Upcoming projects 2017-2018
- October 7: Waikiki Community Center’s Annual Wellness Fair POC: Clyde Min and Lisa Ahmed
- October 4: Waikiki Rotary Reads to Keiki: Monthly reading to Waikiki Elementary School "K" classrooms. 10 - 10:30 (be there by 9:45 am - check in w/ the office) A-1 Bob Tellander, A-2 Carol Riley, A-3 Lisa Ahmed, A-4 Cindy Lewellen Tagavilla POC: Sylvia Makk sylvia@makkart.com
- November 1: Waikiki Rotary Reads to Keiki: Monthly reading to Waikiki Elementary School "K" classrooms. 10 - 10:30 (be there by 9:45 am - check in w/ the office), A-1 Bob Tellander, A-2 Carol Riley, A-3 Gale Warshawsky, A-4 Patti Mitchell POC: Sylvia Makk sylvia@makkart.com
- November 22: Thanksgiving lunch with Seniors: Pacific Beach POC: Kathryn Henski
- November 23: Thanksgiving Day Service: POC: Kathryn Henski
- Dictionary Project-3rd Grade: Dates Pending Schools: Kapalama, Waikiki Elementary School, Lanakila, Likelike, Kalihi Kai, Kalihi Waena,Puuhale Elementary School, Kuhio Elementary School, Waldorf and Navy Keiki School POC: Ron Sauder Email: ronlsauder@gmail.com
- Books 4 Kids-Various Schools: Dates Pending POC: Mela Kealoha Lindsey
- Rotary Gives Thanks: Date Pending POC: Kathryn Henski
- Clothes 4 Kids: Date Pending POC: Kathryn Henski
- Toys and Books 4 Tots: Date Pending POC: Kathryn Henski
- Shoe Boxes for Seniors: Christmas Date Pending POC: Kathryn Henski
- Keiki Vision: Date Pending, Schools pending POC: Kathryn Henski
CLICK HERE TO VIEW CALENDAR OF EVENTS
COMPLETED PROJECTS 2016-2017-2018
Fisher House 8K Hero & Remembrance Run, Walk or Roll 2017
September 9, 2017
Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island. This event was created to raise awareness about the mission of the Fisher House here in Hawaii. We are here to provide comfort homes to our Service Members and their Families during a medical crisis. This is our 6th year honoring our Fallen Service Members by creating an event that would bring back the names and faces of all Service Members who lost their lives in combat since 9/11. POC: Patti Mitchell
Waikiki Readers - Waikiki Elementary School
September 6, 2017
Thank you to our Rotary Club volunteers A-1 Bob Tellander, A-2 Carol Riley, A-3 Clyde Min, A-4 Cindy Lewellen Tagavilla. Your enthusiasm in reading to keiki in kindergarten took flight to new heights and adventures.
Reading books aloud to children stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world. It helps them develop language and listening skills and prepares them to understand the written word. ... Even after children learn to read by themselves, it's still important for you to read aloud together.
Service to the Marco Polo residents
August 12, 2017
Rotarians from the RC of Waikiki along with other Rotarians from D5000 provided a fun day of food, games and fellowship with the Marco Polo residents after their devastating fire on July 14, 2017.
School supplies delivered!
August 3, 2017
Get Set, Get Ready, it's time for School and School Supplies!!! The Rotary Club of Waikiki with the generous support and donations from Wal-Mart Shoppers and Special Angels we were able to deliver Backpacks and assorted School Supplies to (8) Various Schools on Oahu: Waikiki, Kuhio, Kapalama, Likelike, Lanakila, Kalihi Kai, Kalihi Waena, Puuhale and to the Surfrider Spirits Foundation for their spirit sessions. Thank you all for your help and special Mahalo to our Chair Kathryn Henski.
