When Kindness Begets Kindness

Zonta Club of Kauai and Hanalei presents a $10,000 check to Friendship House

Here’s proof that kindness begets kindness: At a general membership meeting of Friendship House, members of the Zonta Club of Kaua’i and Hanalei presented a $10,000 check to organization director Dr. Dennis Beckel. He told attendees, “These funds will allow us to provide at least one hot meal each day to members for the coming year.” To earn the money to give away, Zonta prepared and served lunch one Saturday at The Salvation Army kitchen in Lihue. In exchange, the Weinberg Friends Program Trustees approved the grant and its destination. Score one for another great example of community building. Zonta, Weinberg plus Friendship House equals win, win, win …

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will have two meetings on Kaua’i Aug. 25 and 26 to educate residents and business owners on upcoming flood insurance rate map changes and how they will affect property owners.

Wednesday’s meeting is from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Kapa’a Middle School; Thursday’s 9 a.m. to noon at Lihu’e Neighborhood Center, and 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Koloa Neighborhood Center. “Flooding is the most frequent and costly natural disaster in the United States,” says Laura Thielen, DLNR chairwoman. “The risk for flooding changes over time due to erosion, land use, weather events and other factors. In Hawai’i, the most destructive natural hazard is caused by flash floods and storm surge.” For more information, call Mario Antonio at 241-4873 …

Errol and Rose T. Warken
Ceballos

Rose T. Warken Ceballos will read from her latest book, Footprints in The Heart: Journey Through Everlasting Aloha, accompanied by live music performed by her husband, Errol Ceballos, Saturday, Aug. 28, at 2 p.m. at Borders. Check out her website: rosewarkenbooks.faithweb.com.

John Wehrheim has launched a new website called FindingUtopia.org that features photography from Bhutan and Taylor Camp. Both of those projects explore how inner vision shapes outer world; the “Introduction to the Utopia” site takes another look at this theme. In addition, Wehrheim says his next book and film project, Living Masters: Bhutan’s Great Lamas, Yogis and Hermits, will take him and the crew on a two-year Himalayan odyssey. “We will post previews of this work on the Utopia site as the project unfolds,” he says. …

Congratulations to Larry and Elaine LaSota of Profile Productions, who have received an award from The Knot, a website for brides. Though the couple doesn’t advertise with The Knot, brides still voted them as the Best of Weddings for 2010. In 2008 and 2009, the business was named “Best Wedding Videography on Kaua’i” by the U.S. Local Small Business Association …

The Kaua’i Visitors Bureau announced that Princeville Prince Course is ranked 22nd on Golf magazine’s biennial “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” list. Each of the five courses in KVB’s golf-and-resort lifestyle destination cooperative – Kaua’i: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green – are ranked on the “2010 Best Courses You Can Play” listed by state. Drum roll … The honored courses are: Princeville Prince Course, Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course architect; Poipu Bay, Robert Trent Jones Jr.; Princeville Makai Course, Robert Trent Jones Jr.; Puakea, Robin Nelson, and Kaua’i Lagoons, Jack Nicklaus. There are more than 90 courses in Hawaii and only 20 were cited for best-of distinction. The Prince course ranked No. 2 in the state; Poipu Bay, No. 5; Makai Course, No. 8; Puakea, No. 16; and Kaua’i Lagoons, No. 18. Golf magazine’s complete listing is available online…

Happy girls from Bhutan, a photo on John Wehrheim’s website FindingUtopia.org

Speaking of Nicklaus, Tiger Woods is still chasing him for most “major” titles. He was on island last week working on a redesign of the courses at Kaua’i Lagoons …

Namolokama O Hanalei Canoe Club came in first in the Na Pali Challenge 2010 race, with a time of 4:41:37. Namolokama translates to “like tightly braided hair,” and comes from the central mountain backdrop and waterfall of Hanalei valley. Club members say that’s the essence of what their club is about, pulled together by the spirit of the canoe. Two Kaiola canoes whizzed into second and third place with times of 4:44:52 and 4:44:55. Kudos to them and to all 36 teams from here, Oahu, Arizona, Washington and California who participated in the 13th annual challenge. Paddlers started in Hanalei, stroked around Na Pali and pulled in at Waimea Plantation Cottages, completing a distance of 38 miles …