HOLUALOA — The energy was pounding when the lights went down at Kona Imin Center in Holualoa Saturday night as 12 Zumba instructors from around the island led dozens of enthusiasts at Zumba Dance 4 Action.
Participants of all ages and skill levels followed the lead of their instructors to pumping salsa, hip-hop and merengue music to raise money for child abuse awareness.
“We are one Zumba family on the Big Island and we’re dancing for the children who witness or are victims of domestic abuse, raising money for the West Hawaii Women’s Shelter,” said Renee Morinaka, one of the four instructors responsible for this second annual event.
Ronnie Calveran knew she had to raise awareness and funds for the shelter after her daughter found herself in an abusive relationship and had to seek refuge there.
“As a mom, it was heartbreaking for me to see her there, but shelter manager, Aurora Delaries supported her, sat with her and gave her love,” said Calveran. “That touched my heart.”
That’s when she decided she needed to do something to help the cause and Zumba 4 Action was born.
Last year’s event raised more $3,000 for the women at the shelter. This year, the focus was on the keiki.
Delaries said money raised from this year’s event will help with school supplies, basic care needs and clothing, as most residents of the shelter arrive with little more than the clothes on their back. Funding will also go toward extracurricular activities and transportation.
A few hundred women and children pass through the doors of the shelter yearly, according to Delaries. Some stay a few days, some a few months.
It’s a temporary stepping stone to a new life.
Staff members link residents with sources and services available, sending them on the path of independence.
“It’s very important to bring this issue to the surface,” said Delaries, noting the prevalence of domestic abuse on the island. “It’s very embedded, very generational. It crosses socio-economic lines. There’s a lot of shame behind it, not wanting to involve others in family business. We need to break the patterns.”
Calveran agreed wholeheartedly.
“We need to break the silence. Let’s talk about it in the open and let’s try to help these people” she said.
The statistics are staggering. According to the HawaiiSayNoMore.org website, 575 domestic violence survivors in Hawaii seek support from local programs every day in Hawaii. In Hawaii, 50,000 women between the ages of 18 and 64 are victims of domestic violence each year. One in three teens in the United States experience sexual or physical abuse or threats from a boyfriend or girlfriend each year and one in three women and one in four men in America experience violence from their partners in their lifetime.
Domestic violence is about isolation and control, said Delaries.
“Let’s get it out in the open. If there’s no more isolation, there’s no more control. It’s time to break the cycle,” she said.
“In the Zumba community we support each other,” said Calveran. “No matter how much money we raise, it comes from our heart. We want to touch more lives, stay focused and help.
“And have some fun doing it.”