PO‘IPU — The Waipa Foundation in Hanalei was the recipient of a $12,000 Hyatt thrive award, a Hyatt Community Grant, Tuesday. The award was made to further Waipa’s efforts in environmental sustainability through the installation of a photovoltaic system to
PO‘IPU — The Waipa Foundation in Hanalei was the recipient of a $12,000 Hyatt thrive award, a Hyatt Community Grant, Tuesday.
The award was made to further Waipa’s efforts in environmental sustainability through the installation of a photovoltaic system to help provide power for the center.
“We are honored to support Waipa Foundation and its valuable contributions to our island community,” said Doug Sears, the Grand Hyatt’s general manager. “It is a top priority for us to be active participants on our island, and the Hyatt Community Grants give us the great opportunity to give back to local organizations which do so much for Kaua‘i. Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i has volunteered more than one hundred hours of service at the Waipa Foundation, helping them to further its mission.”
Funding for this program is provided by the Hyatt Hotels Foundation, a donor-advised fund created in conjunction with the National Philanthropic Trust. In 2011, Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i will be among 27 Hyatt properties from around the world who will award grants to nonprofits in its local communities.
Since the program’s inception in 2008, Hyatt hotels have awarded more than $1,054,000 to nonprofit organizations in 84 communities and 30 countries around the world.
Stacy Sproat-Beck, executive director for Waipa, and Kalen Kelekoma, Waipa’s site, facilities and program manager, were welcomed to the Po‘ipu property with Hawaiian protocol, the Hanalei visitors also receiving a ho‘okupu on behalf of the Executive Committee in addition to the grant.
“Receiving this grant is a great honor and we are thankful the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i nominated our organization to be the recipient of this generous donation,” Sproat-Beck said. “We know this grant will go a long way toward helping us achieve our goals of renewing our community’s ties with the land and traditional culture.”
Kelekoma added Waipa will be hosting its second Kalo Festival, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., describing the event as a community ho‘olaule‘a celebrating the taro, known in Hawai‘i as kalo.
Events linked to Sproat-Beck’s comments on renewing our community ties with the land and traditional culture include several hands-on keiki activities as well as the Biggest Kalo contest, a Kalo Art contest for keiki in grades kindergarten through sixth grade, a Kalo recipe contest as well as demonstrations on traditional poi making, taro-based food including fritters, cheesecake, Crusted Mahi Burgers, kulolo, poi, ice cream, mochi, poi pasta and more.
Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children.
The Hyatt Community Grants, a philanthropic program which empowers Hyatt associates to guide charitable giving, is a key component of Hyatt thrive, the company’s global corporate responsibility program.
Hyatt thrive is designed to help make the communities in which Hyatt operates, places which associates are proud to work, guests want to visit, neighbors want to live and hotel owners want to invest, states a Hyatt release.
Hyatt thrive harnesses the power of more than 85,000 Hyatt associates at more than 450 properties around the world to focus on positive local efforts which create a significant global impact.
Visit wwwhyattthrive/philanthropy.com for more information on the grant.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