School Supply Drive @ Wal-Mart
July 22, 2017
SUCCESS!!! What a GREAT day to have a School Supply Drive to help Children in Need for a better Education. The Rotary Club of Waikiki was in full force at Wal-Mart Keeaumoku to help collect school supplies for children in need. We want to sincerely thank the Amazing GENEROUS Wal-Mart Shoppers who made this project a HUGE success. We have never seen so many contribute from their hearts to give to this wonderful project. We also have to Thank our WONDERFUL Volunteers, without our volunteers and our Energetic project chair Kathryn Henski we could not have accomplished this extraordinary task. We collected 3 SUV full of supplies and over $1300.00 in cash. School Supplies will be given to Homeless Shelters, YO House and Title 1 School on Oahu.
2016-2017 Global grants
Waikiki will be doing three global grants at $1,000 each — our $1,000 in club funds becomes $3,500 in the matching program!
1 - GG # 1744876 RC of Honolulu Sunrise Kidney Dialysis in Thailand (Pending)
2 - GG # 1642410 RC of Ala Moana saving lives of newborns in Thailand (Approved)
3 - School for the Deaf and Blind in Lebanon (Approved)
RC of Waikiki presents a College Scholarship
June 7, 2017
President Joseph Gedeon on behalf of the Rotary Club of Waikiki presented Kacey Wong, our scholarship recipient with a check for $1000. Kacey is a senior at Sacred Heart Academy and will be going to the University of Portland.
Kacey Wong, Sacred Hearts Academy, A fierce competitor on the soccer field, Kacey sustained a series of concussions that eventually sidelined her. Though the injury affected her ability to walk, do school work, and play contact sports, she was able to transfer her passion to another field—helping others. Initially a patient at Fysiotherapie Hawaii, Kacey began volunteering to help those in situations similar to hers while remaining close to her athletic interests. Kacey credits her mother with teaching her the importance of perseverance and never giving up on her dreams. This fall, she’ll follow those dreams and enroll at Concordia University-Portland to study biology with a premedicine track.
Family Literacy Night - Waikiki Community Center Preschool
May 12, 2017
Rotary Club of Waikiki Volunteers were Gale Warshawsky, Nora Chen and PE Steve Koyama each reading to the students at Waikiki Community Center Preschool for Family Literacy Night 2017. The students and their parents enjoyed a fruit snack to begin this activity. Then Gale sang with the students and then read a book (whole group activity). Then they split into 3 reading groups. Steve, Nora, and Gale each read to small groups of students and their parents at this school. The Literacy Night ended with students taking turns selecting a new book to take home with them. All from the Rotary Club of Waikiki. This was our 7th year to do this activity at this school.
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Books 4 KIDS-Kapalama Elementary School
May 9, 2017
Always a GREAT Day when you can give books to KIDS! The Rotary Club of Waikiki gave over 600 students a book to take home and keep. This is a Signature Project of Waikiki Rotary with over 4,000 books donated during this school year alone to various schools throughout Oahu. Thank you!
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Waikiki Reads to Waikiki Elementary
May 3, 2017
Rotary Club of Waikiki Volunteers read to Kindergarten students today at Waikiki Elementary School as a school year long project.
Thank you!
Aung Myay Thukha Monastic School in Yangon, Myanmar - Toilets, septic tank and hand washing stations for students
April-May 2017
Construction of the new toilet block and hand washing stations has started at Aung Myay Thukha monastic school in Yangon. Students are obviously excited and helping. We are all excited and proud that we are making a positive impact at the school. The work has started to build 10 new toilets, replacing the entire septic system and providing 1-2 hand washing stations, and trough/basin with 3 or 4 spigots! Amazing! Mahalo to our club team members: Adrienne King and Stephen Morgan!
