PUHI — Gov. Neil Abercrombie triggered a round of joy when he signed a check Monday for the Kaua‘i Philippine Cultural Center. Abercrombie, who was scheduled to attend the second fundraising event for the center on Saturday, instead signed a
PUHI — Gov. Neil Abercrombie triggered a round of joy when he signed a check Monday for the Kaua‘i Philippine Cultural Center.
Abercrombie, who was scheduled to attend the second fundraising event for the center on Saturday, instead signed a symbolic check for a $1.5 million legislative appropriation at Kaua‘i Foreign Cars.
“It’s called the Kaua‘i Philippine Cultural Center, but we’re building the center for the entire community,” said Lesther Calipjo, whose idea gave birth to the center.
Sen. Ron Kouchi described the center as a “collection of heritages” and was supported by Abercrombie after the request for funds was triggered by Kaua‘i Rep. James Tokioka.
Abercrombie was treated to a walk-through at the site for the center during his visit to Kaua‘i in April, the trip coinciding with the center’s fundraising launch.
A vision of the Kaua‘i Philippine Cultural Center committee, which studied centers on O‘ahu and Maui, is to create a facility that would not only celebrate and archive the contributions of the Filipino community in Hawai‘i, but also the cultural diversity of Hawai‘i’s other ethnic communities.
Reservations for the KPCC’s second annual fundraising event Saturday at the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club are being accepted by the Kaua‘i Filipino Chamber of Commerce.
