Announcing Ho'okanaka Leadership Awards - Mayor Proclaims May 2012 "Leadership on Kaua'i" Month!

Each and every Leadership Kaua`i class chooses a class motto.  The 2012 Adult Class chose the following phrase:

“Ho`okanaka! E laule`a me ka mālama `ana i Kaua`i!” 
(Be someone! Celebrate caring for Kaua’i!)

It's important to understand that the phrase "Ho`okanaka!" has a larger meaning than merely the simple translation of "Be someone."   It means to be someone in the largest sense possible - to make a difference for the future, for the community, and even for the world.

Each class also splits into 3 smaller groups to develop 3 community service projects.  One of the groups decided that there should be an annual awards ceremony to recognize and honor leaders who do important work throughout Kaua'i.  From this, the idea of an annual leadership awards ceremony was born and the team decided to name the awards after the key phrase from their class motto "Ho'okanaka".   The date of May 5 was picked for the awards ceremony...  one month prior to their Leadership Kaua`i graduation in June.

As the plan developed, we had discussions with Renae Hamilton of the YWCA who has been holding annual awards, also in May, to recognize women leaders, and another idea was born - the team decided to ask the Mayor to proclaim the entire month of May as a special month to recognize "Leaders on Kaua`i".   So, in a special proclamation outside the Mayor's office on Tuesday, January 24, Mayor Carvalho proclaimed May as "Leadership on Kaua`i Month" (see photos).

On May 5, Leadership Kaua'i will kick-off the monthlong celebration of leadership with our Ho'okanaka Awards dinner & ceremony, and the YWCA will conclude the month on May 31 with their women leadership awards & ceremony luncheon.

We look forward to everyone, island-wide helping us celebrate and honor all of our wonderful leaders throughout Kaua`i.

Please read about our Ho'okanaka Awards and nominate someone by the deadline of February 28 by clicking the link in the right-hand column of this page.  Then, sign-up to attend our Awards dinner and ceremony.  The team is planning that it will be a "not-to-be-missed, Academy Awards style" event!   We hope to see you there!

Here's a Video and a couple of photos of the Mayor's proclamation.  See more photos and read more about the event in For Kaua`i magazine by clicking this link.

Staff, Board Members, 2012 Classmates, Alumni, & Friends were present to hear the Mayor's Proclamation!

The Kupuna Song (Recipe for Life)

As you may know, Leadership Kaua`i educates, inspires, and motivates its participants to develop a philanthropic spirit of giving back and serving the community. Each year, our adult and youth participants decide upon and engage in projects that serve a wide range of our island community.

During the 2011 – 2012 Class year, our Adult & Youth participants are completing SIX (6) projects including a “Kupuna Day” at the Regency at Puakea on January 14, 2012. This special day will include interviews on life experiences of our treasured kupuna that will be compiled into a book titled “Recipe for Life” to be published by April, 2012.

As part of this project, one of our adult participants (Mike Baez) was inspired to write a song. After hearing the song, several others pitched in to help refine the lyrics, added a bridge, and then the entire youth and adult classes got together to record the final chorus of the song! Musicians on the song include Mike Baez (guitars, vocals, hand claps, jdembe), John Medeiros (ukulele), Mahealani Yamashita (ukulele), and Jerry Brocklehurst (additional percussion).

The song is being released to the local radio stations in January as part of a parallel campaign to remind everyone to remember to honor your kupuna year-round, not just at the holidays.

So, for your listening pleasure, you can download the song here and download a copy of the lyrics here.

And, if you missed my 9 minute interview with Ron Wiley of KONG (all day long) radio, you can hear it by clicking here.

Please note that the chorus line “I ulu no ka lala I ke kumu” has special meaning.  It was borrowed from the ‘Olelo No’eau (1261, M. Pukui) and is translated as “the branches grow because of the trunk.” Without our kupuna, we would not be here!

We hope you enjoy the song!  If you do, and you'd like to help keep our community projects going year-after-year, please donate to us by clicking here.

To read about the other 5 community service projects this year, click here.

Mahalo,
The Leadership Kaua'i Staff and 2012 Youth & Adult Participants

2012 Pi'ina Hoku Class

2012 Adult Class

Annual Giving Campaign - Please Kokua!

An Appeal from our Executive Director...