Books 4 Kids- April is the month of the Military Child @ Navy Hale Keiki School
April 26, 2017
The Rotary Club of Waikiki donated over 200 books to the students at Navy Hale Keiki School in honor of our military children in Hawaii. Military children are remarkable examples of resilience, strength and flexibility. They pack up their books and clothes and say goodbye to friends every couple of years. They help manage the home front while a parent is deployed. They exercise courage at school, at home and in the wider military community. April marks the national observance of the Month of the Military Child, when the Department of Defense and service members across the country honor military children and youth for their sacrifice in supporting their families and their country. During this month, we celebrate their fortitude and generosity, remembering their important place in the military community. POC: Gloria King email: glory.king@aol.com
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March for Babies-RC of Waikiki Water Station-Rotarians at Work at Diamond Head
April 22, 2017
The Rotary Club of Waikiki sponsored a water station with the help of Menehune Water company at the Diamond Head Lookout today. Why do we support the Walk for Babies? Because every baby deserves a fighting chance.
The money raised today is a lifeline for babies in the NICU, connecting them with the critical treatments and care they need. Our community helps moms at every stage, from preconception to annual family walk day. The research you fund will help every mom and every baby for generations to come.
Rotary Readers at Waikiki Elementary School
April 5, 2017
Rotary Club of Waikiki reads to the Kindergarten classes at Waikiki Elementary monthly. Reading and writing is the Key to Success in school and beyond and it's always great fun reading to the students in kindergarten. They are like little sponges and they will learn so quickly whatever they are taught. Read early and read often. The early years are critical to developing a lifelong love of reading. It's never too early to begin reading to your child! POC: Sylvia Makk Email: sylvia@makkart.com
Books 4 Kids-Kuhio Elementary School
March 31, 2017
The Rotary Club of Waikiki distributed over 300 books to the students at Kuhio Elementary School on Friday March 31. Putting books in the hands of kids who really them is the goal of the Rotary Club of Waikiki. Our volunteers unpacked and sorted over 600 books by age groups in the cafeteria. The students were able to select the perfect book that they wanted to take home, read and share. The Rotary Club of Waikiki believes very strongly that literacy and reading is one of the most important elements in a child's growth and instilling the love of reading at a young age will make more kids better readers and increase test scores and their outlook will be more successful. We would like to thank First Book for their generous support of providing these books at a reasonable cost to us so we can deliver to those kids that are in need in Hawaii. Also thank you to our many volunteers for your support and dedication on making this project a great success! Mahalo.
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Waikiki Rotary Presents Books At Fisher House
March 24, 2017
Rotarian Patti Mitchell delivered books to Fisher House and shared the gift of reading to Fisher House residents from Japan. This military family is in Hawaii to get medical treatment for their baby boy. He and his big sister love their books! Patti volunteers at Fisher House every Tuesday to help give assistance and support to families while they are here for medical help. Thank you Patti!
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Books 4 Kids-Likelike Elementary School
March 17, 2017
Always a great day when we can give books to children. Nearly 500 books were donated to the students at Likelike Elementary school on Friday, March 17. The Rotary Club of Waikiki are strong supporters of literacy programs and giving the Gift of Reading through new books is just one of many projects that we share in our community. Thank you to our faithful volunteers on helping on this great project.
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Dictionary Project-Navy Hale Keiki School
March 13, 2017
Rotarian Patti Mitchell presented dictionaries to the third graders at Navy Hale Keiki School. Everyone enjoyed their dictionaries and will use them daily.
The Dictionary Project-Report
Various dates
Rotary Readers-Waikiki Elementary School
March 1, 2017
Always a great day to share a story to students. Monthly Waikiki Rotarians reads to Kindergarten students at Waikiki Elementary School. Thank you to our wonderful readers.
Celebrating Dr Seuss's 113th Birthday-Various Schools
February 29-March 4, 2017
Waikiki Rotary members participated in reading to first graders in nineteen elementary school classrooms in and around the Honolulu area. In honor of Dr. Seuss' 113 birthday and in partnership with Rotary d5000 and the Department of Education, Governor and Mrs. Ige.
