Celebrate Rotary’s Birthday and the Power of The Rotary Foundation!
In February, Rotary celebrates its 118th birth.  What better way to celebrate, but to get together for fellowship and fun!  We have two exciting speakers.  Shirley Grace, the Regional Rotary Foundation Giving Coordinator for Zone 26  & 27 and Jon Teich is a Major Gifts Officer at The Rotary Foundation. See you at one of these events:
Kauai – February 22, 5:30-7pm at Nawiliwili Yacht Club, 2494 Niumalu Rd, Lihue. $20 per person, BYOB,. RSVP to your Kauai Club President by Feb 15.
Oahu – February 23, Nico’s Pier 38 Restaurant, 1129 N Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96817. For information, contact Roz at:  cooperr001@hawaii.rr.com, 
Hawaii East – February 24, 5:30-7pm at the Makupapapa Discovery Center, 76 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo.  $55 per person. Register at https://square.link/u/SkKMkyyA
Hawaii West – February 25, Brunch. 10am-1:30pm. For information contact : scotturotary@gmail.com
Maui – February 27, 5:30-7pm at the Seascape Restaurant, 192 Maalaea Rd, Wailuku in the Maui Ocean Center.  No cost to attend, just order food and drink off the special menu.  RSVP to your Maui club president by Feb 22.
 
District International Service Projects
Fiji, mid-June 2023: DG Randy and Steve Handy are working on an International Service Project to convert a school from diesel power generator to Solar powered with batteries and mini power grid. Funded by a global grant, the main purpose is reducing dependence on Diesel fuel and move the school to a green energy source.  The D5000 group will also be painting buildings and doing literacy training for the students.   If you are interested in participating, please register and you will be notified of the next informational meeting.  Details of the scope of the project will be shared at the meeting, which may be next month.  REGISTER HERE
Nepal project completed Dec 2022: A team of 25 D5000 Rotarians and Nepali educators/Rotarians completed the Education project, led by Dr. Arjun Aryal. The community assessment from local Rotarians together with the local government representatives indicate that one of the most needed in this village is to improve basic education in two schools that focus trade-skills in veterinary science, agriculture science and engineering. Thank you to these participating clubs for providing funding for this global grant: West Honolulu, Hanalei Bay, Lahaina Sunset, Lahaina Sunrise, Ala Moana, West Kauai, Kahala Sunrise, Kahului, Honolulu Sunset, UHM Rotararact, Others participating: District 2650 and RC of Damauli
 
FUNDRAISERS
 
Big Island: There is an urgent need for water for the Marshallese community living in Ocean View on the Big Island.  This community was forced out of their island, Enewetak Atoll, due to the series of nuclear testing that were done on that island.  Enewetak is also where the US military buried the nuclear waste (photo attached) from the bomb testing.  This island is contaminated!  This community chose Ocean View because it is affordable, it offers the same food they are used to (fish, taro, coconut, breadfruit), and it allows community members to continue the lifestyle they lived back home (multi-generational families living under one roof.)  Unfortunately, there is no water and the only way to get water is to haul it in from the county water line.  Some families can only afford a 5-gallon or a 300-gallon container of water per day, some have no car so they rely on neighbors that own vehicles to help haul water for them.  The immediate need is to purchase a flatbed truck that can haul larger amounts of water.  A used truck is worth $50-$60,000.  The Rotary Clubs of Hawaii Island have made a commitment to help this community and have raised $30,000 so far.  This project is being spearheaded by the Rotary Club of South Hilo.  Rotarian Dela Nakamoto says, "As a Marshallese, I cannot sit by and watch my family members go through this.  I ask for your help in raising money for this cause.  My goal is to raise $10,000 and I plan to challenge 100 Rotarians and non-Rotarians to each give up to $100.  I thank those of you who have made a commitment so far. If you would like to participate in this cause, please let me know how much you would like to give and send in your check payable to: Rotary Club of South Hilo Foundation, P.O. Box 6173, Hilo, HI  96720  Submitted by President Della Nakamoto, RC of Kahului
 
Oahu, Jan 28, 5-9pm. Hawaii Beer Fest 2023 Winter Edition at Bishop Museum Great Lawn. Rotary Club of Honolulu, The Odom Corporation,  Hawaiian Ice, Summit Media, Power 104.3, KCCN FM 100, and Krater 96.  Event-goers can sample over 100 craft and draft beer styles and hard seltzers, featuring select international breweries, and including America and Hawaii’s favorite beer brands and breweries. Hawaii Beer Fest will also feature a variety of food booths, retail booths, adult party games, as well as, exclusive samples of beers found locally only at Hawaii Beer Fest…for one-night only!  A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Rotary Club of Honolulu. Tickets for the 21 and over event will be available at TicketTailor.  More information at hawaiibeerfest.com
 
