live Forever.”

This year the focus was brought back to Hawaiians and their culture, which featured more than 50 various halau, pa’u units for all islands, decorated cars and 80-plus horses.

Interim Kaua’i King Kamehameha commissioner was Melissia Sugai, and she and her team focused on ensuring all communities on the island were represented in highlighted positions in this special parade. Mahalo! …

Good to hear that shopping for locally grown food and agricultural products is becoming easier, thanks to local retail establishments embracing the Kaua’i Grown program.

Four retailers recently unveiled a new “Kaua’i Grown” section in their stores, highlighting local agricultural products and the farmers and ranchers behind them: Ishihara Market (Waimea), Sueoka Store (Koloa) and Papaya’s Natural Foods (Kapa’a). Kaua’i Grown is an initiative of the county of Kaua’i and the Kaua’i County Farm Bureau that promotes locally grown agricultural products and recognizes the farmers, ranchers, retailers and restaurants that bring these products to the and excelling academically, Murray says it was teaching students in Wilcox Elementary School’s ESL program that inspired her to help those who come to America for a better life. Murray will head to California this fall to attend California Lutheran University. She’ll study education so that she can come back and continue to enrich Hawaii’s community.

Last but not least is Kaua’i High School graduate Lucas Gushikuma, also known as the captain of his school’s varsity soccer team and class valedictorian. Gushikuma also donated his time to a group called Kaua’i Young Life Capernaum in an effort to help change the attitudes toward special needs youths in school. Gushikuma will attend the University of Portland next year to major in nursing, and would eventually like to become an orthopedic surgeon or sports medicine physician.

Well done! …Zonta Club of Hanalei has partnered with Hale Le’a Medicine clinic of Kilauea to launch the “All Women for One Life” campaign. The effort is to make a dent in cervical cancer, a preventable cause of death in women of all ages.

The project aims to finance up to 10 uninsured women monthly for the physician’s visit, well-woman exam, pap smear, any lab fees associated with the exam and most therapies required if any abnormality is found. Projections from national data estimate that between 100 and 110 women must be screened annually for 10 years to prevent one death.

While this may seem like a lot to do to prevent one death, a spokeswoman from Zonta and a statement in the grant proposal explains it differently.

Women of all ages from all corners of the Garden Island are eligible for the All Women for One Life Cervical Cancer Prevention program.

All women interested are directed to call Hale Le’a Medicine in Kilauea at 828-2885 to schedule an appointment.

Donors interested in increasing funds to the project are directed to Zonta Club of Hanalei, zontaclubofhanalei.com …