The entry signs for the West Maui Community Center Partnership Park were recently unveiled. The park project is a collaborative effort involving the Maui YMCA, the Rotary Clubs of District 5000 and $250,000 from Rotary D5000 Foundation Maui Fires Relief Fund.
The donation will support the construction of a Dual Modular unit that will serve as both a youth space, office space, flexible program space and an additional covered area for the community.The covered spaces including the community pavilion, which will serve as a community gathering hub. Vegetation, including fruit trees will serve to create a peaceful green space and produce food.
“The West Maui YMCA Community Center Partnership Park will provide a much-needed community meeting and program space in support of positive mental health for Lahaina residents recovering from the fires of 2023,” said Steve Scraggs, Chief Executive Officer of Maui YMCA. “The Partnership Park concept involves interior spaces for youth development programming, including tutoring, summer camps, and college and career programming.”
Scraggs notes that these spaces will be shared with multiple nonprofit partners and double as program space for kupuna and cultural programming, as well as mental health services.
“With so many suffering with mental health concerns, creating a peaceful green space in Lahaina is important to this project,” organizers said.
Rotary District 5000 includes approximately 1,500 members across 47 clubs on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island, and is part of a global network of 1.4 million Rotarians dedicated to creating lasting change. There are nine Rotary clubs on Maui. For more information about these clubs, contact Maui Island Resource Chair Joanne Laird at mamalrd01@gmail.com.
PHOTO IDENTIFICATION: PC Rotary Club of Kihei Wailea
Celebrating the unveiling of the entry sign to the West Maui YMCA Partnership Park are (L-R): Rotary District 5000 Past District Governor Ted Faigle; Rotary Club of Kihei Wailea member Karen Weiland; Rotary District 5000 Governor Nancy Cabral; Rotary Assistant District Governor Al Weiland; Charlene Matila, member of Maui YMCA Board of Director; and Jaylou Cabera, Director of Maui YMCA Westside Resource Center.