NA HOALOHA Caring for Maui s Kupuna

Transcription

1 NA HOALOHA Caring for Maui s Kupuna Board of Directors Joyce Afalla, President Kathy Deknis, Vice President Dan Deknis, Treasurer May Fujiwara, Director Na Hoaloha Returns to its Roots Monnie Gay, Director Judy Guajardo, Director Paula Keele, Director Sarah Shim, Director Cornelia Soberano, Director We would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere appreciation to Blue Hawaiian Helicopters and Trilogy Expeditions for their recent donations of tickets in support of Na Hoaloha s mission. Na Hoaloha began serving Maui s Kupuna 19 years ago. The original name as it continues to be today is Na Hoaloha-Maui Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers. Since its inception, hundreds of volunteers have served thousands of seniors and persons with disabilities on Maui. The original logo of taro Kalo is central to the Hawaiian creation story the taro nourishes and sustains life. This year, we are expanding our services to the islands of Lanai and Molokai. The three Kalo leaves in the logo represent our commitment to serve all of Maui County. Na Hoaloha will continue its deeply rooted mission, and with your dedication, we will nourish our Kupuna and sustain independence. Candice Thank You!

2 WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS Na Hoaloha recently welcomed two new members to its Board of Directors. Judy Guajardo has been a volunteer with Na Hoaloha since October of She has provided friendly visits and transportation primarily in the Kihei area. Judy recently joined the Staff in the office as an administrative volunteer. She is dedicated to promoting and assisting Na Hoaloha in serving the kupuna of Maui County. May Fujiwara has been a leader in community service for many years; serving on the Board of Directors of MEO, as well as a recipient of the MEO 2014 Volunteer Hero Award and the MEO 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award. She currently resides in Lahaina and is President of the Lahaina-Honolua Senior Citizens Club. During the recent tropical storms, we received numerous phone calls from clients in a panic to get out for emergency supplies. Maui County offers a Plan to be Ready! program free of charge to all residents; with additional resources for people with special health needs or disabilities. They also host a website to promote emergency preparedness at: We encourage you to visit the website and establish your own emergency plan; as well as encouraging your clients and their family members to do the same. In addition, the Hawaii State Department of Health ( offers tips on How to Make An Emergency Kit. It simply isn t possible for our tiny agency to provide volunteer assistance at the time of an emergency. The time to start planning is now! Plan To Be Ready! A BIG MAHALO to KD who has dedicated many hours helping in the office as an intern. We will miss his warmth, kindness and humor in the office. We are fortunate KD continues as a committed volunteer! A hui hou!

3 We wish to extend a HUGE thank-you to volunteer Robert Douglas for his donation of matching funds to our Whole Foods Fundraising Event. Bob s generosity enabled us to almost double the amount of funds raised. We also want to send a Mahalo to the entire Whole Foods team, the shoppers, and our Board Members and Volunteers who manned the tables outside the store greeting shoppers and thanking them for supporting our organization. Whole Foods Store Team Leader, Mark Martinez said It was a tremendously rewarding day for our team to be able to contribute to the volunteers and clients of Na Hoaloha. Na Hoaloha is a community gem and the people they serve are very special. We look forward to a continued partnership with Whole Foods. The one-day event in June raised over $6,700!!! FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY AT THE 2014 MAUI COUNTY FAIR! Na Hoaloha volunteer teams will be working with L & L Hawaiian BBQ at a food booth during the Maui County Fair October 2-5th. Na Hoaloha will receive a percentage of all proceeds. We are seeking volunteers to distribute food in shifts throughout the weekend. No prior training or experience is necessary. Join us in serving ono grinds and informing the community about our organization and the rewards of volunteering. Please call the office to volunteer for a shift MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

4 IN THE NEWS Na Hoaloha Celebrates King Kamehameha Day! A group of volunteers represented Na Hoaloha during the King Kamehameha Day Parade in Lahaina on June 13th. The event was a wonderful opportunity to promote community awareness of our organization; as well as extend an invitation to volunteer. Spectators and Parade Officials gave us a warm welcome. We plan to participate annually and look to build the team. Ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. It means belonging to a community, be that family, friends or colleagues and taking care of each other. But one cannot belong to ohana without also accepting kuleana which means responsibility. If we want to truly belong we must accept the responsibility that goes with it. The responsibility not just for ourselves to work for the good of the whole community, but also to care for each other s well-being and the well-being of the places in which we find ourselves; to nurture and guide the young or inexperienced, to be good role models, to teach them good lessons and keep them on the right path. It s a powerful message for our modern world.

5 VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others. We recently welcomed additional volunteers to our Na Hoaloha ohana. We continue to recruit volunteers in order to meet the ever growing need for services. If you know of anyone who may be interested in volunteering with us, please have them call the office and speak to our Staff. I wanted to do something outside myself and be of value to someone else. "How wonderful it is that nobody need waste a single moment before starting to improve the world." At this time of year we often reflect on our blessings and the abundance we have in our lives for which we are grateful. At Na Hoaloha we are grateful that you have chosen to give your time and heartfelt attention to the Kupuna on Maui. You are making a difference in the lives of many and in our community. Mahalo!

6 Na Hoaloha - MIVC P.O. Box 3208 Wailuku, HI Our programs are supported in part by a grant from the Maui County Office on Aging and the State Executive Office on Aging, using Title B Older American Act funds; as well as the Hawaii Community Foundation, other grantors, fundraising, and generous donations.