By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)– On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, the Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM), Storm Water Quality (SWQ) Division, recognized organizations and volunteers who have made significant contributions to the City and County of Honolulu’s Storm Water Quality Programs or assisted with implementing various best management practices within their respective communities at its Good Neighbor and Environmental Hero Awards ceremony.
“We’re proud to celebrate these organizations and individuals who positively impacted their communities and the environment,” said Dawn B. Szewczyk, P.E., Director and Chief Engineer, Department of Facility Maintenance. “This is an opportunity for us to recognize and inspire others to participate and share in the responsibility as environmental leaders towards caring for our environment.”
Recipients of the Good Neighbor and Environmental Hero Awards are citizens, businesses, schools, community groups, and government agencies that have partnered together to foster positive changes in their communities to protect the environment. Volunteer efforts by these clean water heroes include creating awareness of storm water pollution and water quality issues in streams and the ocean; educating and informing specific audiences about the impacts of storm water pollution; and actively engaging in best management practices to reduce pollutants in storm water runoff.
The Good Neighbor Award identifies groups that have exhibited exceptional volunteer service or partnership for the betterment of their communities through participation in the City’s storm water programs to protect Hawai‘i’s waters. This year’s awardees include:
- R.A.V.E. HI
- Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i
- DR Horton
- Boy Scouts of America, Aloha Council
- Sate of Hawai‘i, Department of Education, Waipahu Complex
- Girl Scouts of America
- Hawai‘i Republican Party
- Hawai‘i Rotary, District 5000
- Honolulu Elks Lodge, 616
- Inspire Church
- ‘Iolani School
- John Rogers
- Kori Kawagishi
- Lions District No. 50
- Mālama Pu‘uloa
- Mayeda ‘Ohana
- Mililani Lions Club
- Waikīkī Aquarium
- World Mission Society Church of God
The Environmental Hero Award celebrates groups that have organized and coordinated Adopt-A-Block or Adopt-A-Channel clean ups or assisted with other storm water programs that help to protect Hawai‘i’s waters. This year’s awardees include:
- Aldrinana Leung
- Catholic Charities Hawai‘i
- Chi Epsilon
- Curtis Kawamoto
- Farrington High School, Key Club
- Good Fellow Brothers
- Hawaiian Time Athletics
- E.L.P.
- Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam
- Lasar McCabe
- Lighthouse Outreach Center
- Linda Jenks
- Lodge Le Progres de l’Oceanie
- Mālama Mānoa
- Matt Mederios
- The Mission Continues
- Na Kia‘i o Ma‘ili
- New Hope Leeward, Kapolei Campus
- O‘ahu County 4-H
- State of Hawai‘i, Department of Transportation, Office of Environmental Compliance
- Toby Driver
- Winston Dang
In addition to the awards presentation, Managing Director Michael Formby also addressed this year’s awardees. For more information, please visit the DFM-SWQ website www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com or call (808) 768-3343.
About the Department of Facility Maintenance – SWQ Division
The mission of the SWQ Division is to empower and provide guidance for the public on effective ways to minimize our impact on water quality in order to protect public health and the beauty of O‘ahu. For more information about the SWQ Division and upcoming volunteer opportunities, please visit www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com.