Land Trust Raising Funds for Service Learning Center

MLT News Release

The Molokai Land Trust (MLT) is planning an exciting new Operations and Service Learning Center in Kualapu`u. To make it a reality, we need your help in funding the project. The Learning Center will provide hands-on conservation educational opportunities for the student population and interested community members on the lands MLT stewards: MLT’s Mokio and Kawaikapu Preserves and The Nature Conservancy’s Mo`omomi Preserve.

The Molokai Land Trust just launched a social media crowd-funding capital campaign on IndieGoGo.com.  The ambitious, achievable goal of $25,000 is testing the waters.  The campaign runs for only 40 days.  MLT needs your help in getting a solid start on the goal.  IndieGoGo.com will assist in further promoting this fund drive if there is strong initial support. To view the Molokai Land Trust’s campaign, please visit igg.me/at/molokailandtrust.

The Service Learning Center plans include a meeting/event space, for use by community and non-profit groups promoting conservation, cultural activities, and the arts.  MLT supports conservation and restoration of natural resources, as well as Molokai’s priceless cultural resources.  We look forward to providing space for hula halau, la`au lapa`au, lei making, and traditional arts and crafts.  The Center’s reception area has display space to showcase Mokio Preserve artifacts returned by the Bishop Museum with the assistance of archaeologist Dr. Marshall Weisler.  MLT’s in-house educational library will be a resource to visitors to the facility.

The preliminary architectural and engineering on the first phase of the project is nearly completed.  We are awaiting construction bids, and then need the first $1,000,000 in funding to launch the construction phase.

MLT will host a community meeting in Kualapu`u to share the plans and get community feedback about how we can make the Service Learning Center project and integral part of the community.

The first step is to make a contribution towards building this important conservation-based service-learning center on Molokai for students and community members. Share this information with others who are interested in supporting education and conservation on Molokai. The “social” part of a social media fundraising campaign depends on YOU reaching out to your networks of family and friends to help create the reality of the service-learning center.

Mahalo for supporting the Molokai Land Trust and taking part in conservation based education on Molokai. For additional information, please contact MLT Executive Director Butch Haase at 808-553-5626.