Thank you especially to all the anchors in the club who support club operations. Thank you to the Assistant Governors and District Committees for supporting the clubs and a big MAHALO to the Club Presidents for leading the clubs in this trying time. Thank you for finding new ways to engage members, new ways to have club meetings and serving your communities. And thank you to all of our Veterans who risked their lives to protect the freedom that we are grateful for.
Thank you to the World Polio Day committee for executing a fabulous program and securing over $20k in donations during the event. Thank you to all the clubs that raised funds to continue the fight to eradicate polio. Because of our efforts, we are so close!
This year as in every year, Clubs continue the tradition of doing a “Rotary Gives Thanks” project. Hawaii Kai is delivering “Ear Savers” (made by Dennis Smith, RC of Hickam Pearl-Harbor) to 8 fire stations. Mililani is delivering 1150 Ear Savers and masks and there are many clubs delivering food. See the list of other projects below.
So, you see, there is so much to be thankful for. I am grateful for this opportunity to be associated with the big-hearted, caring Rotarians in District 5000.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Stay safe!
District Governor Naomi Masuno, Ph: 808-492-0126
District Governor Nominee Designate Named
Congratulations to Mark Merriam, Member of the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Honolulu, current Assistant Governor Oahu Downtown. Mark has been a Rotarian for 40 years and wants to Grow Rotary and regarding The Rotary Foundation, he says. “Rotarians know their donations go to a good cause, they know it is important. In general, they do not know how TRF is helping their individual club through designated funds. We can raise more money if more people know how much of it comes back to the local community. Promote additional opportunities to give, particularly the Benefactor and Endowment programs. Target potential higher end donors through Bequest Society, White Hat Society and other giving ways.” Mark is the owner of AlohaGraphics and his wife, Kathleen, is the Assistant Governor for the Windward clubs and Hawaii Kai
Thank you to PDG Del Green for chairing the DG Nominating Committee and to the 4 PDGS and 4 island representatives for serving on the nominating committee.
Not to be missed Special Upcoming Zooms
Dec 1, 5:30pm: Hilo 100th Anniversary Celebration!
Meeting ID: 994 5400 1347, Passcode 786580
Dec 1, 7pm: Rotary Marketplace. Let’s support our fellow Rotarians businesses.
Meeting ID: 818 3726 8353, Passcode: 745916
Dec 5, 9:30am: RI President-Nominee, Jennifer Jones!
Meeting ID: 989 3428 2111, PW 843514
Dec 22, 7: 15am: Holidays with RI President Holger Knaack
Meeting ID: 942 4780 0868, Passcode: 726437
Why plant trees?
From AG Mariko Higashi, Lahaina Sunset in an interview with the Lahaina News: Climate Change is changing the way we live around the world with rising level of the sea, hot temperature, extreme weather of dry air and flooding etc. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important heat-trapping (greenhouse) gas, which is released through human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels, as well as natural processes such as respiration and volcanic eruptions.
In addition to changing our habits and lifestyle which are harmful to the environment, one of the cheapest, easiest and doable measures we can take today to mitigate the impact of CO2 in the atmosphere is to plant trees. Plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in a process called carbon sequestration. By planting trees, we are lowering CO2 emission to the atmosphere, and the trees also produces oxygen. There are other benefits such as:
- Purifying Air: Trees generate oxygen, hence clean air.
- Cooling down the streets with shade: The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. (www.tenmilliontrees.org)
- Saving water: Because of the shade they provide, water will evaporate slowly from low vegetation, hence reduces the need for supplemental watering.
- Preventing water pollution: Up to 88% of nitrate and 76% of phosphorus is reduced after agricultural runoff passes through a forested stream side buffer (www.tenmilliontrees.org)
- Providing Shelters for Wildlife: Birds and insects live on trees.
- Reinforcing Soil: Tree’s complex root network will reinforce soil, hence absorbing some of the soil erosion and runoff to the river and ocean. It will also help prevent the transport of harmful chemicals into streams and ocean.
