About Town | 5-8-14

42nd Firefighter Recruit Class commencement held

The Hawaii Fire Department held commencement exercises for its 42nd Firefighter Recruit Class on April 12 at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.

The new Firefighters are: Kyle Muin, Chad Rapozo, Michael Masuda, Monalisa Durkan, Dave Yamagata Jr., Tai Scarbrough, Riley Archibald, Kristopher Armijo, Neil Cho, Adam Tabieros, Alan McShane Jr., Kala Haasenritter and Joseph Glory Jr.

The class underwent 12 months of intensive instruction and fieldwork.

The new firefighters have received their first station assignments.

Big Island Chocolate Festival winners announced

During the three-day Big Island Chocolate Festival, chefs, chocolatiers and students were critiqued on taste, texture, appearance and creativity by a team of celebrity judges.

The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, tied with Daylight Mind Coffee Company for best savory creation served at Saturday’s gala. Padovani’s Chocolates took top bonbons. Earning No. 1 plated dessert was the Hilton Waikoloa Village, which also won the People’s Choice Award. Madre Chocolate took the bean-to-bar category. Hawaii Community College — Hilo won Friday’s student competition, besting Maui Community College by a point. Hawaii Community College — West Hawaii Team 1 was close behind in third place.

Heading the team of judges for the two competitions were celebrity chefs “Mr. Chocolate” Jacques Torres and Valrhona Chocolate’s Vincent Bourdin. Other team judges included chocolatier Ken Goto and pastry chefs Rhonda Ashton-Chavez of Four Seasons Resort Maui, Elizabeth McDonald of Mala Restaurant, Ricky DeBoers of The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui; Heather Campbell of Kauai’s St. Regis Resort Princeville and Daniel Sampson of The Fairmont Orchid.

Presented by the Kona Cacao Association, the third annual festival benefits the Equip the Kitchens campaign for the future Hawaii Community College — Palamanui and Kona Pacific Public Charter School.

Visit bigislandchocolatefestival.com for updates on next year’s event.

Dinner fundraiser planned at VFW

The community is invited to attend the Veterans of Foreign Wars dinner and dance from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Veteran’s Center on Makala Boulevard. The live band, Endless Summer, will provide entertainment. The cost is $10 for dinner, and there is a $5 cover charge for dancing.

For more information, call Gloria Pastor at 326-7570.

Videos, publications to assist breadfruit growers released

The Hooulu ka Ulu project to revitalize breadfruit has released a series of videos and publications to assist Hawaii’s breadfruit growers in supplying grocery stores, restaurants and farmers markets with quality fruit, and to help chefs become familiar with breadfruit handling and preparation in the kitchen. Backyard growers, consumers and educators will also find the information pertinent to home and community use of breadfruit.

The 24-page “Breadfruit Production Guide: Recommended Practices for Growing, Harvesting and Handling” is aimed at breadfruit growers.

A corresponding video “Harvest and Postharvest Best Practices” provides a visual demonstration of the key practices outlined in the “Breadfruit Production Guide.”

“Brief Breadfruit Basics” features basic handling and preparation methods. “Breadfruit — Nutritional Value and Versatility” highlights the nutritional qualities of breadfruit.

The videos and publications are available for free download at breadfruit.info and breadfruit.org. The publications will also be on hand at the Breadfruit — From Tree to Table workshop from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at Hooulu Lahui, adjacent to the Ahalanui County Park in Puna. The workshop is $12 per person and advance registration online is required at breadfruit.info.

Hawaii residents urged to donate food at their mailboxes

More than 175,000 mail carriers across the nation will lead the Postal Service’s effort to “Stamp Out Hunger” by collecting food donations throughout Hawaii and in cities and towns across the country on Saturday in the 22nd annual National Association of Letter Carriers’ Food Drive.

The drive is the nation’s largest one-day effort to combat hunger and is held to support the mission of community food banks such as the Hawaii Foodbank.

Residents are urged to place nonperishable food items next to their mailbox for pickup on Saturday before their usual mail pickup time. The mail carriers will then transport the donations back to their post offices where postal employees and their families will sort the food and deliver it to their nearest community food banks. Post offices without residential delivery are collecting items up to Saturday.

Class on Buddhism set for Sunday

The teachings of Buddha will be discussed and meditation practiced from 4 to 5:45 p.m. Sunday at the Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus.

The class is free and everyone is welcome. Dress warmly and bring a cushion.

Call 985-7470 for more information.

Senior ID cards available

The Coordinated Services for the Elderly Program of the Elderly Activities Division will issue senior ID cards for seniors 60 years and older from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday at the Pahala Housing Center; from 11 a.m. to noon Monday at Naalehu Community Center; from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday at the Kohala CSE building; from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at L. Yoshimatsu Senior Center in Waimea; from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 23 at Yano Hall, Captain Cook, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 28 at West Hawaii Civic Center, Building B.

For more information, call 961-8777.

Committee on the Status of Women meets

The Hawaii County Committee on the Status of Women meets at 9 a.m. Friday at the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, 655 Kilauea Ave. in Hilo, and via videoconference at the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, 81-980 Halekii St., Suite 150, in Kealakekua.

The public is invited to attend.

Elks car wash set for Saturday

A car wash to benefit Elks National Foundation will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Elks Lodge 2616.

The funds will provide scholarships and grants. For more information, contact Kim Garcia at 329-9359 or stardustkimi@gmail.com.