Braeden Ako completed his Eagle Scout Project during the first weekend in December. He coordinated his project directly with the Maui Food Bank and completed over 140 hours with help and volunteer time from family, friends and church members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His project, the “Holiday Food Drive,” was held at Times Supermarket and Lahaina Island Grocery Depot from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. With the help of the community, Braeden was able to collect 2,166 pounds of food and $1,328 in monetary donations. He spent time on Monday visiting the food bank, meeting the workers and volunteers and seeing the operations of the organization. A 2017 graduate of Lahainaluna High School, Braeden plans to go on his church mission in the near future. His family and friends are extremely proud of him and want to wish him many blessings and love in his future plans.

E-Cycling holiday schedule announced

WAILUKU – The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management recently announced the holiday schedule for E-Cycling, the county’s electronics recycling program.

E-Cycling, managed by Habitat for Humanity Maui under a County Recycling Grant from the Environmental Protection & Sustainability Division, will be open as follows: Saturday, Dec. 23, and Tuesday, Dec. 26, CLOSED; Saturday, Dec. 30, open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.;

Tuesday, Jan. 2, open from 1 to 5 p.m.; and Thursday, Jan. 4, open from 9 a.m. to noon.

After the holidays, days and hours are expected to remain stable through June 2018. Normal hours of operation are Tuesdays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hundreds gathered under the Banyan Tree on Dec. 2, when it lit up simultaneously with The Wharf Cinema Center and Pioneer Inn to officially kick off Lahaina Town’s holiday season. After the lighting concluded, the Sacred Hearts School Choir, under Instructor Lori Ulman, delivered a touching performance. Uncle Lui Williams will perform at The Wharf on Dec. 15, 22 and 29 from 5 to 7 p.m.

“We want to thank the community for being patient during closures this past summer and fall,” said Marty McMahon, E-cycling Program administrator. “E-Cycling was forced to suspend operations due to the State Electronics Program budget constraints, but we are eager to receive unwanted electronics during and after the holiday season.”

E-Cycling accepts all computers and televisions, and everything that attaches to them, including printers of every size, plotters, DVD players and TVs. All phones, microwaves, audio and gaming devices ever made are also accepted. At least one 40-foot container is shipped off-island to the Mainland for recycling every week.

E-Cycling is located at 901 Lower Main St. in Wailuku across from the ILWU Building; look for the rainbow-colored “Open” flag when the site is open.

The public is asked to please respect the facility by not leaving anything outside the gate when E-Cycling is closed.

For information, call the E-Cycling information line at 280-6460.

George Kahumoku Jr.’s Grammy Award-winning Slack Key Show-Masters of Hawaiian Music is performed every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Napili Kai Beach Resort’s Aloha Pavilion. Hosted by George (above) with his Slack Key Show ‘Ohana — Peter deAquino, Sterling Seaton and dancer Wainani Kealoha — the show’s special guests include many of Hawaii’s award-winning performing artists. Buy tickets online at www.slackkeyshow.com or call 669-3858. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. A pre-show dinner begins at 5 p.m. at the Sea House with show package available; advance purchase is required.

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Abbey to hold book signing

LAHAINA – On Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Lahaina Gateway, meet Maui author and Reiki Master Shalandra Abbey as she signs her book and shares information from “Living a Life of Reiki-From Complete Healthcare to Ultimate Freedom in Day-to Day Life.”

Abbey writes from her full-time experience practicing Reiki in Hawaii and around the globe for over 20 years.

She explains how Reiki Natural Healing was first practiced in the Western World on Kauai in 1936 and how it was used in the Hawaiian Islands before spreading to the rest of the world.

Fabulous feather art by Ellen Levinsky will be featured in the Banyan Tree Gallery of Lahaina Arts Society through Jan. 1. Using colorful feathers from birds such as parrots, peacocks and pheasants, she creates vibrant pictures of butterflies, turtles, hula dancers and other three-dimensional images. Levinsky recycles her junk mail into different sizes of textured paper, sometimes creating beach or full moon scenes, to be the background for her art. She also makes feather earrings, pins and hair clips. Levinsky will host a reception at LAS on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. She will also be demonstrating in the gallery on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. LAS is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Old Lahaina Courthouse; for more information, phone 661-0111.

