News
Help Pahoa through Rotary d5000!
Rotary has the ability to handle large scale relief operations!
We're glad that so many people and organizations are donating to funds that are helping the People of Pahoa. Here's your chance to donate to a ROTARY fund that will help w-a-a-a-y beyond the immediate needs. Homes have burned, other homes are damaged by earthquakes, and still other homes are buried under lava. Donate now at: rotaryd5000.org. Look for the article about Pahoa with this image and use the DONATE BUTTON. Let's all come together to help Pahoa in a big way.
JULY begins a New Rotary Year
It all depends on our members!
Keith Okamoto, our new Club President for July 2018-June 2019 knows that it's our members who work hard and strive to "Be the Inspiration"... Rotary International's new theme for the new Rotary year. According to Keith, our members are a diverse group of business, community and civic leaders. Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. We welcome you to join us at our Friday lunch meetings or on our various projects.
 
And how could we do it without NEW MEMBERS?
Bobby Dugar, Coldwell Banker Day-lum Properties
 
Dan Turner, Pacific Tec Lending
 
Jim "Kimo" Becker, Financial Services
 
 
Aloha to one of our own.
Russ Oda
Russ Oda, a friend and our Rotary Club member for over 50 years, always had a smile and usually a great joke every time we saw him. A past President and the founder of our sister Rotary Club of Hiroshima South, Russ also had been an active member of the Sunao Wada Foundation that works to bring Japanese students to Hilo and to send Hilo students to Hiroshima.
Aloha, Russ, you will be missed by all of us!
 
Rotary is about FUN!
July 11 - Membership Mixer at Chapter 17
Yes, Rotarians are out in our community helping with projects, but it’s also about fun! These “mixers” not only allow potential new members to meet our group, it also gives us a chance to get to know each other.
 
Rotary is also about helping kids!
July 20 & 27 - School Supplies Gathered for Salvation Army distribution
Bags and boxes of pencils, erasers, and composition books brought in by our club members were presented to Danielle of the Salvation Army. Many of our island keiki are in need of school supplies!
 
And, of course, Rotary is about helping our community -
in this case, helping Kua O Ka La Charter School
 
Rotary Knows How to Help With Disaster Relief - Focus on Kua O Ka La
 
  Many people may be familiar with Rotary International’s world-wide work helping endangered communities with clean water and educational support for children… among many other effective solutions to the problems of struggling communities. In fact, Rotary International rates 100% for financial accountability and transparency in administering donated funds by Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org)

    So it’s no surprise that local Rotary Clubs here in East Hawaii have banded together to raise funds for Puna. The “Rotary Fund for Puna Lava Relief” was started within days of the first eruptions. Housed through the Hawai’i Rotary District’s Foundation, all donations are tax deductible as the foundation is a 501©(3) accredited organization. (donate at www.rotaryd5000.org)
 
So... the question for Ron Cutler (above) of the Rotary Club of Pahoa Sunset, was how to use the donated funds that would make a significant improvement to areas affected by the lava. Kua O Ka La Charter School was a large part of the answer. The school campus was overrun by lava. Where to have classes starting in early August? Kindergarten through 6th grade could meet at a building on the Nani Mau Gardens grounds, but major work to rehabilitate the run down building was needed. All 5 East Hawaii Rotary Clubs have been working to get the new “campus” ready by the start of school. Susie Osborne, Head of the School, (pictured above with Ron) is thrilled to have so many Rotarians help along side of her school staff and volunteers.
I mua Kua O Ka La!
 
JUNE ENDS OUR "ROTARY YEAR"
JUNE ACTIVITIES CAP OUR GREAT ROTARY YEAR!
 
"BE THE INSPIRATION" IS OUR NEW YEAR'S INTERNATIONAL THEME
   Rotary International, with over 1.2 million members worldwide and over 35,000 clubs, has a mission to help “people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves”. And each new Rotary year, there is a new theme. Ending in June, last year’s theme was “Making a Difference”; this new year the world-wide theme is “Be the Inspiration”.
Rotary is People of Action
   Rotary is where neighbors, friends, and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change. Through Rotary clubs world-wide, people from all continents and cultures come together to exchange ideas, and form friendships and professional connections while making a difference in their backyards and around the world. Helping to end polio, seeking new ways to create peace, bolstering education, creating new sources of clean water... all these tasks and many more are projects of Rotary.  Want to be the “Inspiration”? Consider  joining with Rotary and find your own “inspiration.” Meet new people, help create change in the world and pitch in to assist right here in East Hawaii. E komo mai.
 
Inspiring in Our Community
June 16 ~ Small-House Project in Pahoa for Lava-impacted Evacuees
An amazing collection of people gathered to put together small housing for the Lava impacted Evacuees, and representatives of the Rotary Club of Hilo were on hand to help with painting and erecting of canopy tents.
 