- Erosion Control: Forests filter and regulate the flow of water, in large part due to their leafy canopy that intercepts rainfall
The District-wide tree planting project made some adjustments and is moving forward. They already planted 2,000 of the 5,000-tree goal on Oahu and will plant more every weekend through January in order to comply with the rules on group gatherings. Thank you to Pili Valderrama of the Eco Rotary Club of Kakaako for leading effort.
Maui’s La’ai Ha’awi (Gifting Trees) Maui project target is to plant 500 food-bearing trees (e.g. avocado, mango, papaya, banana, ulu, citrus, dwarf coconuts, other nut trees etc.) on Maui between Nov. 28th, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2021. “Host” of the trees would be individual households and community space such as churches, schools, homeless shelters. Partners are the Maui ‘Ohana Gardens and Uncle George Kahumoku, Jr. Mariko Higashi: “This is a project for future generations.”
Long-time Kaua‘i volunteer John Harder’s latest mission is to develop a more-sustainable environment by planting trees. Known as “The Dump Doctor” for his long-time service in solid waste and recycling operations, John is a volunteer of the Mau‘i-based organization ReTree Hawai‘I and is leading the tree planting on Kauai.
On the Big Island, the RC of Hilo’s goal is to plant 100 trees for their 100th anniversary, which includes planting 4 trees at Kuhio Kalanianaole Park and at the Cabral Ranch with Wally Wong helping to coordinate this effort. Benson and Zeda Medina are organizing the tree planting projects on the Big Island.
If you would like to plant your own
Monarch Milo Legacy Tree or have it planted for you by a Rotary Club member at the Gunstock Ranch 5,000 tree planting initiative, go to :
https://legacyforest.org/rotary and select "Gunstock Ranch Planting".
Give the gift of a living legacy by sponsoring an endemic Legacy Tree to be planted in the Legacy Hardwood Forest at Gunstock Ranch. Your funds will help us collect seeds by hand, raise your seedling in our nurseries, plant your tree to create a forest, fence out pests, and clear invasive species. You will receive a beautiful, personalized certificate and the RFID tracking number and GPS location so you can track your tree. Included in your sponsorship is a $30 donation to Eco Rotary Club of Kaka'ako to support future environmental initiatives like this one.
District 5000 is forming a DEI Task Force, with the first meeting convening on December 9
th at 5:30pm. If you are interested in participating on this task force, please let Konrad Ikei know at:
konrad.ikei@gmail.com. Representative groups are listed in the statement below, which includes “
socioeconomic status” (occupation, education, income, wealth, and place of residence.)
A top priority for Rotary is growing and diversifying our membership to make sure we reflect the communities we serve and are inclusive of all cultures, experiences, and identities. We're creating an organization that is more open and inclusive, fair to all, builds goodwill, and benefits our communities. To help us achieve our goal, the RI Board of Directors passed a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement:
“As a global network that strives to build a world where people unite and
take action to create lasting change, Rotary values diversity and celebrates the contributions of people of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race,
color, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation,
and gender identity. Rotary will cultivate a diverse, equitable, and
inclusive culture in which people from underrepresented groups have
greater opportunities to participate as members and leaders.”
Making diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority is everyone's responsibility — from Rotary members to staff at the Secretariat.
Rotary Gives Thanks with Service Projects
RC of Pahoa Sunset’s Highway Cleanup: Picked up approx. 25 bags of trash along Hwy. 130 between mile marker 7 and 8.
RC of Hilo cooked and served breakfast of pancakes, sausages, spam, eggs and apples at the Hawaii Island Home for Recovery, a facility that provides safe housing for people in need who desire to live free of alcohol and illegal substances. They also are planting 100 trees Hilo, gave over 100 backpacks to the Salvation Army, donated 1000 spam cans to the Food Basket, gave 100 slippers Salvation Army, 100 glam bags to Hope Services, delivered Dictionaries and read to kids on Zoom.
RC of Kona’s 28th annual Meet and Eat Thanksgiving Dinner event served up 100s of turkey dinners at Kealakehe Elementary School for those in need.
