News
AUGUST WAS MEMBERSHIP MONTH... and we focus on LOCAL SERVICE!
JOIN US!
WEEKLY MEETINGS
We meet nearly every Friday at noon at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Interested? Send us an email through our website on the: CONTACT TAB: hilorotary.org.
 
SOCIAL SQUAD MEETING
Can’t make those Friday noon meetings? Join us through our “Social Squad”, an after hours branch of our club where people can gather to discuss community minded events and projects. See you on Sept. 18 at 5:30pm at the Hilo Yacht Club!
 
JOIN OUR CLUB IN HELPING
OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES!
We carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and support the efforts of other community organizations and non-profits. Together we make a difference right here in East Hawaii.
 
LABORING:
• BAY FRONT CLEAN UP
• BEACH CLEAN UP
• PAINTING
• PARK CLEAN UP
 
SERVING:
• THANKSGIVING DINNERS
• FOOD PREPARATIONS
• SENIOR LUNCHEON
 
SUPPORTING:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
• YWCA WALK A MILE
• HEART WALK
• ALZHEIMER’S WALK
• SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGING
 
MENTORING:
• HIGH SCHOOL INTERACT CLUBS
• ANNUAL ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
• READING TO KINDERGARTNERS
 
SUPPLYING:
• BACKPACKS FOR KEIKI
• RICE FOR FOOD BASKET
• “GLAM BAGS” FOR HOMELESS WOMEN
• BOOKS FOR KINDERGARTNERS
• DICTIONARIES FOR 3RD GRADERS
 
SUSTAINING:
Our Two Major Hilo Brewfest Recipients:
 
• HILO MEDICAL FOUNDATION’S RESIDENCY PROGRAM
(Training new doctors and encouraging them to stay here on Hawaii Island)
• FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN’S JUSTICE CENTER OF EAST HAWAII
(Enhancing the lives of abused children in East Hawaii)
 
 

We don’t just meet to learn (and eat, and have fun),
we work to help  our local communities.
Where would you like to fit into this picture?
 
THE ROTARY CLUB OF HILO ... BUSY IN JULY!
It's a new Rotary Year, with a new President, a new Board of Directors,
and a renewed enthusiasm for helping communities locally and around the Pacific.
 
NEW MEMBER ~ AMOS MEYERS
Would you like to become a member of our club? Do you like helping people? How about meeting and forming friendships with people in our community? And don’t forget about learning about lots of things... like upcoming projects and concerns.  Talk to one of our members or visit us on Fridays at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.
 
EAST HAWAII CLUBS MEET
July 30 ~ Rotary Clubs of East Hawaii Meet
Rotary members from all East Hawaii Clubs listen to Del Green, one of our Past District Governors,  talk about changes and innovations from the 2019 Rotary International Council on Legislation. Del was also able to give us “sneak peeks” at the 2020 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION that will be held in Honolulu next June! Rotarians from around the world will be meeting and enjoying our Aloha Hospitality... “No Ka Oi!”
 
THE ROTARY CLUB OF HILO IS INVOLVED IN PROJECTS AROUND THE PACIFIC

1 - INDIA
We join forces with the Wailea-Kihei Club and RotaryInternational to support Health Camps in India that will provide much needed and critical eye surgeries!
 

2 - NEPAL
Our contributions went for a Sustainable Water project and to continue the development of “Tele-Medicine” that puts local doctors in touch with health care professionals... all by video conferencing!
 

3 - THAILAND
Could a dialysis machine make a huge difference for a person living in Thailand? How about several dialysis machines and the needed support equipment? Yes to both questions
 

4 - PHILIPPINES
Establishing a Tele-Medicine Center in Zamboanga City will bring world class heath training and equipment to this
severely under-served area of the Philippines!
 

5 - BALI
A very high percentage of Bali people suffer from having a leg amputated. Joining in with the Rotary Club of Volcano, our club is raising funds to purchase prosthetic limbs for Bali people.
 
6 - FIJI
For over 17 years our club has been assisting with projects in Fiji. Helping to build a school for Special
Education pupils has been enhanced by working to provide simple water filtration systems to local families.
 

7 - BOLIVIA
Education is one of Rotary International’s Central Projects. Providing school supplies and other needed materials helps to develop Bolivian children. We’re happy to help!
 
And... of course! Rotary International's Project to END POLIO WORLD WIDE!
Brewfest Success
Success!
We did it! Such an amazing crowd. People coming together, enjoying a beautiful day, with delicious brews, fantastic food and jamming to great music. New friends were made and old ones were found. I’m just so pleased with how polite and caring everyone was. The power of good times always comes through!  Thank you to the organizing committee, volunteers, vendors, security and most of all THANK YOU all for coming to Hilo Brewfest 2019!
End of a Great Year... The Beginning of a New One!
OUT AND ABOUT IN JUNE
June 1-5 ~ Convention in Hamburg, Germany
Each year, Rotary world wide holds an International Convention... this year was in Hamburg, Germany. Our club’s past President and current Assistant District Governor, Randy Hart represented our club... and probably drank some great German beer!
 