Thank you to our volunteers: Nora Chin, Joe Gedeon, Rhodora Pagay, Fay Zusada, Kathern Henski, Ron Sauder, Phil Sammer, Cindy Leuellen Tagarilla Gene Grounds and Patti Mitchell participated. Our newest members to be, Marilyn Liben and Lisa Ahmed volunteered as well. Katheryn Henski’s daughter, Robin and Cindy Leuellen Tagarilla’s daughter, Laneika were on board in the fun. POC: Patti Mitchell
The students and staff alike were very appreciative and welcoming. We were greeted with leis and lots of smiles and enthusiasm.
We look forward to joining in the celebration in 2018.
Schools: Kapalama ES, Likelike ES, Kuhio ES, Lanakila ES, Waldorf, Kalihi Kai ES
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Annual Rotary Club of Waikiki Garage Sale
February 25, 2017
The Annual Rotary Club of Waikiki Garage sale was a SUCCESS!!!! All proceeds to benefit Waikiki Elementary and they are $2,000.00 Richer! Thank you to all of our Volunteers and Donors. Mahalo Nui Loa Waikiki Rotary
District Global Grant-Rotary Serving Humanity!
February 8-24, 2017
District 5000 and the Rotary Club of Waikiki funded two educational/ literacy trips with partners in Taiwan and in Myanmar. The trip was a hands-on service, a few days in each country. Direct and immediate positive impact on people in the communities. Waikiki Rotary Participants: Adrienne King, Stephen Morgan and Flora Lu.
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Rotary Readers at Waikiki Elementary School
February 1, 2017
Waikiki Rotarians read to the kindergarten classes at Waikiki Elementary school today. Thank you to our volunteers.
Dictionary Project
February 2017
Dictionaries were presented to all third grade students at Puuhale Elementary School on February 1, Kuhio Elementary School on February 8 and Kalihi Waena Elementary Scool on February 15, 2017, POC: Ron Sauder email: ronlsauder@gmail.com
Toys & Books 4 Tots
December 21, 2016
Rotarians, Family and Friends joined together for our last meeting of the year 2016. Lots of Fun, Good Cheer and Generosity in support of the Annual Toys (and Books) for Tots drive by the Marine Corps. Over 500 toys and books were donated in the spirit of Christmas and over $560.00 Cash all for the Toys for Tots Program! Just Amazing!!! Thank you Waikiki Rotarians, Family and Friends for your enormous generosity for children in need this Holiday Season!
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Dictionary Project-Kalihi Kai Elementary
December 14, 2016
Dictionaries delivered to over 100 students at Kalihi Kai Elementary!
Angel Tree Christmas-First Step Kakaako Homeless Shelter
December 9, 2016
Rotarian Richard Fikani spearheaded the Angel Tree Project at the Next Step Shelter. Santa Claus (Richard and his elfs) provided the children presents. Dinner was served to 250 residents. Later all enjoyed a Christmas movie. Volunteers served food, bought presents and donated money. The community event is a partnership of community and faith based organizations that work together to provide a memorable event for the children and families of the Next Step Shelter. The event is named Angel Tree Christmas at the Next Step Shelter.
Richard Fikane and Community Service Chair Stephen loaded Richard's car with New hard-covered books for the children at First Step-Kakaako Homeless Shelter.
Dictionary Project-Waldorf School
December 7, 2016
Dictionaries delivered
Stream Cleaning and Planting-Kahalu'u Stream Remediation Project
November 5, 2017 through December 2, 2016
Rotarian Jay Ogden spearheaded the Kahalu’u Stream Remediation Project over the next five Saturdays (5 Nov.-2 Dec.). The project largely volunteer based consisted of clearing the stream land from invasive plants and getting it ready for tapioca planting. Crops will be shared among the needy and open the stream to fish & water foul.
Dictionary Project-Waikiki Elementary School
November 30, 2016
Rotarians Ron, Carol, Nora, Steve and Stephen presented dictionaries to the 3rd grade students today at Waikiki Elementary School. Over 100 students met in the cafeteria and learned how to use a dictionary and where to find the most interesting facts about the world we live in. Great JOB! Great Project!
