LIHU‘E — Not counting a $300,000, interest-free federal loan and a $10,000 grant from the Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, Kaua‘i Hospice officials are more than halfway home toward their goal of raising $2.2 million for a new, permanent facility. Ground
LIHU‘E — Not counting a $300,000, interest-free federal loan and a $10,000 grant from the Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, Kaua‘i Hospice officials are more than halfway home toward their goal of raising $2.2 million for a new, permanent facility.
Ground was broken and blessed yesterday for the facility, to be located next to Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative headquarters in Kukui Grove Village West.
An anonymous donor gave $1.1 million, with the stipulation that the money be used to buy the land and build the new facility, along with an endowment to ensure building maintenance in perpetuity, said Liana K.C. Soong, Kaua‘i Hospice development and community liaison.
The property was purchased two years ago, and actual construction work should begin within a month or two, with construction expected completed by the middle of next year if not sooner, she said.
“We’re going for a home-type setting, comfortable, not clinical,” said Soong.
Architect Marc Ventura drew the plans, and officials with Shioi Construction secured the general contract, said Soong.
The new facility will include ample room for supplies, meeting rooms for support groups and the community, and offices.
Not counting the $300,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture no-interest loan facilitated by KIUC officials or the $10,000 from the A&B Foundation, as of yesterday afternoon some $1,376,000 had been raised (around 63 percent of the goal) for the $2.2-million project, she said.
Early-morning showers helped prepare the grounds for the groundbreaking ceremonies hosted by Kaua‘i Hospice leaders on Pahe‘e Street.
The empty lot that will house the permanent facility for Kaua‘i Hospice sits next to KIUC offices.
Phil Clark, Kaua‘i Hospice executive director, said that he hopes the new building will also serve as a community-resource center where people in the community can come together to use some of the space in their building.
The groundbreaking marks the end to the “nomadic” history of the hospice program here, where various leaders spoke of the start of Kaua‘i Hospice, and the constant need for space where they could hold their training sessions, meetings, and other hospice gatherings.
Hopefully, this new building will bring these searches to an end, and they will have space available for the community to use, Clark and others said.
Sanae Tokumura of Solid Concepts, Inc. is one of the members of the campaign leadership that is heading up a $2.2 million capital campaign.
“This should have been done a long time, ago,” Tokumura commented. “The Big Island has a permanent place, Maui, and O‘ahu. Kaua‘i has needed a permanent home for a long time now.”
Tokumura also commented on the excellence in the quality of service provided by the Kaua‘i Hospice staff and volunteers. The mission of Kaua‘i Hospice is to ensure the highest quality of life possible for individuals and their families facing a life-threatening illness; to provide bereavement support to individuals; and to promote understanding of hospice services.
the event officiated over by the Rev. Nani Hill of the Koloa Union Church, introduced Roberta Wallace Cable as the campaign general chair, with Wallace Cable taking the opportunity to present Charlie King as the campaign honorary chair.
The fund-raising theme is “Compass to Compassion,” or “E Ho‘okele I Kealoha” in Hawaiian.
Councilman Mel Rapozo, representing the Kaua‘i County Council in congratulating the group on their mile-stone, talked of the value of the Kaua‘i Hospice program to county officials and others, police officers, and other emergency-response personnel who deal with life-threatening situations.
Hospice officials in turn thanked individuals and representatives of businesses for assistance during the ground-breaking event: Ibaan Table Rentals, Inkspot Printing, Rent-A-Center, Hill, Service Rentals, The People’s Market, and Wiley.
The parcel is 24,000 square feet.
Guava ‘o‘o sticks created by local woodworker Thomas Taylor were used to conduct the ceremony.
U.S. Rep. Ed Case’s representative, Dean Toyofuku; Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste’s Administrative Assistant Gary Heu; and Rapozo congratulated the crowd of Kaua‘i Hospice leaders, staff and volunteers.
Conrad Murashige of Shioi Construction was announced as the selected contractor of the counseling/training center at the ceremony. Also introduced were architect Marc Ventura, AIA.
Other campaign volunteers and donors present at the groundbreaking ceremony included lead corporate contributors Big Save, Inc., represented by President Charles K. Kawakami; and Peter Yukimura, president of KOA Trading Company.
Both men serve as key campaign committee members. Dick and Wendy Sherman, chairs of the leadership segment of the campaign and significant contributors to Kaua‘i Hospice, and Nancy Fuller, chair of the public segment of the drive, were also in attendance.
“We’ve got a way to go, but with the leadership of those who have already come forward, we have no doubt that this project will be completed on schedule,” said Wallace Cable.
“Kauai’s first permanent hospice facility will allow its staff and volunteers to continue providing compassionate, comprehensive care for island families and businesses for generations to come.”
Kaua‘i Hospice was founded in 1983 by volunteers who saw Kaua‘i’s need for compassionate care for patients who face terminal or life-threatening illnesses.
Since then, Kaua‘i Hospice has developed into a professionally-staffed, Medicare- and Medicaid-certified organization with a supportive cadre of dozens of specially-trained program volunteers and hundreds of general-community volunteers.
Kaua‘i Hospice is the only hospice on Kaua‘i.
All services are provided 24 hours a day, and free of charge. Kaua‘i Hospice is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable organization.
For more information about Kaua‘i Hospice, or to contribute toward the campaign, please call Soong, 245-7277.