 
June 8 ~ Picnic at Reed’s Bay
Our final get-together was on a sunny Saturday and featured pot-luck offerings, good fun and some great grinds! Club members and guests enjoyed a leasurely day of fellowship and food.
 
June 29 ~ Hilo Brewfest at the Wainaku Executive Center
It takes a lot of people to put together a massive event... nearly 200 volunteers to “host” over  
1200 attendees!  Good Job, Everyone!
 
 
 One Rotary Year ends... and another begins!
June 12 ~ Installation Dinner
Rotary’s calendar year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. Our annual June Installation Dinner is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize our achievements and activities and to welcome our new President and her board of directors. Emcee Newton Chu welcomes Anna Liu, our new President, and congratulates Keith Okamoto, our immediate past president, on a terrific year.
 
Welcome board members and officers for our new 2019-2020 Rotary year!
 
 
 
MAY DOINGS WITH THE CLUB
 
 
New Members!
Charlotte Kekela Yamanaka ~ Enterprises, Inc
 
Laura Kniffin ~ Associa Hawaii
 
And Bringing along the Next Generation!
 
INTERACT at WAIAKEA HIGH SCHOOL ~ 2019-2020
 
Interact Clubs which develop young people for leadership roles are based on the same principles of Rotary. Our club sponsors two Interact Clubs, one at Waiakea High School and a second at Laupahoehoe High. Pictured above are some of the Waiakea club’s new officers for the next school year. (l-r) VP Evan Hill, President Kala Van Veen, and Secretary Ginger Pettijohn. Missing from the photo are Keala Doran and Carina Shintaku.
 
May 31 ~ $5000 Scholarship Awarded to Saesha Hanselman
Each year, our club (in addition to other Rotary Clubs) awards a $5000 Scholarship to a graduating High School senior. This year, Saesha Hanselman (shown here between Mitchell Dodo, club Scholalrship Chair and Keith Okamoto, President) plans to attend UH- Hilo with a major in Business Administration.
 
OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE CLUB
 
May 4 ~ Friends of the CJCEH Gala
Great food and great company, celebrating the good works of the Friends who help children of abuse.
 
May 11 ~ RICE RALLY at KTA
Club members join other Hilo area Rotarians to collect bags of Rice for the Food Basket. Thanks to all the hard work and donations, over 450 fifteen pound bags of rice were collected!
 
May 17-20 ~ Hawaii District Conference
Awards and recognition for all the Rotary Clubs in the state! And a welcome to the new incoming Presidents for the 2019-2020 year.
 

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 of America
VenueMap
Venue Map
 
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Interested in being a sponsor?
Download the website sponsorship guide
 
Upcoming Events
 
Meeting Responsibilities
September 20, 2019
Reporter
Munro, Susan
 
Photographer
Handy, Jr., Steve
 
Greeter
Tajiri, Helene
 
Greeter
Phillips, Genie
 
September 27, 2019
Reporter
Cheney, Jim
 
Photographer
Hanley, Bob
 
Greeter
Heikes, Beverly
 
Greeter
Kitagawa, Ian
 
October 4, 2019
Reporter
Tanouye, Jen
 
Photographer
Breyfogle, Treena
 
Greeter
Ichinose, Connie
 
Greeter
Terada, Patty
 
October 17, 2019
Reporter
Tanouye, Jen
 
Photographer
Dugar, Bobby
 
Greeter
Cheney, Jim
 
Greeter
Dugar, Bobby
 
October 25, 2019
Reporter
Chu, The Don
 
Photographer
Anderson, Eric
 
Greeter
Phillips, Genie
 
Greeter
Cabral, Nancy
 
November 1, 2019
Reporter
Okimoto, Shane
 
Photographer
Meyers, Charlene
 
Greeter
Heikes, Beverly
 
Greeter
Chun, Malcolm
 
November 22, 2019
Reporter
Osborne, Katie
 
Photographer
Dugar, Bobby
 
Greeter
Tajiri, Helene
 
Greeter
Phillips, Genie
 
December 6, 2019
Reporter
Poirier, Maureen
 
Photographer
Glass, Kerry
 
December 11, 2019
Reporter PENDING
 
Photographer
Hanley, Bob
 
December 13, 2019
Reporter
Munro, Susan
 
Photographer
Handy, Jr., Steve
 
 
Speakers
Carla Kuo - University of Hawaii Foundation
Sep 20, 2019
Rotary Scholarships
Dr. Michelle Mitchell
Sep 27, 2019
Hawaii Doctor Shortage
Mala Landt
Oct 04, 2019
Gentle Birth Heals - Compassionate Maternity
View entire list...
 
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