IN THE NEWS: 
Maui: Over 70 gifts delivered to Ka Hale A Ke Ola Resource Center in Lahaina
On the Wednesday before Christmas members and friends of the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset delivered over 70 gifts for keiki at Ka Hale A Ke Ola Resource Center in Lahaina. Project Chair Past President Joanne Laird worked with Misty Bannister, Children’s Services Coordinator, to secure the name, age, and gender for 45 children ages 4 months to 24 years old. Personal gifts valued at $50 each were purchased for each child. Accepting the gifts was Bannister and Ka Hale A Ke Ola staff members Edna Kama and Clarence Alo. Along with the gifts from the members of the Lahaina Sunset Rotary, extra toys and gifts were delivered from 5A Rent-a-Space for additional children. 5A Rent-a-Space also provided 24 backpacks and school-age children’s’ individual gifts were placed inside the backpacks. To quote Misty Bannister: “We are so grateful for the kind and very generous friends we have at the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset. They really went above and beyond to fulfill the wishes of the keiki at our Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless shelter in Lahaina. I feel blessed with the gift of meeting these amazing people and connecting them with our precious keiki. Generous members and friends of this club have certainly blessed our youth and their families, and they most definitely have blessed us with such a beautiful friendship. We are forever grateful.”
Kauai: Kauai’s largest holiday celebration is back ― in a big way. Thousands lined up Rice Street in Lihue on Friday evening to watch the famous “Lights on Rice” Parade. It’s the first time the parade has been held since the pandemic began. The parade kicked off at 6 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium, and made its way down to the county building. Even before the parade started, the atmosphere along the parade route was electric. This year, there were over 60 units and some 3,000 participants. “First time in three years we’re able to do the ‘Lights on Rice’ Parade. We’re very excited,” said David Lister, president of the Rotary Club of Kauai, which organizes the event. “Sixty-five entries in this year’s parade and it’s just great that the Rotary Club can do this for the island.” Families staked out their spots along the parade route hours before the event started and said it feels good to bring this back for the people of Kauai. Fellow island resident Jlyn Espinosa added, “It’s a way to get the community together. It’s an exciting time, it’s the start of the holiday season.”
Oahu: WAIANAE COAST CHRISTMAS PARADE sponsored by Waianae Coast Rotary Club. The event hade 1,000 marchers, 30 vehicles, 5 bands. It started at Waianae Boat Harbor, to Farrington Hwy., to end at Waianae Mall. Every year, a new theme is chosen, and local organizations bring out their most creative efforts—and candy! The parade sports floats, marching bands, horse groups (and their pooper scoopers!), boats, trucks, anything that moves!
Big Island: The Rotary Club of Hilo awarded nearly $32,000 to three local nonprofits from the proceeds of the Hilo Brewfest 2022. Bob Hanley, Club member and Brewfest Originator, Beverly Heikes, Club President made the presentation to The Hilo Medical Foundation’s Primary Care Physician Training and the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East. Each received $13,300. Added for this year was the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island for $5,320. These awards total nearly $32,000 that stays right here to help our local communities.
 
Scholarships! Due Feb 1st
Do you know a Hawaii high school senior (not closely related to a Rotarian) who would like to apply for a Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation (HRYF) scholarship?   Sully and Joanna Sullivan started HRYF more than 50 years ago to help students realize their college education dreams. D5000 participating Rotary Clubs select a deserving student to receive a $5,000 of $2,500 scholarship and last year, $250,000 in scholarships were awarded by HRYF! The HRYF scholarship program is made possible by donations from Rotarians, Individuals, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and HRYF investments. You can help continue this program that Sully founded. HRYF is a 501(c)(3) Foundation. https://www.hawaiirotaryyouthfoundation.org/
 
The Windward Rotary Education Foundation (WREF), a separate 501c3 charitable organization of the Rotary Club of Windward Oahu, offers scholarships for graduating high school seniors who live or go to school on the Windward side of Oahu. The WREF scholarship is a 4-year scholarship of $20,000 ($5,000 each year). WREF scholars are selected based on academic achievement and financial need. The Rotary Club of Windward Oahu also offers a one-time scholarship grant of $1,000 through a bequest made to the club by a former member, Ross Mickey. If you have any questions, please contact the WREF scholarship chair, or 808.429.7829.  Complete  application packet from the HRFY website should be sent it to Roberta Cestare by Feb 1, 2023 at cestare@me.com