Family resource center needed
I’m writing on behalf of parents and community who desire a family resource center that serves the Kealakehe Ahupua‘a. Meaning the elementary, intermediate and high schools. We call this project Ahupua‘a Action.
We have a few interested people ready to take this project to present to the DHHL and Lili‘uokalani Trust whose land is of interest near the elementary school.
We feel a Family Resource Center is needed to bring all families together for a variety of immediate resource needs for example:
• A clothes closet for families who are without clothes for their growing children but do not have the finances or transportation to purchase them.
• A food pantry that can provide immediate perishable needs such as canned soups or beans.
• Toiletries such as toothpaste and toothbrushes.
• A resource lab for parents and children to sit and read together it be tutored in their own language.
There are more ideas to fulfill this possibility. I wanted to bring this up by taking action because “nothing from nothing leaves nothing” and action speaks louder than words.
Anyone interested in learning more can call me at (808) 345-3148 or send an email to merleenepkirkland@gmail.com.
Shame on Trump and Biden
Shame on both President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden for their blatantly obvious attempts to curry favor with bribes of $2,000 to most Americans. Almost all of these payments will go to people who have not lost jobs, and in many cases are working from home and have never had it so good.
Burt Masters
Kailua-Kona
White ginger breath
My favorite flower is white ginger. It has delicate white blossoms that pack a wallop of a scent. When woven into a lei, the wearer can sit next to the hygienically challenged and not even know it – like a halo of perfumed drapery, wear it near your nose, you will not be sorry.
My favorite Hawaiian cultural story is the deeper meaning of the word “Aloha” — the “Ha” is pronounced with a healthy exhalation, it means “give.” One of the meanings of “alo” is front or presence — so literally, they are saying, “facing you I give you breath.” That is why it means both hello and goodbye — it is neither — it is sharing of life between two humans. We think they are “nose-kissing” when in fact they are exchanging breath, becoming one being wishing life and survival to each other.
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is the closest we Europeans have come to this mutual blessing, but it is only offered to the nearly dead. You can survive many days without food or water, but if breathing ceases, it is a matter of minutes.
And the time between now and a maskless future goes slowly, most of us helping where and whom we can. The maskless future where we can kiss and breathe and our faces can be smooshed together, embracing with abandon once again. It comes only as we respect the deadly power of this virus and mask up now so our loved ones can join us in removing them and sharing aloha in person once again.
Catherine G. Tripp
South Kohala
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