Ka`u News Briefs April 27, 2011

Students from Wai`ohinu Hula Studio and Lori Lei's Hula Studio under the direction of kumu hula Lori Lei Shirakawa
performed at Volcano Art Center's May Day is Lei Day Festival 2010.  Photo courtesy of VAC

RESIDENTS OF KA`U ARE BEING SOUGHT exclusively to fill new jobs at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Applicants must have maintained permanent residence in Ka`u for a minimum of six years. 

Guides and other workers are being sought from the Ka`u community
at Kahuku.  Photo Courtesy of Hawai`i Volcanoes Nat'l Park

     Positions available are park guides and laborers. Park guides are part-time, and laborers are both part- and full-time. All positions are temporary, not to exceed one year.
     The open period to submit applications is through May 17. First cut-off will be May 3. Applications must be received by this cut-off date to receive first consideration.
     A Certificate of Referrals will be created and forwarded to the selecting official after the cut-off date of May 3. Announcements may be obtained from HAVO_Personnel@nps.gov or the Kahuku entrance gate sign board. Information and announcements will also be available at the Kahuku Unit when it is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The Miloli`i Lawai`a `Ohana will explore Miloli`i from
Ho`opuloa Beach to Kapu`a Bay.  Photo by Julia Neal

PA`A PONO MILOLI`I, INC. will host the 2011 Miloli`i Lawai`a `Ohana Camp from June 6 to 9 at Ho`opuloa Beach in Miloli`i. This year’s four-day, three-night camp is open to children ages 10 to 15 years old and their families. It will focus on Marine Conservation and Fish Sustainability. Camp activities include an `opelu fishing project, proper practices for fish sustainability, hiking to Kapu`a Bay, a holua slide and archaeological tour, wana and `opihi gathering and cultivation, throw-net fishing and more. The camp will incorporate the `ohana unit in which `opio, makua and kupuna will be involved in the activities. 

     The camp is free to families in the South Kona and Ka`u areas through a grant made possible from Conservation International. Participation is extremely limited. Interested families can contact Kaimi Kaupiko at 937-1310, Lei Kaupu at 217-0585 or email miloliilawaiacamp@gmail.com for more information. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, May 11.

University of Hawai`i College of Pharmacy students held a
 Health Fair at Miloli`i and offered free screenings to
everyone, including Sen. Gil Kahele. 

THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I at Hilo College of Pharmacy is looking toward creating a calendar of health fairs in Ka`u and around the island. Students representing Phi Delta Chi, a professional pharmacy fraternity with more than 43,000 pharmacists and student members nationwide, held a Health Screening and Fair at the Miloli`i Halau on Saturday. The event included free blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol screenings, brown bag medication reviews, diet, lifestyle and health information, food, and more. Prabu Segaran, a second-year pharmacy student from the Class of 2013, coordinated the event. “We’re honored to help people to improve their health,” Segaran said. 

LOCAL RESIDENTS can help with a vog study funded by the Centers for Disease Control with help from the University of Hawai`i Medical School. Community researchers Jodi Adams, Rochele Gacayan, Sandy Helm-Anderson and Theresa Richardson are inviting a dozen people from Ka`u and a dozen people from Volcano who have been prescribed rescue inhalers into a special study of the respiratory effects of vog. The study will help participants find out whether vog reacts with other factors to affect their breathing and lung function. They will teach study participants how to record their symptoms and measures of lung function. Participants will learn some things about their asthma or COPD that aren’t always offered even in the doctor’s office: lung volumes and flows (spirometry), exhaled carbon monoxide and nitric oxide, allergy skin tests and whether there are allergy cells in the bloodstream. Then they attach a special device called a SpiroScout to their inhaler that will record the date, time, and GPS location when the inhaler is used. Anyone interested in joining the study contact Dr. Tam at 808-586-2910 or tameliza@hawaii.edu.

RANGER JASON ZIMMER, SR. shares the art of making poi, or ku`i kalo, today from 10 a.m. to noon on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Park entrance fees apply.

COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTANY SMART holds a District 6 Matters meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. at Cooper Center in Volcano. Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira answers questions from the public about Fire Department issues and services.

KA`U SCHOOL OF THE ARTS hosts the Spring Fling at Punalu`u Bake Shop’s new pavilion this Saturday, April 30, beginning at 9 a.m. Performers include the Na`alehu Civic Club Singers, the Ka`u `Ohana Band, Hands of Time, Keoki Kahumoku and others. Ka`u artists and artisans will display their creations and offer them for sale, give demonstrations and lead art activities. 

A lei contest is part of Volcano Art Center's
May Day is Lei Day Festival this Sunday.

VOLCANO ART CENTER hosts the second annual May Day is Lei Day Festival this Sunday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at VAC’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. This free family event is for residents and visitors of all ages to join in the creative and cultural tradition of making and wearing lei, which is deeply rooted in the Hawaiian culture. In 1928, artist and writer Don Blanding suggested that the people of the islands recapture the spirit of lei wearing and celebrate May 1 as “Lei Day.” VAC is honored to keep the unique customs and traditions surrounding lei alive. 

THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES for the Ka`u Coffee recipe contest has been extended to Saturday, May 7. Applications are available online at www.kaucoffeefest.com. Contact Michelle Galimba at 430-4927 or mgalimba@kuahiwiranch.com for more information.