West Kaua‘i

Two months ago, the West Kaua‘i Business & Professional Association in partnership with the Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages and many West Kaua‘i businesses co-hosted the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce’s largest ever Business After Hours and networking event with the theme “Taste of Waimea.”

For the 405 attendees, this was not only a taste but, also, an experience of West Kaua‘i and what makes it special. As a resident of West Kaua‘i/Hanapepe, and, a graduate of Waimea High School, I can fully appreciate and understand why this part of the island has a genuine sense of community that is based on shared values of aloha.

Over the years, especially, since Hurricanes ‘Iwa and ‘Iniki struck the island in 1982 and 1992, the ‘can do spirit’ and strong sense of community have cultivated a culture of caring for one another at the worst as well as best of times. No need to wait for the ‘cavalry’ (i.e., government) to arrive.

The ‘Taste’ event was really about celebrating pride, responsibility (kuleana) and the rich multicultural heritage and diversity that grew out of the synthesis of sugar plantation life which was passed down to future generations since the late 1900’s.

While the focus of the event was about recognizing the Military Appreciation Month, it also represented the changes that the community experienced since the closing of Kekaha Sugar Plantation Co. and the soon-to-be-closing of Gay & Robinson Co. (formerly Olokele Sugar Co.) by the end of the year.

For many who haven’t visited West Kaua‘i recently, driving West and seeing the landscape of the blue ocean and sky above, unusual pockets of now green and sometimes yellow spots that greet residents and visitors alike, is the ever growing red dirt ‘canopy’ which covers the surrounding hills, mountains and flat lands that were formerly the acreage of sugar cane (ko) since the turn of the century.

After the closing of the Kekaha Sugar Co., the community not only survived but, thrived and strengthened its sense of pride and community. Its impact was felt especially throughout the Westside as businesses, families and friends were all affected together due to the economy’s change.

With the closing and transition of sugar cane to other crops including seed production, employees of Gay & Robinson Co. have for the past year experienced a time of transition filled with uncertainty and unease.

While time is a critical factor in everyone’s mind, especially in this tough economy, one thing I know is clear: The resources and strength of the Westside community and government will once again help everyone look to a new future that will provide employees/residents a quality of life that they will continue to enjoy as part of the islands’ rural lifestyle.

The difference will be that the business entity for the sugar employee will be new and that the new work experience will provide new opportunities in agriculture, tourism, defense/high technology and healthcare. With the just concluded and highly successful Annual Koloa Plantation Days Festival, I’m reminded about why Kaua‘i is rich.

Although the Koloa Plantation which was Hawai‘i’s first sugar plantation opened in 1835 is no longer is in business, we can be sure that the values we grew up with on Kaua‘i as a result of the sugar plantation experience will live on well into Kaua‘i’s future generations.

On a recent Saturday, some of the volunteers who came together to help rebuild and reopen Polihale State Park met to celebrate, remember and be recognized for their efforts. Many recall the disaster that took place in December ’08 which led to the closing of the park. Ironically, Leadership Kaua‘i (Adult and Youth Programs) a few months earlier just completed some restoration and vegetation-type work as part of the project-based instruction for participants. We all read in the newspapers and saw the local and national coverage on the CNN network about the West Kaua‘i community again coming together to reopen this important resource for recreation/relaxation.

I admit that the last time I visited the Park was over 10 years ago. My most recent experience was this summer when my nephew and his friends camped a few times after the park was reopened. Ironically, prior to that, it was my two nephews from California who came to experience the surf and ‘wave action’ that they thoroughly enjoyed.

Director Laura Thielen of the Department of Land & Natural Resources flew over to join Mayor Bernard Carvalho and Representative Roland Sagum to thank the volunteers who represented a fraction of the number of individuals, businesses and community groups who wanted to share their aloha for this special resource. I understood why after seeing the indigo blue of the ocean that reflected the sky, the two islands of Ni‘ihau and Lehua and the fine white sand in spite of the very dry heat what made this place a special spot at the end of the road.

If anyone needs inspiration, take a drive to the Westside and experience both the old and the new, including the newly opened The Grove Café which was the former Waimea Brewing Co. in the Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages.

The Grove Café will be having a grand opening on Friday as a fundraiser to benefit the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital with the theme “Meet the Doctors.”

Call the hospital at 332-7252 for tickets and experience an evening of West Kaua‘i’s community and sense of place.

• Randall Francisco is president of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce and can be reached at randall@kauaichamber.org