Aloha Supporters, Friends, Alumni, and Community Members -

   First, let me say Mele Kalikimaka and Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!  Here's
   wishing you the best Holiday Season and New Year ever!

As you may know, grant funding is down significantly this year and we can really use your kokua.  At the beginning of each year, Leadership Kaua'i launches an annual giving campaign / fund-raiser that helps sustain our organization through the coming new year.  Please watch your U.S. Mailbox for a letter that describes our 2012 Adult and Pi'ina Hoku (Youth) programs and community projects.   To help you take advantage of the 2011 tax deduction*, we've already sent the mailer so that you can respond before December 31st.  We've also included a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope to make it even easier to donate before year-end.  If you didn't receive the mailer, please click here or on the donation form below to download it in PDF format.  Alternatively, you can donate online by clicking here.  If you can't respond by December 31st, a January donation is also appreciated and will be deductible* in 2012!   You can even set-up a monthly donation if you'd prefer that versus an annual amount.  Any amount is greatly appreciated!

This year, your generous donations will help sustain us through 2012 as we complete six new community projects:

2 Youth Projects:  (1) For Da Kids Sports Day Camp which was held on October 15^th, 2011, with the support of the adult class, gave youth ages 4 – 13 years old a chance to learn a new sport, get active and have fun;  (2) Introducing new policy to the DOE to include Kaua`i Grown products on school campuses through a demo Farmer’s Market Event for Teenagers.

3 Adult Projects: (1) Ho'okanaka Awards - An awards process and ceremony, to be held annually (this year on May 5) to honor and celebrate outstanding adult and youth leaders within the Kaua'i community who best demonstrate the 5 principles of leadership;  (2) Celebrating the importance of mailelauli’i, a native and endemic plant to Kaua’i, by creating an informational DVD to distribute statewide and sponsoring an essay contest for our island’s 4^th and 5^th graders; and (3) An impactful and informational DVD for funders, neighborhoods, schools & employers to utilize as a tool, which will include powerful interviews, statistics and speak to the need for help in Kaua`i for people with addiction to drugs and or alcohol.

An additional intergenerational community service project:   Both classes will work together to host "Kupuna Day" at the Regency at Puakea on January 14^th, 2012.  This will include games & entertainment to uplift the Kupuna’s spirits along with interviews on life experiences that will be compiled into a book titled “Recipe for Life” to be published by April, 2011.

Please watch for updates on these projects in the coming months.

Mahalo for your consideration!
Jerry Brocklehurst
Executive Director

*NOTE:  Please be sure to check with your accountant or tax advisor regarding deductibility.

Mahalo for Attending Our Annual 2011 Golf Tournament!

Mahalo Nui Loa to everyone who sponsored, participated, volunteered, or came out to support our annual Golf Tournament, held on Sunday, December 4 at Puakea Golf Course.  It was GREAT weather and GREAT fun for all!  And Keith Yap was a terrific Emcee!  Mahalo, Keith!

Your wonderful donations and participation helped support our organization with some much needed funds!

Again, Mahalo Nui!

LK Staff & Alumni Support Kauai United Way Walk-a-Thon!

Lana Spencer, Brenda Jose, Tom Clements (pictured here in their Leadership Kaua'i logo shirts) along with other LK staff and alumni showed up to support Kauai United Way's annual Walk-a-thon on Saturday, October 29.  Mahalo all!!

Photo by Dennis Fujimoto, The Garden Island newspaper.  For the complete article, please visit http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/blogs/camper/article_9fdd2cc4-03ab-11e1-9d6d-001cc4c002e0.html.

For Da Kids Sports Camp Day - Saturday, October 15

This was the first community service project from our 2012 Pi'ina Hoku Youth Class!  As a group, they decided they wanted to help introduce various sports activities to our island keiki (ages 4 - 13) who might not otherwise have the opportunity.  Please see the flyer below for details.  The event was a HUGE SUCCESS!!  Mahalo to the entire 2012 Adult and Pi'ina Hoku Class, and the staff & alumni who showed up to help!

We also extend a HUGE MAHALO to Daniel Hamada and the staff & faculty at Kapa'a High School for making their facilities available for this effort!

Join Us for Pupus on Sept 17 and Hear about the 2012 Adult Class Projects