Contact information provided for Ham radio class
Contact information for the organizer of a free Ham radio license class to be held at University of the Nations in Kailua-Kona was omitted from Wednesday’s newspaper because the information was not supplied to West Hawaii Today. For more information, email cert@uofnkona.edu.
Playground dedication planned at Mauna Kea Recreation Area
A public dedication ceremony commemorating the opening of a keiki playground at Mauna Kea Recreation Area will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the park near the mile marker 34 of Saddle Road. Light refreshments will be served.
General contractor Site Engineering Inc., with assistance from Takamine Construction Inc., built the 3,700-square-foot playground. Designed for keiki ages 5 to 12 years old, the playground emphasizes climbing skills through the use of ropes, rails and ladders rather than conventional features to challenge children’s physical abilities and promote interactive fun. A synthetic turf covering a padded layer provides an attractive safety surface that also ensures the playground is accessible to people with physical challenges.
Since assuming stewardship of the former state park on July 1, 2014, Hawaii County has opened new restrooms, paved the parking area, created a picnic area, installed lighted flag poles, landscaped the area and hired security at the renamed Mauna Kea Recreation Area.
For more information, contact Jason Armstrong at 961-8311 or jarmstrong@hawaiicounty.gov.
Kailua-Kona Seniors meet Wednesday
The Kailua-Kona Seniors will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Hale Halawai. The facility will be open for board games, Bingo with prizes for members, pool and socializing. No formal meeting will be held.
For more information, call Dave at 345-1388 or Pat at 329-2424.
Credit unions support American Cancer Society
Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union staff and their families were joined by Big Island Federal Credit Union and CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union to form the Credit Unions for a Cure team at the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life in Kailua-Kona. The team raised $6,662, earning it the Gold Team award, which placed third out of 36 teams for most money raised. More than 300 people participated in the annual event that brought in $93,696 to raise cancer awareness and to help fund a cure.
Teach For America–Hawaii recruits new teachers
Teach For America–Hawaii has welcomed nearly 30 new teachers to public schools this fall on Hawaii Island and 58 on Oahu.
In partnership with the Hawaii Department of Education, Teach For America–Hawai recruits talented and committed individuals from all backgrounds and academic interests. Among the 88 incoming corps members, 27 are kamaaina, eight are Native Hawaiian, and 12 graduated from Hawaii public schools.
“I’m excited to join the 2015 Teach For America–Hawaii corps and teach on my home island as part of the movement to help all students get a quality education,” said Debra Cannoles, a Honokaa High School and University of Hawaii at Hilo graduate who will be teaching at Keonepoko Elementary School in Pahoa.
Joining Cannoles on Hawaii Island are two 2015 corps members who are returning to their alma maters to teach. Lihau Godden, from Kealakekua, will be teaching at Hawaiian-language-immersion school Ke Kula o Ehunuikaimalino, where she attended before graduating from Kamehameha Schools, Kapalama, and Lewis &Clark College. Grace Kim, a Kailua High School and University of the Pacific graduate, will teach at Kahakai Elementary School, where she attended elementary school and will now teach alongside some of her teachers.