For more information, and to read the introduction, visit www.ReikiHawaii.com or call the author at (808) 280-7704.

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Slow down and save a nene

KULA – Nene breeding season has arrived, which means the endangered birds are more active along Crater Road in Haleakala National Park.

Because the road bisects native shrub land where nene feed and nest, the birds are especially vulnerable to being killed by cars.

Nene are found in Hawaii and nowhere else on Earth. In the busy Headquarters Visitor Center area, where nesting pairs are often seen, fences have

been installed to keep the birds off the road.

Multi-lingual “Slow Down for Nene” posters are being distributed to rental car agencies on Maui through an outreach program now in its fourth year.

Park visitors also get a free card that lists ways to protect the endangered birds.

“Slowing down and driving carefully are the most important actions visitors and local drivers can take to help this species,” said Park Superintendent Natalie Gates.

“This is especially true on cloudy days, at dawn or dusk, or in other low-light conditions. We need everyone’s help to protect the nene.”

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MEO to honor Souki

WAIKAPU – Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. (MEO) will hold its Annual Gala honoring State House Speaker Emeritus Joe Souki and other former MEO executives and board members on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at the King Kamehameha Clubhouse from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Sponsorships range from $15,000 to $500 and include event tickets. Individual tickets are $150.

For sponsorships, ticket purchases or more information, contact

Debbie Cabebe at 249-2990 or debbie.cabebe@meoinc.org.

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Lower Honoapiilani Road resurfacing work underway

WAILUKU – County Department of Public Works contractors will be resurfacing Lower Honoapiilani Road from Omaikai Place to Napilihau Street in Napili.

Work will start at 8:30 a.m. and last until 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for weekends and holidays. The project is expected to be complete by late February 2018.

For more information, contact the Engineering Division at 270-7745.

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Lahainaluna Foundation seeks board members

LAHAINA – The Lahainaluna High School Foundation’s board of directors is looking for motivated and passionate volunteers who would like to join the board and committees in providing opportunities and resources for the Lahainaluna community.

Although experience is not necessary, knowledge of fundraising, social media and event organization is advantageous.

The foundation, now in its 15th year, has been able to provide the school with more than $1,270,000 in scholarships, $1,250,000 in grants to clubs, sports teams and student organizations, more than 150 books endowed annually, and the $9,000,000 Sue D. Cooley Stadium. For information, call 661-5332, e-mail lhsfoundation @hawaiiantel.net or visit www.lahainalunahighschoolfoundation.net.

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Libraries offer interactive reading experience through Bookflix

HONOLULU – The Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) offers an interactive reading experience for pre-kindergarten to third grade readers through Bookflix.

It is an online resource that pairs animated stories from Weston Woods with bestselling nonfiction Scholastic e-books in order to build early literacy skills and vocabulary, strengthen fluency, support reading comprehension, build real world knowledge and teach beginning readers to differentiate fiction from nonfiction.

“We want all young readers to have as many opportunities to build early literacy skills as possible. With just a library card, children and families can jump onto our website and begin to have fun reading and learning together,” said State Librarian Stacey Aldrich.

Visit www.librarieshawaii.org and sign in with your library card and PIN number to access Bookflix.

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Nominations sought for Nihon Bunka Award

WAILUKU – The Japanese Cultural Society of Maui seeks nominations for its annual Nihon Bunka Award. The organization recognizes individuals each year for their excellence and contributions to Japanese arts and/or culture, and for their unselfish willingness to share their talents with the community.

The nomination deadline has recently been extended to Dec. 23, 2017, to Lynn Araki-Regan by mail to 1823 Wells St., Suite 2A, Wailuku, HI 96793, fax to 249-2872 or via e-mail at lynn@araki-regan.com.

Winners will be honored at the Society’s Shinnen Enkai dinner on Jan. 27, 2018, at Maui Beach Hotel. For more information, call Araki-Regan at 280-1299.