Salvation Army-Thanksgiving Day 2016
November 24, 2016
The Rotary Club of Waikiki Rotarians and Family helped at the Salvation Army's Annual Thanksgiving lunch for the homeless and those in need. It was a great opportunity to help place a Thanksgiving meal in front of the special guests. 2,000 homeless were fed today in the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. Many were elderly, many were there with their children, many looked like you and me. Be grateful and thankful for all you have, including your Thanksgiving dinner that we all take for granted. Enjoy and God bless.
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Keiki Vision & Books 4 Kids- Boys & Girls club-Ewa
October 29, 2016
The Rotary Club of Waikiki participated at the West Oahu Family Fun Day at the Boys and Girls Club in Ewa. We were there to Provide Keiki Vision Screening to all kids who attended. And Books were given to the kids after their screening. It was a fun day for the whole family!
Rotary’s Connecting for Good Tour is a goodwill road trip starting October 29, 2016 in Honolulu, Hawaii and ending November 11, 2016 in Santa Barbara, California! This tour will feature a team of Rotarains and Rotaractors touring from city to city in an RV. In each city, Rotarians with other community service organizations will host a community service project to showcase the great work that Rotary does in the community. This is the largest goodwill tour on the West Coast of the US, and it will travel through 6 states and 14 cities. In each city, Rotarians with other community service organizations will host a community service project to showcase the great work that Rotary does in the community. The finale of the tour will be on November 11 in Santa Barbara at our Rotary Zone Institute in collaboration with 4 Boys and Girls Clubs. To get more information about the event, check out the website at zone2526.org/tour. We hope you will follow us on the tour, and if the tour stops in your city, come out and see us!
Great Pumpkin Patch @ Holy Nativity School
October 19, 2016
Holy Nativity School hosted The Great Pumpkin Festival, to celebrate the coming of Halloween on Saturday, October 19th from 11am to 4pm on the grounds of Holy Nativity School.
The event featured the largest pumpkin 'patch' in East Honolulu with over 2,000 pumpkins in various sizes, locally grown by Aloun Farms. The festival had a Keiki Fun Zone, arts and crafts, activities and games, as well as a Country Store with 25 vendors selling products just in time for the holidays. There was food and beverage booths, costume contest for kids, corn husking, pumpkin carving and live entertainment. And the Rotary Club of Waikiki President, Joseph Gedeon and Community Service Director, Stephen Morgan were there to help with the pumpkins.
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Project C.L.E.A.N. Partnership with HPD & Waikiki Rotary
October 15, 2016
The Honolulu Police Department District 6’s Community Policing Team in partnership with Going Green and the Waikiki Rotary Club will be participating in a Project C.L.E.A.N. event on Saturday, October 15.2016. Going Green will be collecting recyclable waste, such as computer related items, printer cartridges, old propane tanks, cellular telephones, and all types of batteries, will be accepted for disposal. In addition, the collaborative partnership is accepting donations of canned goods, pet food, eye glasses, hearing aids and gently worn clothes. The Officers with also be partnering with the Waikiki Rotary Club to paint over graffiti within the restroom of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor.
The event will be held at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor located at 1651 Ala Moana Blvd from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM. This event is open to the community.
Children & Youth Day
October 2, 2016
Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Waikiki participated at the 23rd Annual Event of Children & Youth Day on Sunday October 2, 2016. WRC managed the Information Booth from 10:00am-3:00pm! It was a great FUN day to recognize the potential and special gifts of our keiki (children) and ‘opio (youth). It is a time for them to shine and share their bountiful energy with their community.
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Books 4 Kids - Waikiki Elementary School
September 23, 2016
Another GREAT day sharing the Gift of Reading!
Over 600 students at Waikiki Elementary school received a book today at Waikiki Elementary School. The students were able to browse over a 1000 books and make a selection of the one book they wanted to keep and take home. Thank you to our many volunteers from the Rotary Club of Waikiki and 3 students from Mid Pacific International College for coming early to set up all the books in the cafeteria and stay and help the students with their selections. The Rotary Club of Waikiki are strong supporters of literacy projects and this particular signature project is just one of the many projects we do in our community and the world. Rotary No Ka Oi!
