Louise Hawkins: A Centenarian and World Angler
By Paula Thomas How many people do you know who are 100 years old and I.G.F.A. World Record holders? Hawai‘i Island resident Louise Hawkins is in both rarefied categories. Louise’s past is rich with stories of exploits with all kinds…
Kumu Kele Kanahele: A Unique Son of Ni‘ihau
By Paula Thomas Tucked away in “the boonies,” as he calls it, is the tidy, unsuspecting home of one of Ni‘ihau’s sons, Kumu Kele Kanahele. Kumu Kele is famous for making prized necklaces, chokers, and earrings from the shells that…
Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi: Live Longer and Feel Better Together
By Paula Thomas Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi has been providing health and education services to the residents of Hawai‘i Island since 1991, following the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act that was passed in Congress in 1988. The Act…
George Applegate: A Kupuna Looking Out for Hawai‘i Island
By Paula Thomas He talks in arcs of thought as he shares stories about his upbringing, his youth, education, and coming of age. George Applegate, born in Honolulu in 1947 and raised in Hilo, has created a career out of…
Hawai‘i Island’s Hospice Services: Providing More Than You May Think
By Paula Thomas Contrary to what people may think when they hear the word ‘hospice’, hospice is not a place. It is a philosophy of care that is patient-focused, holistic, comprehensive, and designed to support and improve patientsʻ quality of…
William McKnight: Ambivalent Artist, Passionate Sculptor
By Paula Thomas William McKnight has cultivated a deep relationship with stone. From the lengths he may go to get a rock from the ocean, a quarry, or on a hillside, to the passion that engulfs him when his creative…
Three Iconic Women’s Organizations: Hilo Woman’s Club, Zonta International, Soroptimist International of Kona
By Paula Thomas For decades, Hawai‘i Island women have taken up causes in support of improving the lives of women and families. In the case of the Hilo Woman’s Club, the impact has extended to arts and culture—even the local…
Making Life Colorfully Social for our Kūpuna
By Paula Thomas Since 1976, the Hawai‘i Island Adult Care (HIAC) in Hilo has provided quality care for elders and challenged adults as well as support for their families. Their life-enhancing programs include an art program thatʻs been led by…
The Big Island Press Club: Then and Now
By Paula Thomas and Lara Hughes Celebrating 50 Years The Big Island Press Club is the oldest running media and journalism organization in existence on Hawai‘i Island. In September, the club celebrated 50 years of protecting the public’s right to…
Abled Hawai‘i Artists: Promoting a ‘Renaissance of Inclusion’ in our Hawai‘i Island Community
By Paula Thomas Mar Ortaleza’s work centers around helping adults with disabilities live a fuller life. An employment specialist at the Hawai‘i Island nonprofit Full Life, Mar’s job is to help his clients develop skillsets and find gainful employment. He…
Dietrich Varez: A Malihini’s Legacy of Illuminating Hawaiian Culture and Legend
By Paula Thomas He makes his art to give back to his beloved Hawai‘i. He never set out to make a lot of money as an artist, however it worked out that art became his livelihood. He remains overjoyed this…
Komakakino: A Hilo Cultural Treasure on the Music Scene
By Paula Thomas They have stepped forward as keepers of the future flame, this band from Keaukaha. Called Komakakino, the band is a foursome that performs and entertains with traditional Hawaiian music from days of old. And they are simply,…
Recycle Hawai’i: Promoting Reuse in a Big Way
By Paula Thomas Recycle Hawai‘i, a nonprofit organization based in Hilo, has a stated goal to increase resource awareness and to encourage recycling and sustainable practices in our community. Its mission? To promote resource awareness and recycling enterprises in Hawai‘i.…
Luana Kawelu: Community Builder and Protector of the Merrie Monarch Legacy
By Paula Thomas This year, Luana Kawelu will celebrate 44 years of working with Queen Lili‘uokalani Children’s Center (QLCC). Her area is Keaukaha, and her work supports children up to 18 years of age. Luana manages and coordinates programs that…
This Old/Beautiful House: Maureen’s Bed and Breakfast
By Paula Thomas Tucked away behind dense jungle foliage and invisible from Kalanianaole Street in Keaukaha is one of the most architecturally interesting homes in Hilo. Known to some as the Saiki home, today it is Maureen’s Bed and Breakfast…
A Treasure at 107: Saramae Williams Landers
By Paula Thomas It’s pretty rare to meet people who are 107 years old. Although we are all living longer, most of us never make it to 90, let alone 100. The current average lifespan is 78. According to the…
Music Rocks Her World: Quack Moore and Her Beloved Palace Theater
By Paula Thomas The Palace Theater is a vintage and singular jewel on the Hilo landscape. Located on Haili Street just off the bayfront, the theater is undergoing steady restoration and refurbishment. Overseeing the transformation from “deteriorating” to “shabby chic”…
Digital Dream Ready for the Big Screen: Local Animator Involves Hawai‘i Island Youth in Crafting Virtual Realities
By Paula Thomas In a modest rural road in Hakalau, on the Hāmākua Coast, sits a rather quaint, non-descript house. It’s an unlikely locale for a high-tech enterprise; but inside its walls is the animation studio of Geoffrey Blair Hajim,…
