NAWILIWILI — Gov. Linda Lingle said her love for children is due in part to her lack of children of her own. And as she watches parents with their children, at the mall, at the beach, at soccer games, and
NAWILIWILI — Gov.
Linda Lingle said her love for children is due in part to her lack of children of her own.
And as she watches parents with their children, at the mall, at the beach, at soccer games, and other places around the state, she said she gets the sense that many parents take their children for granted.
They can be a challenge, but are “God’s greatest blessing,” too, she said during the annual meeting of Hale ‘Opio Kaua‘i, Inc., at the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort & Beach Club here Monday night. Children are the state’s greatest asset, too, and “they must be protected at all costs from physical harm, illicit drugs,” and other dangers, and given every chance to succeed, Lingle said.
She heaped high praise upon just about everybody affiliated with Hale ‘Opio, a nonprofit, social- service organization providing services including group homes and foster homes for island youngsters.
“I admire what you all do very much,” said Lingle, talking specifically to both Executive Director Mary Lou Barela and her professional staff, the “irreplaceable” care of foster parents, and the strong board of directors.
Without Hale ‘Opio, children might get left behind, Lingle said.
“You have attracted the best of the best of the people of Kaua‘i” to the Hale ‘Opio board, a group of volunteers very involved in the operation of the nonprofit organization not as “glamorous” as some other nonprofits, the governor said.
Organizations like Hale ‘Opio can be successful in providing services for current and future children of Kaua‘i, she added.
“Thank you very much for all your good work.” Lingle also spoke about inheriting a state budget with a $215 million deficit when she took office two years ago, and spoke with pride about making some hard decisions and implementing fiscal restrictions, that led to the turnaround and a budget surplus of $67 million at the close of the state fiscal year on June 30, 2004.
That turnaround, plus an upbeat revenue forecast from the Council on Revenues, means state officials can release funds for social-service agencies like Hale ‘Opio which may have been neglected in the past due to the budget deficit, she said. “There is tremendous competition for funding” for nonprofits, and what her administration does is look for “touch points,” or places where services of different organizations overlap or where there are places and programs where leaders of different organizations may cooperate to serve even more people in need at less cost to the state, Lingle continued.
She said she is proud of how the state Department of Human Services offers funding and programs to meet community needs, but said the department is still a long way from excellence.
Over 100 people attended the function in the hotel’s Puna Ballroom, including both candidates for the county’s state Senate seat, Democratic incumbent Gary Hooser and Republican challenger Maryanne Kusaka, and several members of the Kaua‘i County Council.
There was levity in the room as Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste twice referred to the guest speaker he was introducing as “Mayor Lingle.” “I’ve called her worse,” Baptiste said.
“The people of Kaua‘i have a good sense of humor, because you elected Bryan mayor,” Lingle quipped. Baptiste, who Lingle said stays at her house when he comes to Honolulu, also has a good sense of humor, and that comes in handy in his position, she said.
Getting serious, Baptiste said every child is not perfect, and that’s where the folks at Hale ‘Opio come in. “I look forward to Hale ‘Opio’s proposal” to the county about how the organization will aid in the war on drugs, he said.
Lingle, Baptiste said in his introduction, sees the future of children in Hawai‘i. “It’s about being human. It’s about caring.
It’s about taking care of our children,” Baptiste said.