RC of Hanalei Bay recently presented the Northshore Food Pantry with a $5,000 donation to assist in its weekly food distribution. Each Saturday between 1 and 3 p.m., the pantry van can be found at the Anaina Hou Community Park in Kilauea, distributing to those who are in need.
RC of Hanalei Bay bought a small Holiday gift for every teacher and support staff who work at Hanalei, Kilauea and Kanuikapono Schools and cleaning the Princeville area highway. They weekly deliver 50 boxes of produce to those in need.
RC of Poipu Beach has ordered the ear savers from the Hickam Pearl Harbor club and will be distributing them along with a thank you primarily to our South shore frontline workers.
RC of Lahaina Sunset’s Go Green Recycling program partners with 5A Rent-A-Space and the Maui County Division of Environmental Protection & Sustainability to allow residents (non-commercial) to responsibly dispose of the following bulky items at no charge, including air conditioners, batteries (lead acid only), bicycles, washers and dryers, dishwashers, microwaves, refrigerators, stoves, tires (suggested $10 donation per tire), water heaters, scrap metal and electronics including TVs, printers, computers, monitors and associated. cords only.
RC of Lahaina Sunset’s Computers for Kids Project: Princess Nahienaena Elementary School, received over 70 donated and refurbished computers for families that do not have devices at home.
RC of Lahaina partnered with The Salvation Army Lahaina Lighthouse Corps and several local churches to deliver 300 Thanksgiving meals to seniors in the community, providing not only food, but also access to showers, laundry machines and outreach.
RC of Honolulu Sunset and the UH Rotaractors that will assist the families as they do Holiday shopping at Walmart. Four local needy families (16 persons). The families have a child in the HUGGS program due to a severe medical condition and are very financially strapped due to high medical expenses. The families will shop for personal items, some small household items, and toys. Glen Bailey
Honolulu Sunrise organized a letter writing campaign to benefit the Seniors at the Lanakila Senior Center. Club members wrote/ made cards and we collected cards from students at Roosevelt Hight School, Mid Pac and Punahou. We are sending the cards together with an activity puzzle book (word search / crossword / sudoku) to the Senior Center. The Center is planning a large Thanksgiving food distribution next week and our cards/ puzzle books will be included in the food box distribution. We hit our goal of 324 cards/ books for the center’s most vulnerable Kupuna. Karyn Lee.
Hickam Pearl-Harbor delivered ingredients for a thanksgiving meal, household goods, Christmas decorations and more to a domestic violence shelter.
RC of Kaneohe and Windward Sunrise partnered with Daybreak Church in helping those that are houseless. Thanksgiving meal was prepared by Round Table staff and dessert.
RC of Pearl Harbor is partnering with the Eco Rotary Club on their tree planting project. Ten Rotarians will participate in 2 shifts at Gunstock Ranch in Kahuku.
RC of West Honolulu delivered Thanksgiving meals to families served by the Fellowship Baptist Church. Dinner kits included turkey, stuffing and other side dishes, pumpkin pie, and sweet rolls. They will be delivering PPE to Fern Elementary School, including hand sanitizer, hand sanitizing wipes, disposable face masks for children, face shields for children and gloves for adults.
West Pearl Harbor Rotary Club put together care packages for members at the Waipahu Aloha Clubhouse. Maintaining physical distance during the COVID-19 pandemic has been important. Yet, this restriction poses potential risk of decline in mental health linked with isolation, financial issues, and adaptation to this new virtual norm. Members and staff from the Waipahu Aloha Clubhouse are grateful for Rotary's generosity and constant efforts to support Clubhouses and mental health!
A multi-club project coordinated by Sonya Mendez provided Thanksgiving meals for 160 Pacific Gateway Center clients in Kunia and Kalihi. Participating clubs: West Pearl Harbor, Kapolei, Pearlridge, Mililani Sunrise, Waianae Coast, Wahiawa-Waialua, Kapolei Sunset, Ewa Beach.
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