LIHU‘E — On Oct. 9, the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association First Wave Celebration took place at the Kilohana Luau Pavilion in Puhi. The five-hour event featured entertainment, comedy and live and silent auctions. The five-month spring/summer ocean safety campaign was joined
LIHU‘E — On Oct. 9, the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association First Wave Celebration took place at the Kilohana Luau Pavilion in Puhi. The five-hour event featured entertainment, comedy and live and silent auctions.
The five-month spring/summer ocean safety campaign was joined by the Rotary Clubs of Kaua‘i, the Zonta Club, as well as many individuals and businesses, a news release states. The end result was a final presentation by KLA to the Kaua‘i County Council for four additional ATVs and three additional Yamaha Waverunners to complement the power equipment already in place at the 10 lifeguard stations around Kaua‘i.
The response from the community was strong, with over 1,100 in attendance at the concert as well as many privately funded donations throughout the promotional period, that there was a surplus of funds to further ocean activities and ocean safety within the Kaua‘i community.
At a formal press release function on Oct. 26 these funds were made available to KORE (an organization that provides ocean recreation for Kaua‘i’s mentally and or physically challenged), the Hawai‘i Surfing Association, a 32-year-old program for Kaua‘i, where youth take part competitively in body board and surfing from as early as 6 years old.
More funds are being provided to maintain and expand Kaua‘i’s rescue tubes program, now found at over 140 secluded beach sites around the island. Additional monies are being donated to the Kaua‘i Junior Lifeguard Program which has brought home 8 consecutive state championships, and this year plans to compete for national honors on the mainland. And to Evan Valiere’s stand-up paddle race along Na Pali Coast during the summer months, with hundreds of paddlers experiencing an 11-mile coastline race that emphasizes safety at sea. An additional fund was set aside to coordinate kiosk design and development with Winston Wellbourne — these kiosks will be strategically directed towards beach goers not familiar with particular beaches and their changing conditions.
Kaua‘i’s state Rep. James Tokioka, Sen. Ron Kouchi, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and County Council Chair Jay Furfaro and Councilman Dickie Chang were all on hand at a special release party along with the recipients to take part in the final presentations.
The First Wave co-coordinator Andy Melamed worked with President Monty Downs for over six consecutive months in presenting this overall concept and campaign to the community and its overwhelming response and success leads to a Second Wave event that will further address ocean safety for residents and visitors frequenting Kaua‘i’s beaches.