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Books 4 Kids - Jefferson Elementary School
September 16, 2016
It's always a GREAT day when we can share the Gift of READING! Today the Rotary Club of Waikiki and our many volunteers including students from the Mid Pacific International College set up over a thousand books for the students of Jefferson Elementary school to browse and select a book for them to call their very own.
Literacy is important for today’s learners, it promotes problem solving approaches and thinking skills – asking questions and seeking answers, finding information, forming opinions, evaluating sources and making decisions fostering successful learners, effective contributors, confident individuals and responsible citizens. The Rotary Club of Waikiki are strong supporters of literacy in our community. Mahalo!
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Thank you letter from Jefferson School:
On behalf of Jefferson Elementary School I would like to say thank you to the Rotary Club of Waikiki for your generous donation of over 400 books to our students. We were amazed at how organized and efficient your TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) was. The look on the faces of our students when they found a book was truly priceless. Thank you for making a positive difference in the lives of our students. Both you and the Rotary Club of Waikiki are appreciated!
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Garret Zakahi, President
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Principal
Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much - Helen Keller
Books 4 Newborn Babies-Tripler Hospital
September 12, 2016
Boxes of Sesame Street board books were delivered today to Tripler Medical Center for all newborn babies. The prefect board book with bright pictures and a great collection of rhymes that can be played with babies. Pat-a-Cake, This Little Piggy, My Hands upon My Head, and other baby games with Elmo and his Baby friends. Thank you to the Rotary Club of Waikiki for another great project encouraging reading at a young age.
School supplies & backpacks delivered
August 2016
School Supplies and over 190 filled backpacks were delivered the first week of August to various public schools (Likelike, Lanakila, Lanakila headstart, Kapalama, Kapalama headstart, Kuhio, Kuhio headstart and Waikiki Elementary Schools) and agencies serving those in need (Next Step Shelter-Kakaako, IHS & YO House).
It all started at Walmart-Keeaumoku where generous Walmart shoppers donated enough school supplies to fill 3 SUVs to full capacity and a collection of over $2,000.00 which was used to purchase backpacks and other supplies.
The next step was to sort and fill the backpacks at the King's house with a packing party to fill more than 190 packs.
Whew! with that task over President Joe Gedeon, Community Service Director Stephen Morgan, PDG Roy King and PP Gloria King set out to deliver the much needed school supplies and backpacks to children in need.
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Thank you Waikiki Rotarians for your time and energy in making a difference in the lives of children in Hawaii! Another SUCCESS!
Waikiki Rotary-Thai Hemodialysis Machine Global Grant
Thank you to the RC Waikiki for participating in the Thai Global Grant (GG1635519) for the 2015-2016 cycle. Your club's help made it happen.
The following equipment was installed in rural hospitals in North-East Thailand, bringing life saving equipment closer to where patients live:
- 7 hemodialysis machines
- 2 vital sign monitors
- 2 cardiac defibrillators, and
- 1 ultrasound/fetal monitor.
I could visit some hospitals and see for myself that the machines were put to good use, and that staff and community education was in place.
Would you please consider to participate again this coming year? The need for more machines in more provincial hospitals is overwhelming. For example, each year in Thailand 10,000 new patients reach end stage kidney disease and need hemodialysis to survive; therefore, treatment capacity remains tenuous.