Inspiring in the World -- Fiji
   For 10+ years, our club has been helping out in Fiji... with a focus on the Nadi Centre for Special Education. We've helped build a building and supplied school supplies.Several years ago a major hurricane hit Fiji. Our club, additional Hawai’i Rotary clubs, Hawaii’s Rotary District 5000 and others in the community raised over $80,000 to provide SHELTER BOXES for the Fijian residents who no longer had a roof over their heads
 
The Hilo Brewfest, our annual fundraiser, a great success!
June 23 - A major Party-on-the-beautiful-Bay with over 1100 people!
It really was fun to meet friends, enjoy beer tasting, great food and rockin’ entertainment while also providing our club with net profits that go to helping people right here in East Hawai’i. Added to our reoccurring beneficiaries that help train new doctors and provide needed items to abused children, this year we’ve included help for Puna Lava Relief.
 
MAY DOINGS AT RCOH
OUT AND ABOUT IN MAY
 
May 2 ~ Membership Mixer at Wai'oli Lounge
Potential members met some of our club members.
 
May 4 ~ Friends' Gala Honors Our Club
In spite of two big earthquakes, past, present and future Presidents of our Club (with our PR person) attend The Friends of the Children’s Justice Center Gala, one of our annual Brewfest beneficiaries.
 
May 25 ~ President Steve shows off our five District Awards from the Rotary Conference
Two First Places in Youth Services and Public Image and three First Runners-up in Vocational Service, Community Service and Club Foundation Giving!
 
May 26 ~ We get our "Cowboy" on!
Our members enjoyed an old fashioned country “Hoe Down” at Gay and Chuck Porter’s  beautiful Waiki’i Ranch on a partly sunny Saturday. Featuring Bar-B-Que and Irish line dancing, guests were also treated to an up close visit with 14 year old “Winston” their nearly 180 pound boar.
 
Our Club bands together to help the Rotary Club of Pahoa Sunset as they take on a Puna Lava Relief Project
President Steve Handy, Kahea Rosehill (Sun Construction), Jim Becker (Rotary Global Grant Specialist) and Cel Ruwethin (Salvation Army) stand up for Ron Cutler (center - Rotary Club of Pahoa Sunset). Ron came to visit and tell us of the real situation in Puna. Rotary is on board to help!
 
Rotary Knows How to Help With Disaster Relief!
 
  Many people may be familiar with Rotary International’s world-wide work helping endangered communities with clean water and educational support for children… among many other effective solutions to the problems of struggling communities. In fact, Rotary International rates 100% for financial accountability and transparency in administering donated funds by Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org)
    So it’s no surprise that local Rotary Clubs here in East Hawaii are banding together to raise funds for Puna. The “Rotary Fund for Puna Lava Relief” was started within days of the first eruptions. Housed through the Hawai’i Rotary District’s Foundation, all donations are tax deductible as the foundation is a 501©(3) accredited organization.
   Our 6th Annual Hilo Brewfest has added the Rotary Fund for Puna Lava Relief as a beneficiary of our festival. So please, come party with us and help Puna... all in an afternoon’s “work”!
 
APRIL IN ROTARY
Rotary Club of Hilo...
busy during April!
 
For this month's posting, we'll show a bit about the doings of our club interspersed with ROTARY's international causes.
 
April 6 - Club Business Visitations
 
BJ PENN
 
DODO MORTUARY
 
HILO MEDICAL CENTER
It's always good to know what our club members' businesses are all about... and it's always fun to meet in a new place!  For April, club members could choose from three different businesses to visit... BJ PENN, DODO MORTUARY or HILO MEDICAL CENTER!
 
ROTARY CAUSE #1 - PROMOTING PEACE
Rotary encourages conversations to foster understanding within and across cultures. We train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict and help refugees who have fled dangerous areas.
 
April 15 - Our Annual Chili Cookoff!
 
Judging the chili is serious business! Plenty chili and desserts along with wine and beer make for a fun evening!
 
ROTARY CAUSE #2 - FIGHTING DISEASE
We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas.
 
ROTARY CAUSE #3 - PROVIDING CLEAN WATER
We support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term.
 
April 22 - Tree Planting Continues!
What else could be a perfect project for Earth Day than planting more trees!
 
ROTARY CAUSE #4 -- SAVING MOTHERS AND CHILDREN
Nearly 6 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. We expand access to quality care, so mothers and their children can live and grow stronger.
 
April 27 - High School Interact Clubs
Students from both the Waiakea High School and the Laupahoehoe High School Interact Clubs meet up for fun and a chance to get to know one another.
 
ROTARY CAUSE #5 - SUPPORTING EDUCATION
More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy.
 
ROTARY CAUSE #6 - GROWING LOCAL ECONOMIES
We carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and create opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. We also strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.
RCOH's OUTREACH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND INTERNATIONALLY!
RCOH GOES TO FIJI!
 
For over 10 years, our club has been helping out in Fiji... with a focus on the Nadi Centre for Special Education. We've helped build a building and over the years supplied school supplies, books and other needed materials for the students. Several years ago when a major hurricane hit Fiji hard, our club, joined by other Rotary clubs, Hawai’i District Rotary and local community members, raised over $80,000 to provide SHELTER BOXES for the Fijian residents who no longer had a roof over their heads. Most recently, a group of six club members and Hawai’i District Governor Nalani Flinn traveled to Fiji to provide a freezer, a gas cook stove, household items and rugs along with story books for the Nadi School. A second school visit to the Lautoka Methodist primary school distributed books to the eager learners!
Imua! Rotary Club of Hilo and Fiji!
 
