Community, police come together to help South Kona garden

KAILUA-KONA — Thefts at a South Kona community garden have stalled since news of the problem was brought to light.

It has been three weeks since West Hawaii Today reported on the growing number of thefts occurring at Maona Community Garden, located on Honaunau Road. However, on Tuesday, Chantal Chung, volunteer and project manager for the garden, said the problems have stopped thanks to increased police patrols and community awareness.

Chung added a lot of “abandoned vehicle” notices were put on cars in the area.

For the past six months, various items and fruit were regularly stolen from the garden. Chung attributed the surge to the homeless population growth near the Honaunau Rodeo Arena, which is less than 1,000 feet from the garden. Established in 2007, the garden is run by volunteers who are mostly women and children. Since the beginning, Chung said, there has been an issue with theft because of squatters and drug traffickers.

Since word got out about the recent theft incidents, Chung said, the community came together to donate materials so garden volunteers could build sheds to protect their equipment and supplies. They received donated wood from Kona Young Farmers and plyboard from Mauna Loa Helicopters.

“Fifteen volunteers showed up to build the sheds,” Chung said.

A special volunteer event was set up at the garden on Nov. 3-4 where they could organize equipment and start constructing the structures. Chung said one is nearly complete. They plan to finish both sheds on the next regularly scheduled volunteer day, which takes place on Sunday.

While the volunteers continue to work on ways to protect the garden, they are also finding ways to assist their homeless neighbors.

“I took them blankets from the Neighborhood Place of Kona since the weather is going to be getting colder,” Chung said Tuesday.

While Chung has fed them on her own in the past, she said they are looking for a partner to do regular outreach so the homeless receive regular meals. On Nov. 2, the Food Basket worked with the volunteers to deliver food and bottled water to 12 to 15 homeless people in the area.

“It feels like we’re improving community cohesion, which also adds to resilience,” she said. “The more we’re able to work together it increases the community’s capacity to be resilient and sustainable.”

Hawaii Police Department Community Policing Officer Robin Crusat confirmed Tuesday there has been an increase in patrols in the area.

“I’ve told officers when they get a chance to go down there,” he said.

Crusat said the issue is being looked by the Department of Public Works and South Kona Councilwoman Maile David. There’s been discussion about appropriate signage at the rodeo grounds area.