LIHU‘E — An award of $17,000 by First Hawaiian Bank should be a tremendous help in helping the Kaua‘i Veterans Museum meet its goal of re-opening by Veterans Day, said Kaua‘i Veterans Council Commander, retired Air Force Gen. Mary Kay Hertog Friday.
FHB’s Leland Kahawai did not let the Good Friday holiday stop him from dropping off the award to the group of appreciative veterans who have been toiling to get the museum up and operational despite being slowed by the global pandemic.
“We applied for and got this grant from First Hawaiian Bank,” Hertog said. “The funds will be used to complete the electrical work that needs to be done. Additionally, the museum needs a big scanner to scan the documents we have and have it filed electronically. Finally, we can have a space for an administrative office and an administrative library.”
Hertog said fundraising for work on the museum started 10 years ago, with a goal of raising approximately $80,000.
Work on redoing the museum started in 2018 before the COVID-19 crisis shut everything down. That could not stop the individual efforts that continued through the pandemic.
The old carpeting has been removed, the electrical work updated, new cases have been ordered, received and assembled, and a new floor tile has been installed.
Work enters the remaining segments of the original plan as Veterans Day approaches, and fundraising to complete the project continues with the announcement of the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Golf Tournament that will be held on May 22 at the Hokuala Ocean Course.
Registration, with a discount for veterans, starts at 7 a.m. with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. for the four-person modified scramble format event.
Additionally, sponsorships at different levels of packages are available, and donations to the cause are welcomed.
“On behalf of all of Kaua‘i veterans, we want to thank you for your past and present support of our veterans’ programs,” Hertog said. “We understand the pandemic has seriously impacted our many generous supporters and businesses. This is a lot to ask for in this prolonged difficult time.”
Registration and information is available at kauaiveteranscenter.org, or by calling Aida Cruz at 808-246-1135.
Hertog said that in addition to work being done at the museum, the Kaua‘i Veterans Council is also working on improving the Veterans Service Center at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
