By Staff Reports
(Hawaii)– The Kaneohe Business Group will be holding their August Membership Meeting on August 23rd from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Pohai Nani Retirement Community, 2nd floor meeting room.
Featured speakers: Mahealani Cypher and Leialoha “Rocky” Kaluhiwa
Mahealani Cypher is the immediate past president of the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, of which her family was among the founders back in 1937. She retired as City Clerk from the City & County of Honolulu in 2008 and currently serves as a member of the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board. Born and raised in Kaneohe, she has three children, nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. She enjoys sharing the stories she has collected about the historic and culturally significant resources of the Kaneohe Bay region.
Leialoha “Rocky” Kaluhiwa is the current vice president of the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club and was born and raised in the He‘eia area. A lifelong community advocate, she and her late husband Jerry Kaluhiwa were strong voices for the protection of the He‘eia wetlands area and were instrumental in helping the group Kako‘o ‘Oiwi to win a long-term lease for the 400-acre property from the Hawaii Community Development Authority. She has been reappointed by the Governor as the Oahu representative for the Aha Moku Advisory Committee, which advises the state on cultural practices affected by state rules and regulations.
The Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club was established in 1937 and included members from Makapu‘u to Waimea Valley at one time. Today, its membership comes primarily from the nine ahupua`a around Kaneohe Bay. One of the largest of the Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Ko‘olaupoko accepts members who are Native Hawaiian and those who are “Hawaiian at heart.” Within its mission statement is the dedication to “malama our members, their families and the communities in which we live”.
RSVP: Carolyn Nakamura at 236-7805 or cnakamur@good-sam.com by Monday, Aug. 21. The Public is welcome; $15 lunch fee.