Author Archives: Colleen Uechi

Heritage Rodeo Tickets Available

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Molokai Ranch News Release

Molokai Ranch will be hosting the Molokai Ranch Heritage Rodeo on Saturday, April 25 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Molokai Ranch in Maunaloa. In addition to the wide range of rodeo festivities, there will be a special live performance by Hawaii music icons and Grammy Award-winning artists Henry Kapono, John Cruz, and Brother Noland, who together call themselves the “Rough Riders.”

Pre-sale tickets are now available from various Molokai locations. The price for advance tickets is $10. Tickets will be $12 at the door the day of the rodeo.

Pre-sale ticket locations:

Molokai Ranch Office, (808) 552-2444, Contact: Kalak Bicoy

Hikiola Cooperative, (808) 567-6774, Contact: Tina Tamanaha

Rawlins Chevron Kaunakakai, (808) 553-3214, Contact: Lori-Lei Rawlins-Crivello

Kualapu’u Market Ltd., …

Molokai Fitness: Are Soft Drinks Healthy?

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Community Contributed

By Ayda Ersoy

Wherever I go in Molokai, it seems that 80 percent of us  — especially kids — drink soda. The other day, a couple of kids asked me “You don’t drink soda, do you?” I asked how they knew that! And their reply? “You look healthy!” This got me thinking more about it. They know that drinking soda is not healthy… so why do they drink it?

I think we need to educate ourselves more about what we’re eating and drinking so that we can choose a healthier option. Remember — your kids or grandkids may not listen to you, but they watch you and they copy you!…

Preventing Falls as You Grow Older

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Community Contributed

By Jon Mikami, RPh, and Kelly Go, RPh, Molokai Drugs, Inc.

Whether it simply bruises your ego or breaks a bone, taking a fall is no fun. Each year, one in three seniors 65 and older experiences a fall—a number that has grown in recent years. For people in this age group, falling is the leading cause of injury and injury-related deaths.

Whether due to concerns about independence or worrying others, however, fewer than half these people tell the doctor about their falls. But that could add insult to injury because one fall may lead to another fall.

Don’t keep it a secret.…

Young Brothers Contributes to Halau

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Moana’s Hula Halau News Release

Through the Young Brother’s Community Support Program, Moana’s Hula Halau has been awarded gratis shipment of one of our vehicles round trip to Hilo for the Merrie Monarch Festival.

As Molokai residents, we are all aware that traveling to the neighbor islands is very costly for us with airfare, hotel, car rental, etc.  We are traveling with 54 people including dancers, Kumu, Ho`opa`a, musicians, helpers, and chaperones.  After factoring in the costs of vehicle rentals for this undertaking, it was decided that shipment of our own 15 passenger vans would be more economical for us, so we are shipping three15 passenger vans to Hilo. …

Kalaupapa Conserves Pieces of History

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Kalaupapa Conserves Pieces of History

Community Contributed

By Carrie Mardorf, Chief of Cultural Resources, Kalaupapa National Historical Park

From March 9 to 20, Kalaupapa National Historical Park hosted two conservators, Curtis Sullivan and Theresa Voellinger, to conserve a number of significant objects within the park’s curatorial facility.  Sullivan and Voellinger are employed at Harpers Ferry Center, a specialized National Park Service (NPS) conservation and interpretive center in West Virginia.

During the course of two weeks, nine objects associated with Kalaupapa were conserved, including a crib from Bishop Home, an end table owned by Kenso Seki, large poi board, three ledger books from the American Japanese Association Hall, an Ed Kato sketch, and birth certificate and passport of Kenso Seki.…

Develop Your Child’s Learning Plan

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Learning Disabilities Association of HI News Release

A workshop about developing your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be held on Molokai on Thursday, April 9. Eligibility has been determined for your child under the federal Department of Education’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Now you and your IEP team will be developing a plan for your child. Understand the steps to this process from beginning to end and how your child with a disability will benefit from his/her IEP.

This event is free of charge and dinner is provided. It will be held at the Home Pumehana Multipurpose Center from 5 to 7 p.m.…

Metaphysical Teaching Comes to Molokai

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Community Contributed

By Joan Gattuso

Last year my husband and I moved to Molokai fulltime, after visiting this wonderful island for 25 years.  As a successful and respected metaphysical leader for decades on the mainland, I have decided it is time to share my teaching here beginning April 20.

When I was a young woman, I was faithful to a traditional church which taught from firm doctrine.  But when I was told I could not question that doctrine, I left the only church I had ever known and, through a fortuitous set of circumstances, joined a church called Unity.  What I discovered there was that questions were not only OK, they were encouraged.…

Track Team Off to a Running Start

Wednesday, April 1st, 2015

Molokai’s track and field season debut featured a win and several top 10 finishes, results that pleasantly surprised Head Coach Jessie Ford.

Alex Simon earned first place the 300 meter hurdles. With Simon recently coming off her wrestling season, Ford said she told Simon, “No pressure.”

“And then she did that!” said Ford of her results. “She won by a hundredth of a second – it was a super close finish, very exciting.”

Lehiwa Pedro placed third in discus, another unexpected result for Ford.

“Lehiwa surprised everybody in her debut throwing discus – it her first time competing [in the event],” said Ford.…

Tennis Teams Hitting their Strides

Wednesday, April 1st, 2015

Tennis Teams Hitting their Strides

After suffering early season losses, both the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams are starting to bring in victories. Last weekend at home against the St. Anthony Trojans, the girls got their first win of the season, while the boys won twice against the Trojans.

“We always get better as the season goes on,” said Head Coach Dean Chow. “… At the end of the season we like to challenge the first place teams because we think we’ll be right there with them.”

On both Friday and Saturday, Molokai’s boys beat St. Anthony 4-1. Molokai’s girls lost 4-1 on Friday but won 3-2 the next day.…

Celebrating Prince Kuhio

Wednesday, April 1st, 2015

Celebrating Prince Kuhio

Molokai residents and homesteaders gathered last Saturday to honor the legacy of Prince Jonah Kuhio, who lobbied for the Native Hawaiian advancement and established the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Act, providing land for Hawaiian families.

The annual community event at Lanikeha featured food, Hawaiian crafts, homestead products, exhibits and music. Sponsored by Ahupua`a O Molokai and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the celebration was also an opportunity for homesteaders to join and get information on local homestead associations.

“Molokai is where the first homestead began in the 1920s, and without Prince Kuhio we would not have homestead today,” said Kilia Purdy-Avelino, one of the event’s organizers.…