HANAMA‘ULU — The volunteers came because they are part of the community. More than 50 of them representing a variety of community groups and businesses descended on the Hanama‘ulu Beach Park for a community work day Saturday. “They all showed
HANAMA‘ULU — The volunteers came because they are part of the community.
More than 50 of them representing a variety of community groups and businesses descended on the Hanama‘ulu Beach Park for a community work day Saturday.
“They all showed up at one time,” said Pauline Ibia, one of the Hanama‘ulu Neighborhood Association members who spearheaded the cleanup effort.
Ibia is also spearheading the re-opening and dedication celebration for March 29 to celebrate the completion of the major cleanup for the once-popular family gathering spot.
“We have another community work day scheduled for next week, but it depends on how much work gets done today,” Ibia said.
Volunteers turned out representing Wal-Mart, Boy Scout Troop 168 under Scoutmaster Vil Villon, the Koa Puna motorcycle club, Larry Matsuwaki and Thy Word Ministries, the Kaua‘i Fil-Am Community Council, Northshore Custom Flooring as well as county workers and residents from the Hanama‘ulu community.
“We’ve been cleaning this place for 21 years,” said James Sakamoto, vice president for the Koa Puna organization. “They need help, so we couldn’t not come.”
Sakamoto said the Koa Puna uses the Hanama‘ulu Beach Park to help host off-island motorcycle riders who come to Kaua‘i for the annual Fourth of July convoy.
“This is a good place to be,” Sakamoto said. “You’re not going to find places like this any place.”
The motorcyclists had exchanged their steel steeds for rakes, shovels and power equipment as they cleaned up one of the planting areas adjacent to the pavilion which was being power-washed in preparation for painting.
Boy Scouts dotted the access road to the park, and one of the neighbors from beyond the county’s fenceline took advantage of the gathering to clean his own property, operating a mini crane to add to the symphony of power equipment.
The scouts quickly filled and lugged trash bags with the green waste being produced by brush cutters and power sweepers.
Ibia said Saturday’s clean up included repainting the picnic tables, power washing and repainting the pavilion, and doing general sprucing up of the area.
In addition to providing volunteers to help with the cleanup, Wal-Mart also stepped forward to provide the bottled water for the volunteers, and George Costa, general manager for the Hilton Kaua‘i Beach Resort, arranged to have his resort’s culinary department prepare food for about 60 of the anticipated volunteers.
These services are in addition to the funding being provided under the county’s anti-drug program, Ibia said.
In a letter of explanation provided by Cathy Simao, a member of the Hanama‘ulu Neighborhood Association, the Hanama‘ulu community was declared a “Weed and Seed” community in 2006.
Operating under the Waele A Ola Hou program sponsored by the mayor’s Anti-Drug Program, the community received funds to clean up the community.
This was the start for the HNA’s partnership with the county’s Parks & Recreation department, the mayor’s Adopt-a-Park program and the Kaua‘i Police Department in trying to remove illegal activities at the Hanama‘ulu Beach Park.
Eddie Sarita, the county’s Lokahi and Adopt-A-Park coordinator as well as a member of the HNA, said funds from the Weed and Seed grant have been approved for purchase and planting of plants and trees for the park.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
