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Two easy ways to help ‘Redo the Imu’

By Staff | Oct 14, 2010

Lahainaluna’s J.R. Kenolio Dusenberry (14) follows blockers Kahokulele Arriaga (62), Malachi Olevao (60) and B.J. Pagdilao Bala (25) for a big gain in front of the Kamehameha Warriors’ bench in fourth quarter action of last Saturday’s 37-19 victory for the Lunas. The win clinched the Maui Interscholastic League Division II championship for LHS and ran their record to 5-1 (4-1 in the MIL) on the year. Saturday’s game was the first varsity contest played at the “Imu” on the new Matrix Field Turf surface. Photo by Claire Tillman.

The Lahainaluna High School Foundation is charging ahead with the next phase of “Redo the Imu,” a grassroots effort to build a state-of-the-art stadium at the historic school.

Phase II includes installing bleacher seating for 3,000, then constructing a press box, concession stand, restrooms and entrance buildings at the Luna Athletic Field.

It’s an ambitious undertaking, so the foundation will need help from everyone with Lahainaluna ties.

LHS Foundation Development Coordinator Jeff Rogers explained the first fund-raising initiative in last week’s Lahaina News: an e-mail and social media blitz to seek $5 and up donations from Lahainaluna alumni and supporters, as well as their family and friends.

“In a few weeks, we will be asking EVERY Luna supporter to support this effort by sending out e-mails to their friends and family, posting a message on their Facebook page, Tweeting or blogging about this campaign and what it will mean to the students of this small high school in the middle of the Pacific. We’ll be asking organizations and individuals who aren’t alumni to do the same, because we need the support,” the foundation announced.

Visit www.re-dotheimu.com and click on “Help High School Football” for details.

And on Friday, LHS Foundation Executive Director Leslie Hiraga notified the school community that the group is competing for a grant to support “Redo the Imu.”

“Voting is now open for the Clorox ‘Power a Bright Future’ grant. If we receive enough votes, we could win $20K or $50K… but we can’t win unless you vote,” Hiraga noted.

“You can vote once a day until November 1… please vote, vote often, and forward this message to your friends and family.”

Simply visit clorox.promo.eprize.com/brightfuture/?affiliate_id=Inbound5, enter “Lahainaluna” and VOTE!

Rogers explained why “Redo the Imu” is important on the Clorox site.

“Imagine going to the oldest public high school west of the Rockies and not having your own sports and events stadium; never being able to host home football or soccer games. The track team has had to travel to the other side of the island, once a week, in order to train. Then imagine traveling to a recently built high school on the same island, and they already have the facilities that you have waited decades for,” he wrote.

“The first phase of the new LHS stadium has already instilled more pride for this campus of nearly 1,000 day and boarding students than one could imagine. Former students are amazed at the transformation and look forward to having 3,000 permanent seats and other amenities that this new stadium will bring to this close-knit community.”

Help the foundation make this dream come true at Lahainaluna. It’s easy to get on board.