NEW MEMBERS IN MARCH
ELLE LEE, Elite Pacific Properties
 
DEBRA TEICHMAN, Elite Pacific Properties
 
KEEPING BUSY AND HAVING FUN!
 
March 2 ~ Dr. Seuss Birthday Reading

“Cat in the Hat” and other great Dr. Seuss books were read to youngsters in school to celebrate reading for his birthday celebration.
 
March 11 ~ “High Tea” for Women in Rotary

  Rotary women from our club and others here in East Hawaii came together to recognize and celebrate women and all they do for Rotary clubs.
 
March 17 ~ Clean up at “Rotary Park”

  Students from the Waiakea HS Interact Club and club members worked at the Kalaniana'ole Park...
raking and picking up litter.
 
March 18 - Big Island Marathon

Another year and another marathon where our club members and friends helped out at a Relief Station...
followed by a great breakfast!
 
March 24 ~ Rotary District Training

Incoming club board members, members and new club Rotarians turned out to get great help and ideas at this District Conference tor the Island of Hawai’i.
 
 SAVE THE DATE!  ~ SAT ~ JUNE 23
  HILO BREWFEST

            Beer Tasting!   Food Sampling! and Rock n’ Roll!
    Tickets will be available  on May 4 on our website:
www.hilobrewfest.com
 
 
 

Malama Honua
celebrating Our 95th Anniversary

The Hilo Rotary Club Foundation presents a donation to Pwo Navigator and Captain of the Polynesian Voyaging Canoe, Hokule'a, to help fund their educational programs on their Malama Honua worldwide voyage.  (Left to right:  Bruce Blankenfeld, Donald Demuth of the Hilo Rotary Club Foundation, and Club President, Wally Wong)
 

Edmund Olson is recognized with The Rotary Club of Hilo's Malama Honua award for his efforts in caring for our aina.
 
     “Malama Honua” (to care for our earth) is the theme that we have chosen to celebrate our club's 95th anniversary.  Along with Rotary International's theme -- “Be a Gift to the World” -- we are inspired as we start this new Rotary year.
     President Wally Wong has sought out community service projects that will build a more sustainable community.  Projects such as building a vegetable garden for residents of a shelter to clearing illegally dumped trash in a vacant cul-de-sac area in Hilo.  We hope to be an example to other organizations and the community, that in order to stop and smell the flowers, we have to occasionally bend down to pull the weeds or pick up the trash.
     These are just a few of the many projects that the Rotary Club of Hilo has planned as it follows the Polynesian Voyaging canoe, Hokule’a, on its Malama Honua sail around the world.  On its worldwide voyage, the Hokule’a will grow and join the global movement towards a more sustainable world.
     Two individuals who embody the principles of Malama Honua were honored at our Officer Installation:  Bruce Blankenfeld, Pwo navigator and Captain of the Hokule’a for his leadership and efforts to educate our youth and  Edmund C. Olson of the Edmund C. Olson Trust II for providing agricultural opportunities and building a sustainable future for Hawaii Island.
 
 

Please Join Us

Service Above Self - Since 1920

We meet Fridays at 12:00 PM
Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
71 Banyan Drive
Hilo, HI  96720
United States
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Upcoming Events
 
Meeting Responsibilities
August 3, 2018
Reporter
Hemmes, Helen
 
Photographer
Countess, Joshua
 
Greeter
Tanouye, Jen
 
Greeter
Chun, Malcolm
 
August 16, 2018 -- 5 Club Meeting
Reporter
Munro, Susan
 
Photos
Meyers, Charlene
 
August 17, 2017 -- S. Hiroshima Dinner
Reporter
Chu, The Don
 
Photos
Glass, Kerry
 
August 18, 2018 -- Steak Fry
Reporter
Munro, Susan
 
Photos
Glass, Kerry
 
August 24, 2018
Reporter
Hemmes, Helen
 
Photos
Hanley, Bob
 
Greeter
Glass, Kerry
 
Greeter
Munro, Susan
 
September 7, 2018
Reporter
Hemmes, Helen
 
Photos
Anderson, Eric
 
Greeter
Beatty, Tim
 
Greeter
Handy, Jr., Steve
 
September 14 2018
Reporter
Tanouye, Jen
 
Photos
Glass, Kerry
 
Greeter
Hart, Randy
 
Greeter
Guillen, Patrick
 
September 21, 2018
Reporter
Kennedy, Biff
 
Photos
Anderson, Eric
 
Greeter
McGilvray, Kathleen
 
Greeter
Osborne, Katie
 
September 28, 2018
Reporter
Chu, The Don
 
Photographer
Liu, Anna
 
Greeter
Tajiri, Helene
 
Greeter
Prose, Marcia
 
 
Speakers
Stacy Haumea
Aug 24, 2018
Diabetes Education
Dianne Bowen-Coleman
Sep 14, 2018
Ho’ola Nā Pua - Human Trafficking
View entire list...
 
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