Memorial of Bobby Fujimoto

With great sadness, we announce the loss of our Badge #1 member Bobby Fujimoto. Bobby was a major pillar in the Hawaii Community and he loved Rotary. In loving memory of Bobby, Newton Chu has written a memorial, below.

Aloha,

Anna Liu

President 2019-2020

"THINKING" and "DOING" in February!

THINKING....

February 7 - WEAR RED

Wearing RED at our Friday Meeting to help raise awareness about Women’s Heart Health.

February 19 - SOCIAL SQUAD

Having fun and fellowship with club members and friends, the SOCIAL SQUAD met at the Temple Bar on a mid-February Wednesday night. $300 was raised to support the club’s ongoing support of a literacy project in Fiji. Join us on March 18!

FEBRUARY THEME:
PEACE-BUILDING AND CONFLICT PREVENTION/ RESOLUTION

Every month, Rotary International has a “theme”, an “area of focus” for Rotary members around the world to think about and, in many cases, make plans for international projects that can promote peace.

WHERE DO OUR NEW LEADERS COME FROM?

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where high school youth develop their skills as leaders while having fun and making connections. Club members and Rotarians from other East Hawaii Rotary Clubs worked hard to put on this hands-on mentoring event the last weekend in February.

The Rotary Club of Hilo

meets nearly every Friday at noon in the Queen’s Court Restaurant at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

Drop by and speak to our GREETERS at the door! Welcome!

No time for lunch with us on a Friday?

Join us for our monthly *Social Squad* event at Temple Bar on Wednesday, 3/18 at 5:30pm. We’ll be supporting the *Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders Ambassadors Program" at Pahoa High & Intermediate School.

January 2020... new year... new members!

Wow! Six New Members in January!

Ben Marks ~ Peco Arts

D'Andrea Pelletier ~ our own Opera Singer!

Danni Gardner ~ Day Lum Associations

Julie Kron ~ Paralegal

Patrick Smith ~ Retired

Reese Mates ~ Rotary Shelter Box

BREWFEST RETURNS ON JUNE 27!

The Hilo Brewfest is a fun afternoon of beer tasting, food sampling and entertainment. And it’s also our club’s Signature Fundraising Event that supports two local nonprofits (see below) and other smaller contributions to many projects both local and worldwide.
THIS YEAR, WATCH FOR OUR NEW “BREW-WEEK” FILLED WITH BEER AND FOOD PAIRINGS & FUN!

OUR BREWFEST RECIPIENTS

The Hilo Medical Foundation Residency Program

The Friends of the Children's Justice Center of East Hawaii

OUR CLUB'S SOCIAL SQUAD

No time for lunch with us on a Friday? Join us for our monthly “Social Squad”... coming up this month on February 19 at the Temple Bar at 64 Keawe Street in Hilo.
Our February event is in support of Literacy in Fiji with collected funds going to buy books and school materials for impoverished schools on some of those small, isolated islands.

A REALLY BUSY DECEMBER!

December 7 ~ “Waianae Parade”

Assistant Rotary District Governor and club member Randy Hart drives District Governor Eric Kaler and his wife in the annual Rotary sponsored Christmas Parade through downtown Waianae. Good, safe driving, Randy!

December 11 ~ “Seniors’ Luncheon”

Club members gathered to present a delicious luncheon to seniors at the Kamana Senior Center. Singing and live entertainment accompanied the serving of this traditional meal provided by our club.

December 12-14 ~ “Craft Fair”

Member Mike poses with a “friend” at our third annual Kama’aina Christmas Craft Fair held at the Civic Center Butler Building. Over 1000 shoppers stopped by to see hand made crafts by local crafters... plus delicious BBQ from a food truck.

December 14 ~ “Bell Ringing”

Club members turn out for shifts of Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army outside of Macys at the Mall. Good fun and holiday cheer plus ample donations make this annual effort well worth the time.

December 12 ~ “Bali Report”

Randy Hart “reports” to the club about the trip to Bali. Rotarians were able to make a difference by providing prosthetic legs to amputees, working on restrooms in a nearby school... a great international project sponsored by our Rotary Hawaii district.

December 18 ~ “Social Squad”

Members and friends met at the Temple Bar for an evening of socializing and fundraising to help with the Foster Siblings Holiday Party. Over $500 was gathered for the present exchange. (see the December 23rd post!)

December 23 ~ “Sibling Party”

Often times, siblings who go into Foster Care don’t get to see each other at Christmas time. The Teen Board of “HI H.O.P.E.S.” and “Epic ‘Ohana” planned a holiday get together for teen siblings held at Solid Rock East Hawaii church in Pahoa. But “presents” were needed for the teens to “shop” for their siblings. The Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii joined in for the program... and were able to buy “presents” thanks in part to the fundraising of our “Social Squad” members and friends.”

JOIN US!

No time for lunch with us on a Friday? Join us for our “Social Squad”...coming in February

Our club meets nearly every Friday at noon at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Want to join us for lunch and community networking? Leave us a message on our website: hilorotary.com

NOVEMBER HAD THE CLUB "OUT AND ABOUT"!

NOVEMBER STARTS THE HOLIDAY SEASON!

December 18 ~ No time for lunch with us on a Friday?

Join us for our monthly “Social Squad”... coming up this month on December 18 at the Temple Bar at 64 Keawe Street in Hilo. Our Dec 18th event is in support of The FRIENDS of the Children's Justice Center of East Hawaii Sibling Holiday Party. The party is for youth who have been separated from their siblings and will be reunited and able to celebrate together! If you are unable to attend Social Squad event, you can still donate by visiting
www.fcjcEastHawaii.org and click DONATE.

November 7 ~ Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff

Members of our club enjoyed some great entertainment at the Red Kettle Kickoff with comic Augie T. Plus everyone loved to get an ono-licious Breakfast that they didn’t have to cook!

November 15 - Breakfast... again!

Another breakfast... this time for the new edition of the Hilo Hospital Foundation’s Residency Program. New interviewees were greeted by hospital staff and club members.

November 16 - Rotary Assembly

Members were on hand to learn about Rotary International’s Foundation and how local clubs can interact with this large, top flight charitable organization.

November 21 ~ “Social Squad”

It was a casual, after-hours get together, this time at The Temple Bar. Starting at 5;30pm and going until 7:30pm, members and non-members learn about projects that our club is working on.

November 23 ~ Waiakea HS Students

Cooked turkey needs to be shredded in preparation for the Salvation Army’s Annual Thanksgiving meal. Who better to help than high school students not afraid to get their hands involved.

November 28 ~ Thanksgiving

While their own turkeys were cooking, club members worked in the kitchens of the Hawaii Home for Recovery preparing turkey and fixins’ for the hungry residents.

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.