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School Supply Drive @ WalMart Keeaumoku
July 30, 2016
What a Successful day for the Keiki in Hawaii!!! Waikiki Rotarians and the Boy Scouts of America arrived with one main goal in mind. Collect school supplies for Keiki in need today at the WalMart store Keeaumoku. It's just amazing the generosity of the shoppers today. We were able to collect enough school supplies to fill to capacity 3 SUVs and collected over $2,000.00 in cash (From donations from Wal-Mart Shoppers, A very special angel who gave a donation of $500.00 and from our own club members). MAHALO to our generous Walmart shoppers and donors and to Waikiki Rotarians and the Boys Scouts Troop #33. School Supplies will be donated to various Schools and Homeless Shelters on Oahu. A generous donor wrote a check for $500.00 for our school supply drive. We were able to purchased over 190 Backpacks. Thank you! Community Service Chair Stephen Morgan said "We are proud to provide the tools to succeed in school for students from low income and for those in need". The next step is to pack up and deliver to schools and homeless shelters!
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A message from Hawaii Literacy-Cooling the Bookmobile
Cooling the Bookmobile Hawaii Literacy’s Bookmobile operates on the Leeward Coast of Oahu, traveling every week to 14 sites including homeless shelters and public housing. The Bookmobile offers children and adults free access to high quality books, e-readers, and homework and reading help to support the development of literacy skills and future educational success in some of the most disadvantaged communities in our State. In 2015, the Bookmobile also began a successful Peer Tutoring Program, training older children to teach younger children how to read. The Bookmobile is a popular and heavily utilized program, with dozens of children visiting each site every day.
However, last summer, during the months of record-setting temperatures, it became very evident that there was an enormous need for more efficient and safe methods of cooling the interior and immediate exterior of the Bookmobile. The AC could not keep the interior cool with so many children and adults coming in and out, and at the 6 sites without electricity, the AC in the driver’s area was not even an option. Like any car, the inside temperature can rapidly exceed the outside temperature, but despite the unbearable heat, children continued to come to get books and read.
And now, thanks to Thomas Hall and the Rotary Club of Waikiki, the children, families, and staff that utilize the Bookmobile can enjoy the breeze provided by two new solar-powered fans! Rotary Club members Thomas, Jay, Joe, and Steve modernized the Bookmobile by installing solar panels on the top and creating wiring and electrical systems that provide power even when off-grid. Now, the Bookmobile can continue to be a safe and cool space no matter where it travels. By refitting the Bookmobile to access renewable solar energy, Thomas, the Rotary Club, and the incredible Rotary volunteers have indelibly changed the way the Bookmobile operates and the experience of anyone who steps aboard. We are profoundly grateful for the technical, financial, and other support that was provided, and could not have finished this project without you! Mahalo for making such an impact!
Solar panel installation on family literacy bookmobile
July 1, 2016
Rotarian Thomas Hall attended the D5000 District Assembly on April 23, 2016 at Momilani elementary school along with several other members of Waikiki Rotary. This was Thomas' first district assembly and he eagerly participated in all sessions and to hear what all the presenters shared. He was really interested to hear from the Hawaii Literacy Foundation and thought to himself, "How can I and the RC of Waikiki Help?" Thomas met with the Executive Director Suzanne Skjold and this project was born. Ms. Skjold requested some re-fit projects to their 6-year-old Bookmobile, including Solar Powered Electric Fans and shelving repairs. Thomas heard the calling, and just happens to be a Solar Power expert! Thomas met with his club's board and asked for funding to do this project, parts at cost and no labor cost. Thomas received overwhelming approval.
On July 1st, Thomas arranged a group from the Rotary Club of Waikiki to install the solar powered fans and storage. Thomas also recruited his friend Jim Miller a retired Navy sub-mariner to help repair some broken book shelving several weeks before the solar installation. The solar powered fans cools down the Bookmobile and allows a more pleasant environment for Keiki and adults when the Bookmobile is parked at one of the 14 sites they visit each week on the leeward coast, which include homeless shelters, and public housing in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the state.
Thank you to the Rotary Club of Waikiki and the Rotarians who donated their time and energy to install the solar panel on the top of the Bookmobile. They were Thomas Hall, Jay Ogden, Steve Morgan and Club President Joe Gedeon.
Books were also donated to the Bookmobile for distribution to kids in need. Congratulations to Rotary in Hawaii for helping a community and those in need.
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