COMMUNITY NEWS for November 16 issue
Maui Prep to hold Turkey Run
NAPILI – Are you and your family excited for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday? Come and burn off a few extra calories in anticipation for the holiday season at the eighth annual Maui Prep Turkey Run on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 3:30 p.m. on Maui Prep’s campus.
This is a family fun event sponsored by Maui Prep athletics to promote fitness in our community as well as a food drive for the Maui Food Bank.
The event is open to the community (all students and parents), but students in the third grade and under are asked to run/walk (1.2 miles) with their parents. The top male and female in each division will receive a turkey as a prize.
Participants must bring two canned goods to donate and/or a donation to the Maui Food Bank. A waiver with a parent signature is required to participate. Students and parents can register the day of the event starting at 3 p.m., or e-mail Keenan Reader at “mailto:kreader@mauiprep”>kreader@mauiprep .org to register in advance or for more information.
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WMTA to host discussion on housing shortages
LAHAINA – The West Maui Taxpayers Association (WMTA) invites the public to join them for a community meeting to discuss housing shortages for the unsheltered, houseless or homeless.
The event will be held at the West Maui Senior Center at 788 Pauoa St. in Lahaina on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., food service begins at 5 p.m. and the panel/program begins at 5:30 p.m.
The panel will lead a moderated discussion with attendees to amplify action on one of the highest priorities of WMTA with respect to West Maui’s diversified housing needs. Panelists include Thelma Akita-Kealoha of Catholic Charities Hawaii and the Maui Homeless Alliance, Buddy Almeida of the county Department of Housing & Human Concerns, Maude Cummings of the Family Life Center and Maui Homeless Alliance, Joyce Kawakami of Feed My Sheep, Kaloa Robinson of Stanford Carr Development Inc., Monique Yamashita of Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers Inc., and David Nakama of the Department of Housing and Human Concerns.
Contact WMTA with any questions at 661-7990 or wmta@maui.net.
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An Evening of Aloha to benefit Sacred Hearts School
LAHAINA – An Evening of Aloha, a benefit for Sacred Hearts School, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the historic Pioneer Inn.
Anthony Martinez of J. Anthony Martinez Photography and Megan Bianucci of White Lotus Photography will provide each attendee with a complimentary portrait.
The setting sun over Lanai is a picturesque backdrop as guests sip cocktails and place bids in a silent auction.
The festivities then move to the courtyard of the Pioneer Inn with a sumptuous dinner catered by the Pioneer Inn, Hula Grill, Joey’s Kitchen, Roy’s Kaanapali, Japengo, Captain Jack’s, and the Maui Sugar Shop Bakery.
The evening’s open seating plan allows attendees to make new acquaintances in a relaxed setting. Reserved tables for ten are available, too. Live music by Indio and Avi complement the ambiance of the evening. A highlight for many is the martini “luge” by Darren Ho.
The dinner is capped off with a live auction to generate funds for the school.
Tickets for open seating are $75 and include dinner, drinks and the live and silent auctions. A reserved sponsorship table for ten is also available for $1,000. To purchase tickets, visit the Sacred Hearts School office, call 661-4720 or visit shsmaui.org (go to the Giving page and scroll to An Evening of Aloha).
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Mauka Makai to celebrate the start of Makahiki season
KAANAPALI – Makahiki season is a time for leisure and relaxation to celebrate the bounty of the land and enjoy time with friends and family. Mauka Makai, the signature restaurant at The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas, will celebrate the start of Makahiki season with its very first Ho’olaule’a – a night of food, locally brewed beverages, fashion and live music – on Friday, Nov. 17, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
“We’re looking forward to our very first Ho’olaule’a,” said Ricky Hamasaki, the resort’s assistant food and beverage director. “The event will be a fun and exciting way for us to demonstrate the link between cultural and culinary components, which is one of Mauka Makai and The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas’ core concepts.”
Mauka Makai will present a modern take on Hawaiian cuisine with live chef action stations featuring the iron imu pit, deep fried poke, creative musubi variations, and assorted desserts inspired by the melting pot of cultures in Hawai’i. Local beers will be served alongside select fine wines, and live music will be provided by Keoki Ruiz while special guests Wahine Toa will host a pop-up shop during the event, showcasing their clothing line inspired by Polynesian culture.
This event is open to ages 21 and over and is $65 per person. In addition to the Ho’olaule’a event, Mauka Makai is open daily for breakfast and dinner. Complimentary self-parking is available. For more information, or to make a reservation, call 662-6370 or visit westinnanea.com/maukamakai.
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Transgender Remembrance Day slated in Kihei
KIHEI – Join Maui Pride in its observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance on Monday, Nov. 20, at Kamaole I Beach Park. The event will being at 5 p.m.
Organized by local transgender author and activist Danielle Bergan, the event will commemorate all transgender men and women who suffered violent, senseless deaths in 2017.
During the event, there will be a reading of the list of those who have been killed this year. Anyone in attendance is welcome to participate. The event will end at sunset with a flower ceremony. All those who would like to participate should bring loose flowers.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), a nationwide event, was started by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was brutally murdered in 1998.
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Berthold to speak
MAKAWAO – Laura Berthold of the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project will give a presentation at Makawao Public Library on Monday, Nov. 20, at 6:30 p.m.
Have you heard that ‘I’iwi are now listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act? Learn more about these amazing birds and other Hawaiian Honeycreepers species at this event.
Berthold will present information about native forest birds, how to identify them, their threats, and the projects that MFBRP is doing to help them.