About Town 10-31-13

Rid-A-Fridge
and help the hungry

Hawaii Energy’s Rid-A-Fridge to Fight Hunger promotion encourages residents to recycle old refrigerators or freezers and donate their rebates to their local food bank.

Hawaii Energy is offering this opportunity as part of its ongoing refrigerator bounty program that provides free curbside pickup, recycling and a $65 rebate.

While funds last, residential electric ratepayers can donate their rebate to The Food Basket. A $65 donation provides food for 250 meals on Hawaii Island.

All residential electric utility customers are eligible for the promotion. Full-size refrigerators and freezers of at least 14 cubic feet qualify for the promotion. Refrigerators and freezers must be in working condition.

Appointments to schedule a pick up can be made by calling (877) 231-8222. For more information, visit hawaiienergy.com/rid-a-fridge.

20th annual Check-Out Hunger program
begins Monday

Shoppers statewide are invited to help feed Hawaii’s hungry this holiday season through the Hawaii Foodbank’s “Check-Out Hunger” program. Now in its 20th year, the annual program will take place in supermarkets across the state Monday through Jan. 15. Participating retailers on the Big Island include KTA Super Stores and Safeway stores statewide.

Donating to this year’s Check-Out Hunger program is easy. All shoppers have to do is tear off a bright green coupon when they check out at participating grocery stores. Shoppers may choose to feed a child breakfast for a week for $2.81, feed a senior lunch for a month for $12.43, or feed a family dinner for a week for $16.84. The chosen coupon amount will be added to the total bill and donated to The Food Basket.

Last year, the Check-Out Hunger program raised $236,045 for Hawaii’s hungry, a nearly 11 percent increase over the previous year. Since its launch in 1994, the program has raised nearly $2 million.

Soil scientists presenting information

Soil scientists Amy Koch, Matthew Wung and Carolyn Wong of the Natural Resource Conservation Service will lead presentations to educate the public about soil stewardship at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the North Kohala Public Library and at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Iole.

During the Monday evening library presentation, Koch will discuss how soils of Kohala formed, how they have been surveyed and how they are assessed to determine whether they are healthy. Matt Wung will provide information about NRCS programs and technical assistance it offers and Carolyn Wong will share success stories about how farmers and ranchers are improving soil health through conservation practices.

At the Tuesday morning workshop, Koch and field staff from the Waimea office will offer hands-on demonstrations of soil stability, infiltration and the differences in soil textures and colors.

For more information on these free events, contact the library at 889-6655 or Iole at 443-6048.

Read aloud focuses
on Japanese culture

The Friends of the Libraries, Kona is hosting its free family read aloud program, “Books are Building Blocks,” from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Kailua-Kona Public Library. During this school year, participants will travel around the world and get their “passports” stamped each month as they explore the world through reading. Randal Smith, a Japanese dance instructor, dressed in his kimono will talk about Japanese culture. He will teach a simple bon dance. Refreshments will include a Japanese dessert.

Parents must attend the program with their children. There will be separate reading groups: kindergarten, first and second grades, third and fourth grades, fifth and sixth grades and a parent group. Each group will have a person reading aloud to them, followed by a discussion of what was read.

Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. in front of the library, the monthly program from 5 to 5:30 and reading by age group from 5:30 to 6. Afterward, the families will meet on the lanai for light refreshments, door prizes and books. Participation is limited to 75 participants.

To sponsor a program or to get more information, email FOLK@folkhawaii.com or visit folkhawaii.com.

Senior yoga classes slated in West Hawaii

Elderly Recreation Services has a series of yoga classes for anyone aged 55 and older. This gentle yoga class is a series of stretches and breathing techniques that relax the body and mind and help reduce stress. Classes will be held at 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Nov. 5 through 26, at the Painted Church and at 8:30 a.m. Mondays and Fridays, Nov. 1 through 29 at Hale Halawai in Kailua-Kona. For those with limited mobility, chair yoga classes are offered at 10 a.m. Mondays, Nov. 4 to 25, at Hale Halawai.

All yoga classes are $5 per class and registration and payment can be made the first day of class. Participants are encouraged to bring a beach towel or yoga mat and water for class. For more information, call Elderly Recreation Services at 323-4340.

Landscape architect speaks Tuesday

Laurie Olin, FASLA, teacher, author and landscape architect, will be the featured speaker at Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Ohana Sustainability Program at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at HPA’s Energy Lab.

Olin’s one-hour presentation, “Landscape Architecture, Sustainability, and Water,” is presented in partnership with the Hawaii Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

For more information, contact Koh Ming Wei at 443-9231 or email mwkoh@hpa.edu.

VFW, auxiliary
plan fundraisers

The Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Ladies Auxiliary are sponsoring Leah’s Spaghetti Feast from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Veterans Center, 74-5562 Makala Blvd., Kailua-Kona. The cost is $10.

The groups are also holding a community swap meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the center. Vendors may reserve a space for $20. The public is admitted free of charge.

For more information, call Bev Skarnes at 329-6261 or the Veterans Center at 326-5675.