Education on the Ocean: Pua Ka Ilima Treats Keiki to Sailing Adventures
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu It was a 19-day adventure on the open seas for Ralph Blancato and his crew to pilot a 42-foot sailboat from California to Hawai‘i Island. In July 2022, Ralph and his team of three people sailed successfully…
HEART: Growing Hilo’s Love for Theater
By Mālielani Larish Performing arts lovers of all ages are lucky that Larry Reitzer grew disenchanted with lounging on the beach. After a 30-year career in the entertainment industry, Larry retired and moved to Hilo with the intention of penning…
Battered by Life, the Rescued Livestock at FPG Have Found Sanctuary
By Stefan Verbano Eve the sheep lived an action-packed life before coming to the sanctuary. She spent her early years frolicking through green pastures of her lower Puna homestead, until her peaceful existence was shattered in 2018 by the massive…
Maka‘eo Path Fosters Health and Community
By Fern Gavelek Build it and they will come. This statement certainly holds true for the Maka‘eo path at Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area. Flanking the mauka (upland) side of the former Kona Airport runway in Kailua-Kona, the paved…
Paddling for Hope: Derek Park Fundraises for Breast Cancer Education and Early Detection
By Karen Rose The “Prince of Preachers,” Charles Haddon Surgeon said that hope itself is like a star—not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, but to be discovered in the night of adversity. Nine years ago, paddler Derek…
North Kohala Rocks with KNKR Radio!
By Eila Algood On the windy northern tip of Hawai‘i Island is the district of North Kohala. Whether you approach Hawi-town along the coast or over Kohala Mountain, once you’re within a few miles you’ll want to tune into 96.1…
A Garden of Trees: Ulu La‘au, the Waimea Nature Park
By Brittany P. Anderson The sky overhead is pure cobalt blue with low-lying clouds steamrolling across the landscape, their shadows dancing on the bright green grass below. Here, in the heart of downtown Waimea (Kamuela), is Ulu La‘au, the Waimea…
Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden: Restoring and Protecting Hawai‘i Island’s Biodiversity
By Brittany P. Anderson The isolation of Hawai‘i Island, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and born of volcanic lava flows from the ocean’s floor, shaped the biodiversity of the island. Our unique position makes the Island of Hawai‘i one of…
‘Tis the Season to Share More Aloha
By Karen Rose The celebratory season is upon us, and nothing brings out community generosity like the spirit of the holidays. Sharing aloha is a year-round activity in Hawai‘i; however, there’s something special about winter celebrations that compel us to…
How One Boy’s Wish Benefits Thousands: The Jonathan Dale Miller Foundation
By Fern Gavelek A nine-year-old boy has left a legacy that’s been helping Hawai‘i Island’s needy families since 1999. To date, the Jonathan Dale Miller Foundation has personally touched approximately 4,000 families, affecting 15,000 underprivileged keiki (children) and 500 kūpuna…
Kawaihae I: Bringing an Ahupua‘a Back to Life
By Jan Wizinowich During Kamehameha’s time, the ahupua‘a (land parcel) of Kawaihae fed thousands of people with its rich ocean resources and highly developed field system, irrigated from the abundant Kohala watershed. Now there are only remnants of that time…
Empowering Women and Girls to Reach Their Highest Potential: American Association of University Women
By Karen Rose In 1776, future first lady Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John, then a member of the Continental Congress, “If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we will be determined to foment a…
4-H Clubs Inspire Kids “To Do”
By Fern Gavelek “It teaches kids life skills…It led me in the right direction and helped me while going through teenage moments…It offers projects for positive youth development…It enables kids to master a skill and chart their own direction…” What…
The Waimea Arts Council: Art at the Heart of Waimea
By Jan Wizinowich At the intersection of Mamalahoa Highway and Kawaihae Road is a cluster of small buildings at the heart of old Waimea and the home of the Waimea Arts Council (WAC). With its double doors flung wide open,…
Magical Creatures of Hamakua: A Second Chance at Life for Animals Large and Small
By Denise Laitinen Standing atop a hill in the middle of a large green pasture along the Hāmākua Coast, the Pacific Ocean extends far into the distance melding with the blue sky as birds sing and puffy white clouds float…
Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers: Cultivating Successful Farmers to Feed Our Island
By Fern Gavelek Growing fruit in Hawai‘i to feed our island is one thing. Growing farmers to do it successfully is another. The Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG) does both. The statewide nonprofit was founded in 1989 and boasts more…
huiMAU: Cultivating Healthy ‘Āina and Strong ‘Ohana
By Karen Rose “Ua mau ke ea o ka ‘āina i ka pono” is typically translated as “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.” However, according to No‘eau Peralto of huiMAU, a more appropriate translation is, “The sovereignty of…
VASH Hawai‘i Island: Nonprofit Comes to the Rescue of Visitor Misfortune
By Fern Gavelek Your friend vacationing from Minnesota loses her ID and worries how she will get on the plane to return home. After a day at the beach, a guest at your vacation rental is in a traffic accident…
Art is Life-Life is Art: Donkey Mill Art Center
Donkey Mill Art Center is the home of Holualoa Foundation for Arts and Culture, a 501(c)3 nonprofit art education organization. Its mission is to provide a stimulating environment that helps individuals discover, develop and expand their artistic abilities. In 2016…
A Safe Haven For Hawai‘i Island Cats and Dogs
It’s a typical Monday morning for Mary Rose Krijgsman and the crew of dedicated volunteers who are busy feeding the more than 250 cats and 78 dogs plus several chickens and pigs at the Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kurtistown.…
A Mele Kalikimaka to All: ‘Elves’ Around Hawai‘i Island Helping ‘Ohana in Need
By Catherine Tarleton This is the first in an occasional series where Ke Ola Magazine highlights some of the important work of our on-island nonprofits. Enjoy learning about these two organizations and please support them. If you have a favorite…
We Are All in the Same Canoe: One Island Sustainable Living Center Promotes Sustainability on Hawai‘i Island
By Barbara Fahs With a modest budget and big vision, the One Island Sustainable Living Center in Hōnaunau is accomplishing some amazing feats toward farming education and sustainability. The terms ‘sustainable’ and ‘sustainability’ are bandied about a lot today. To…
Ko Bo Kahui Ho‘oilina Ola: Bo Kahui’s Living Legacy
By Gayle ‘Kaleilehua’ Greco One person can make a difference, and everyone should try,” said John F. Kennedy in his 1961 inaugural address. Craig ‘Bo’ Kahui was seven years old at the time and living in Kalihi on O‘ahu. One…
Coping with Cancer: A Journey and a Place to Chill at Kokolulu
By Cynthia Sweeney He is a professional counselor who has traveled the world giving workshops in stress reduction using techniques such as acupressure and massage. He also spent 20 years studying qigong with a Chinese monk. She is an oncology…
