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Pu`u Wa`awa`a Ranch Fundraiser

Pu`u Wa`awa`a Ranch Fundraiser Tent

On February 24, 2008, we held a fundraiser in support of the Hawai`i Wildlife Center at the headquarters of the Pu`u Wa`awa`a Ranch. Our hosts, Henk and Akemi Rogers graciously opened the historic ranch house for the event. Nearly 90 HWC supporters attended. The event featured John Keawe on slack key guitar. Danny Akaka, Jr. led us in a pule and Susan Middleton gave an inspirational talk about her photographic projects celebrating the endemic plants and animals of Hawai`i. She displayed 20 large giclee prints from the “Remains of a Rainbow” collection. When Susan offered to sell the prints and donate half the proceeds to the HWC, six very generous donors purchased the entire collection and then donated the prints to the HWC! William Ruhl, Rhoady Lee, Alan Gartenhaus and Paul Ryan graciously covered the entire cost of the event and several others who attended wrote checks in support of the HWC. Numerous volunteers contributed their time. Hawai`i Forest and Trail provided the parking shuttle service.

This event helped to move a big step closer to our funding goal. Equally important, the event expanded the “community” of supporters who share our vision for the Hawai`i Wildlife Center.

Pu`u Wa`awa`a Ranch Fundraiser 2008 Nainoa Thompson, Kamehameha Schools Trustee and Polynesian Voyaging Society Director, was scheduled to speak at the event, but had a last minute conflict that could not be avoided. He kindly shared his thoughts about the event and the HWC in a letter excerpted below:

“Every time we heal any native wildlife we heal and restore an important part of the unique and rare ecological systems of Hawai’i, and in doing so you heal a part in every one of us, who have grown to love what makes Hawai’i our special island home so beautiful and extraordinary. We don’t protect our wildlife just because it is rare and unique but because it is precious and priceless to all of us.

Equally important is that the Hawai’i Wildlife Center is creating a special place of learning about Hawai’i’s ecology, one of the most unique on this island earth. The only way we’ll ultimately be able to protect and care for our special living systems in Hawai’i will be through education. We cannot afford to let another generation skip its connection to this earth. Hawai’i can’t afford it and the earth can’t afford it.

Linda at the Pu`u Wa`awa`a Ranch Fundraiser The Hawai’i Wildlife Center is a place where all can come, but primarily children, who will only grow to protect those things they truly love. By teaching not only about wildlife, the importance of our memory of culture and heritage and the integration of science and technology, most importantly the Hawai’i Wildlife Center will teach the values of loving and caring for the earth.

Ultimately what the Hawai’i Wildlife Center will do is create a place of hope for all of us who love and care so deeply about Hawai’i’s beauty. This isn’t just a refuge for native wildlife, this is a refuge for all of us, our spirit, our hope that we can help to reverse the destructive impacts we’ve had on Hawai’is wildlife, its environment and ecology. And what you do for Hawai’i’s living systems you do for the earth’s living systems.”

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