Gardens Prepared for the Spring!

January was a month of renewal for the ‘AINA In Schools Gardens. The garden parties were accomplishments thanks to school families and volunteers from the community who showed up to help in honor of Martin Luther King Day, and the National Day Of Service. Students used tools bigger than themselves to mix compost and fertilizer into the garden beds.  Small fingers removed the delicate seeds from spent flower heads, and load after load of mulch were placed around the gardens to create a weed free barrier.  Soon Kindergarteners, first graders and 5th graders will be planting their Spring edible gardens. Mahalo to the volunteers who help keep our gardens growing!

 


 
(Clockwise from Top Left: Wai’alae volunteers collecting & saving seeds, ‘Aikahi volunteers after a successful garden party, Sunset volunteers taking steps to keep the weeds out, Ala Wai volunteers prepare beds for replanting.

We hope each of you continue to find ways to help your communities throughout the year. For more information on volunteer opportunities with Kokua, visit our website and keep reading our newsletters!

Inspired on Day of Service

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Kokua Hawai’i Foundation took part in one of over 13,000 service projects organized for the Day of Service. Families, teachers, college students, and kids of all ages weeded, harvested, composted, and planted at the educational farm HYPERLINK “http://www.hoa-aina.org/” Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha [http://www.hoa-aina.org/]. We worked alongside Mr. Gigi, Sunny, Kumu and other Hoa ‘Aina regulars whose love and sweat keep Hoa ‘Aina flourishing year-round.

Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha is a popular field trip destination for schools taking advantage of Kokua’s environmental education field trip assistance program. Each student at Makaha Elementary School visits the farm for hands-on learning at least once a week!

One of the highlights of the project was helping to prepare a garden especially for Makaha Elementary School’s teachers. It will be a place where they can garden, harvest vegetables, and enjoy their lunch—a sanctuary in the shade for these hard working educators. The “Built With Our Own Two Hands” garden was built by Makaha Elementary’s 6th graders and dedicated to Jack & Kim Johnson in 2007. The Johnsons and Kokua ‘ohana are excited that this garden will be a place for the teachers to enjoy, relax, and be inspired to do their very important work!

Celebrate Day of Service at Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha, 1/19/09

Make Martin Luther King Jr. holiday a “day on” rather than a “day off” by joining thousands of people across Hawai’i and the U.S. in service to our communities. President-Elect Obama is encouraging people throughout the U.S to get involved in service this weekend and year-round. Visit www.usaservice.org to search for an opportunity near you.

Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha and Kokua Hawai’i Foundation invite you to join us at Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha’s farm. We’ll be weeding, planting, and enjoying each other’s company as we celebrate peace and community.

Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha Volunteer Day
Monday, January 19, 2009
9 -11 a.m.
Next to Makaha Elementary School: 84-200 Ala Na’auao Place
Bring sun protection and water and prepare to get dirty!
Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to RSVP.
Please call Gigi if you have any questions: (808) 695-9730

Other Service Events Happening this Weekend:

Saturday, 1/17. Help prepare the ‘AINA In Schools garden beds at Ala Wai Elementary (8:30 a.m.) and ‘Aikahi Elementary (3 p.m.). Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to RSVP.

Happy 2009!

Happy New Year members and friends! As 2009 rolls in, we ask that you please consider the environment in your New Year resolutions.  Please continue to check our website periodically and your membership settings for up to date information about our programs and events.  May you have a peaceful and “green” year!

Green Fundraising for Schools

Tired of the same old school fundraising drives—bake sales, car washes or wrapping paper offers? Fundraising does not have to involve buying high-calorie sweets, disposable junk you don’t need or want, or harm to our environment. We all know how desperate our schools are for funds, especially now, but how to raise funds without lowering our environmental standards?  Many schools continue to rely on, and profit from, well-known efforts that are environmentally friendly. The array of better, greener fundraising options is actually astounding. Check out Green Schools for a simple guide with lots of options and resources.  Here are some of our favorite ideas:

• -Selling seed packets.  Buy seed in bulk and repackage through a student-run seed company or grow and save seeds from home and school gardens. Download a great Seed School Curriculum at FedcoSeeds.com and some fundraising tips at SeedsOfChange.com.
• -A community-supported Farmer’s Market for the school!
• -Book fairs promote literacy while raising funds.  Organize a gently-used book fair where families can donate the books they have cleared off their shelves.
• -Children’s toy & clothes swaps, where recycling old treasures to new ones benefit the school.
• -Walk-a-thons, bowl-a-thons, and other sports-related fundraisers promote physical activity for students and can be lucrative for schools.

Sunset Beach Elementary found a great way to recycle and earn money for the school at their first ever, Holiday Kids’ Stuff Exchange! Instead of spending way too much money on holiday gifts, students exchanged their gently used kids’ stuff and shopped for some new ones. They saved a ton of money, got rid of their old toys (saving space for “new” ones) and supported a great cause, Sunset Beach Elementary School! This fun & successful event took place on Saturday, 12.13.08 from 9am – 12 noon.  All remaining items were donated to Operation Toy Box, a local charity.